The working class is the social class employed in manual or industrial labor. It includes factory workers, construction workers, truck drivers, and service workers. Members often have limited education, modest incomes, and little autonomy at work. They sell their labor for wages.

The working class is not a monolith. Skilled tradespeople may earn more than some white-collar workers. Service workers may earn less. Race and gender shape who enters which jobs. The working class has shrunk in rich countries as manufacturing declined. Many former factory workers now work in retail, healthcare, or gig jobs.

Characteristics

• Manual or service labor
• Hourly wages or salaried with little control
• Limited savings and economic security
• Strong occupational communities and unions
• Distinct cultural tastes and political leanings

The working class is often romanticized or dismissed. Politicians court it. Sociologists study it. But its members are not a voting bloc or a stereotype. They are people navigating a changing economy with limited power.