Overclass is a pejorativeThe next American nation: the new nationalism and the fourth American revolution – Michael Lind – Google BooksFighting Poverty, Inequality and Injustice: A Manifesto Inspired by Peter ... - Google Books term for the most powerful group in a social hierarchy. Users of the term generally imply excessive and unjust privilege and exploitation of the rest of society.Chronicles – Rockford Institute – Google BooksThis Land Is Their Land: Reports from a Divided Nation – Barbara Ehrenreich – Google BooksDelight of the Overclass! Demise of the Middleclass! - Jay T. Baldwin - Google Books
The word is fairly recent, with the Oxford English Dictionary including it only in December 2004,Quarterly updates to OED Online but it has been in use since at least 1995. Some writers compare it to the more familiar underclass:
The influence of the actions by the overclass have been rigorously studied, particularly with regard to notions of intersections between the overclass and specific races. Most notable of these racial overclasses is the NEWBO, or NEW Black Overclass in America.
Perhaps the most commonly agreed-upon "overclass" consists of leaders in international business, finance and the arms trade.
See also
Lists of billionaires Oligarchy Power elite Ruling class Transnational capitalist class (also see Superclass) Upper class Underclass
References
Further reading Newsweek cover story on "How the new elite scrambled up the merit ladder—and wants to stay there any way it can."
External links , 1996 To have and to have not, 1995