Competition between socioeconomic classes: rich, middle-class and
poor. It occurs most often in capitalist countries where politicians use it to get votes, by enacting legislation that supposedly puts one class at an advantage over the other. For example,
liberals and Democrats in the United States often use the words
TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH as an excuse to not support a tax
cut of any kind to anyone, while Republicans complain that high taxes are burdensome for the rich and owners of small business (middle-class). In the Presidential election of 2008,
Democrat candidate Barack Obama accused his opponent, Arizona Senator John McCain, of owning too many homes while McCain charged Obama of being out of touch with middle-class, middle American ideals. Politicians also utilize class war in an effort to promote universal healthcare, claiming it will
help the
poor and put everyone at an even playing field, but conservatives claim it will create burdensome taxes on the rich. Class warfare is also seen in corporate America as lower paying employees or members of unions sometimes protest what they perceive as unfair business practices of rewarding corporate executives with big bonuses, excessive raises and inflated salaries, while the lower paying middle-class workers are forced to accept pay cuts and job losses and concessions. The redistribution of wealth is another example where the rich are forced to surrender more of their earnings in higher taxes and give them to the
poor. Another example is found in
welfare, that gives
money to the
poor.
