Guy Standing

The precariat consists of a growing proportion of our total society. It is being habituated to accept a life of unstable labour and unstable living. Often they're unable to say what their occupation is, because what they're doing now might be quite different from what they were doing three months ago.

English Actor

In financial affairs and dealings with the state, those in the precariat are disadvantaged since they are usually less well-informed and have to do much more to satisfy demands made on them if they want to gain meagre state benefits.

Politicians seem desperate to appeal to their respective versions of the so called 'middle class,' unable to empathise with the precariat and eager to dream up fresh and tougher sanctions against society's wounded.

The precariat has been losing cultural rights in that those in it feel they cannot and do not belong to any community that gives them secure identity or a sense of solidarity and reciprocity, of mutual support.

The precariat can be divided into three further groups - atavists, who look back to a lost past; nostalgics, who look forlornly for a present, a home; and progressives, who look for a lost future.

A multi-tier social protection system must be based on a modest basic income so as to enable the precariat to build lives involving a balance of different types of work, not just labour in jobs.

Capital is taxed much less than labour; subsidies going to capital, the rich, and middle-income earners greatly exceed the benefits going to the precariat and underclass.

Retraining for the precariat is stressful and demoralising; often, they learn new tricks only to find them obsolescent or unwanted.

The precariat is the first class in history to be losing acquired rights - cultural, civil, social, economic, and political.

Many in the precariat know they have to spend considerable time just waiting for opportunities to arise.

The term 'precariat' emphasizes uncertainty in employment status and income.

Job Instability

'Precariat' is particularly relevant today due to the rise of short-term contracts and gig work.

Modern Concern

The word often refers to a new, insecure social class affected by globalization and economic changes.