Definition:
Survival class refers to people whose primary economic condition is defined by meeting basic needs such as food, shelter, and safety, with little or no buffer against disruption.
Usage Context:
Used in critiques of inequality, cost-of-living discourse, welfare analysis, and discussions of systemic poverty.
Critical Note:
Survival class highlights that scarcity is not accidental but structured. Life is organised around endurance rather than aspiration, making participation in broader social or economic life fragile or conditional.
Related Terms:
Breadline, Working Poverty, Economic Precarity, Attrition by Design