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[quote=Anonymous]What's genteel poverty these days?

I don't think we really have this kind of economic setup in the US anymore.  Genteel poverty came with inherited houses, land, issues relating to not being able to employ servants, farmworkers, etc.  Or unemployable family members such as older women who could not earn much or any money outside the home do to cultural norms about white-collar work.

The era of low wage, unskilled servants is long over in the U.S. When people's families lose money and status, they trade down in real estate and other upper class accoutrements.  But that isn't necessarily very interesting.   I knew a DC family that had become less rich but they still had a housekeeper and their everyday silverware was massive Victorian sterling.  Among the other families I know, they had to give up on their fancy summer houses.

Are you looking for downward mobility across generations?  Profligacy by the ultra-rich resulting in bankruptcy?  Or peeling wallpaper genteel poverty.  If the last, maybe try UK media.[/quote]

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