The 2031 Society
The social gap had widened during the last decade and now, at 2031, the society is divided into two primary social standings - The rich and the poor. You can still find the middle class, but it’s really scarce. Here you will find a description of the social standings of 2031.
LIVING ON THE STREETS
The lowest one can get is to living on the streets. If you walk through the suburbs, you will most likely not meet any “street citizens”, because these streets are being patrolled on regular basis by the cops or private security that were hired by the suburbs citizens. But as you advance towards the inner city, you will meet more and more street people. If you find yourself downtown, you will most likely encounter groups of people who live on the streets. These people usually hang together in small communities of 10-50 people. They hang together for the sole reason that if you are alone on the streets you will probably not make it through the night - someone will want your shoes, coat, trousers and even underpants - and he will not hesitate to kill you for them.
THE LOW LIFE
This social class includes all who were not good enough or didn’t want to be accepted into one of the megacorps. They usually earn the minimal wage for food and drink and to keep a small rented apartment. These are people who do all the dirty work - keeping shops, selling hot-dogs, owning a restaurant, etc. Although that was enough to keep a relatively high life style during the end of the 20th century, it’s barely enough to survive nowadays. Those who belong to this social standing usually live in small under-maintained apartments, with leaking ceilings and water which are not always clear. The streets are unkempt and the cops usually patrol them only during the day (when there’s light).
THE MIDDLE CLASS
There are very few people that belong to this social standing. These are usually business owners that had luck with their business, or small corporate employees. Usually successful business is only a temporary term, and the small corporations are bound to be merged into larger and more powerful corporates. This leaves a middle class which is always changing. Usually people just pass through this class on their way to the upper class or on their way to poverty. People in this social class live in roomy apartments and have most technology available to them. The streets are usually clean and patrolled even during the night (but not to regularly).
THE CORPORATE CLASS
The corporate class is the social class of most corporate working people. They are financially stable and are being taken cared of by the megacorp they work for. Usually they dwell in apartment buildings that their megacorp own. Most apartment buildings are located in the suburbs, but some are located in the megacorp building - if the megacorp building is big enough to hold both employees accommodations and offices. The megacorp usually also handles security arrangements, so the streets are either patrolled by the megacorp’s security or other hired private security. People belonging to this class can afford almost anything they want, and if they can’t afford it their megacorp will probably loan them the money.
THE FILTHY RICH
These are the richest people in the society. Usually they are managers of some megacorp or inherited their wealth in some way. Starting from the middle level managers and ending with megacorp owners, most people from this social class have a good life. At 2031 anything can be bought - and that means ANYTHING. They usually have a house outside the city and also a leisure suit at the megacorp building. Most of them have a security stationed at their house on a regular basis and a body guard or two. Their life quality is the best you can ask for - just like the rich had it all through history. The only difference is that at 2031 they are more likely to get killed - just like everyone else in this era.
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