The Precariat: A Forgotten and Emerging Class

The Precariat is a socioeconomic class that live extremely precarious lives due to job insecurity, financial instability, and lack of ability to prepare for the future. This class falls through the cracks of the present system; a system that is failing to identify and support the true struggling working class. Many of these workers just barely miss the financial cut off for government assistance programs (e.g LIHEAP and SNAP) or may be unaware of all the resources available to them. A citizen of the Precariat can possess a variety of characteristics. This class is thought to be divided into three factions with unique dimensions. There is a collective mentality and pressure to accept unstable labor; thus, why there is no occupational or demographic identity of the Precariat. The three factions can be titled as follows: atavists, progressives, and nostalgics. These titles reflect the differentiating traits and attitudes of each faction.