Of the "Middling Sort"

I've been reading American history of late and came across this interesting topic a number of times.

According to Clinton Rossiter, a professor, the five classes of the colonial period were "the better sort", "the middling sort", "the meaner sort", the indentured servant, and the slave. These are in order or what was perceived as being more demeaning.

Interesting, I thought, because most of America would fall in "the meaner sort" today. These were those that worked under others as day laborers, renters, or servants or one kind or another. The term "meaner sort" was not a term describing their personalities but rather it meant they were demeaned by their servitude to a boss. The desire of all men of early America was to work for themselves. Only immature men worked for another person. This today is the day jobber.

Now step up to the "middling sort". This was those who had attained their independence from servitude and were able to make an adequate living for themselves under their own direction. Mostly this was farmers but it also included other trades. This today would be small business owners(and where I happily fall).

And finally the "Better Sort". These were gentlemen of great wealth who mostly had gotten there by their own efforts. In other words stepping up from the "Middling Sort" by hard work. They were able to maintain a lifestyle in which they were in essence "Renaissance men", learning and developing many talents. These were often the politicians. Where are these men today?