John Steward of Jesus
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The three classes

October 30, 1980

Perhaps the best definition of the classes which I have heard is:   Upper--those who like their position and wish to keep things as they are; Middle--those who wish to become upper class; Lower—-those who wish to eradicate all distinctions among men and create a classless society.

Upon further reflection, it seems to me that the distinguishing characteristic of class is the extent to which a man organizes his life according to his own desires and preferences, or the desires and preferences of others.

A man following his own desires (the man who is free) is happy and does not see any need for changing either the structure of things or his own position.

The man who has not found a means of self-support doing those things which he enjoys doing and prefers to do, but aspires to such a position, sets freedom and self-direction as his goal and thus desires to become a self-directing, freedom-loving member of the “upper” class.

The man with a lack of faith, who senses in his guts that he does not have the capabilities to be self-directive, succumbs to envv and looks for a revolution or for a strong man to erase those distinctions which remind him of his position, and to force all men into a common bondage.’

The above distinctions imply that class is completely independent of occupation or relative wealth. The Protestant Reformation and the American Revolution confirm this.  Little people can be upper class.

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