In England I remember seeing this upper crust old woman talking about society and saying it was the very wealthy and the very poor who went together and the middle class was a pain in the ass.
I was a teenager at the time but I remember feeling a bit offended at that - no it's the middle class that pay for it all, I thought for the longest time, I still feel like that but I can see her point now (and I knew she had one at the time, it was a real comment) - without the middle class talking up the human rights and basic respect angle the wealthy can grind a living out of the poor.
so maybe a few serfs too edrek. There's no point being wealthy without someone who isn't.