If you ask people to chose a class, they'll invariably get the middle classes wrong.
From Marx:
Marxism defines social classes not according to the wealth or prestige of their members, but according to their relationship with the means of production.
Working class - A multitude of individuals who sell their labor power for wages and do not own the means of production, and he defined them as being responsible for creating the wealth of a society. For example, the members of this class physically build bridges, craft furniture, fix cars, grow food, and nurse children, but do not themselves own the land, factories or means of production.
Middle class - A noble owns land; a capitalist owns capital; a worker has the ability to work and must seek employment in order to make a living. Marxists vigorously debate the exact composition of the middle class under capitalism. Some describe a "co-ordinating class" which implements capitalism on behalf of the capitalists, composed of the petit bourgeoisie, professionals and managers.
Upper-middle - In England this class of people is less easily defined, and personal wealth is not a necessary criterion. Frequently its members are members of professions (traditionally academia, law and medicine), although merchants too were able to penetrate its ranks. However, being a member of a profession does not automatically elevate a person to this class, and it is quite common for an upper middle class person not to work in a traditional profession. Instead, accent, language, education (usually at a good public school), family background and understatement, in both behavior and taste, are defining characteristics of the upper middles. Although not of the landowning class, its members may aspire to the characteristics of, or be described as, gentlemen.
Upper class - entry to the upper class is still considered difficult, if not impossible, to attain unless one is born into it.
But such class boundaries are meanginless these days.... some working class can have better qualities of life than middle class. Anyone that has completed tertiary education can be assigned middle class... etc...
It's all bull. But from these guidlines, I'm upper-middle as I'm enshrined in acadamia, have a 'posh' accent (this only means I speak correct English) etc... Like I said, it's all bull.
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