--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In this city, the rich had some room, and…" description: "\"“In this city, the rich had some room, and the middle class had less, and the poor had none.”\" — Vikram Chandra" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/vikram-chandra-36517_middle-class_in-this-city-the-rich-had-some-room-and_2134972.png" --- # In this city, the rich had some room, and the middle class… ![“In this city, the rich had some room, and the middle class had less, and the poor had none.” quote by Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/vikram-chandra-36517_middle-class_in-this-city-the-rich-had-some-room-and_2134972.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/vikram-chandra-36517_middle-class_in-this-city-the-rich-had-some-room-and_2134972.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/vikram-chandra-36517_middle-class_in-this-city-the-rich-had-some-room-and_2134972.png) > ““In this city, the rich had some room, and the middle class had less, and the poor had none.”” [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Urban inequality is stark: wealth concentrates with the rich, middle class shrinks, and the poor have nothing. **In simple terms:** Cities show widening wealth gaps. Key Takeaway Address systemic inequality. Themes social inequality urban development class disparity Mood somber urgent Type critical analytical When to use this quote - urban planning - social activism - academic study Key Concepts economic stratification poverty cycles policy failure Questions to Reflect On - What policies could reduce urban disparity? - How does class affect daily life? A Different Perspective Solutions require political will. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [City Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city-rich-3482915/) [Class Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class-poor-270374/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Rich Room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-room-4417152/) ## Related quotes > [“He is so rich, he has no room to shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/he-is-so-rich-he-has-no-room-to-shit/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Which class is happiest, the rich, the middle class or the poor? A very successful executive of a large organization touches upon this vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/which-class-is-happiest-the-rich-the-middle-class-or-the-poor-a-very/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [When there is no middle class, and the poor greatly exceed in number, troubles arise, and the state soon comes to an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/when-there-is-no-middle-class-and-the-poor-greatly-exceed-in-number/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The Clinton administration cared a lot about the middle class and the poor. But it also cared a lot - too much, in retrospect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/the-clinton-administration-cared-a-lot-about-the-middle-class-and-the/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [The life of our city is rich in poetic and marvelous subjects. We are enveloped and steeped as though in an atmosphere of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/the-life-of-our-city-is-rich-in-poetic-and-marvelous-subjects-we-are/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [Venice is a cheek-by-jowl, back-of-the-hand, under-the-counter, higgledy-piggledy, anecdotal city, and she is rich in piquant wrinkled things, like an assortment of bric-a-brac in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-morris/venice-is-a-cheek-by-jowl-back-of-the-hand-under-the-counter-higgledy/) [Jan Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-morris/) > [It is often said that New York is a city for only the very rich and the very poor. It is less often said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/it-is-often-said-that-new-york-is-a-city-for-only-the-very-rich-and/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [“The city rich are not like bees in a hive that work together to share honey for all. The city rich are like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rin-chupeco/the-city-rich-are-not-like-bees-in-a-hive-that-work-together-to-share/) [Rin Chupeco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rin-chupeco/) > [The contented and economically comfortable have a very discriminating view of government. Nobody is ever indignant about bailing out failed banks and failed savings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/the-contented-and-economically-comfortable-have-a-very-discriminating/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [“P3- every simple need to which an institutional answer is found permit the invention of a new class of poor and a new definition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/p3-every-simple-need-to-which-an-institutional-answer-is-found-permit/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [You know the funny thing, I don't get along with rich people. I get along with the middle class and the poor people better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-know-the-funny-thing-i-don-t-get-along-with-rich-people-i-get/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The most sublime courage I have ever witnessed has been among that class too poor to know they possessed it, and too humble for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-most-sublime-courage-i-have-ever-witnessed-has-been-among-that/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Inequality is bad for everyone, not just the middle class and the poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/inequality-is-bad-for-everyone-not-just-the-middle-class-and-the-poor/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [Poverty is everyone's problem. It cuts across any line you can name: age, race, social, geographic or religious. Whether you are black or white;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-blanco/poverty-is-everyone-s-problem-it-cuts-across-any-line-you-can-name/) [Kathleen Blanco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-blanco/) > [Working-class and poor urban Americans are not benefiting economically from our current food system. It relies too much on transportation, chemical fertilization, big use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/majora-carter/working-class-and-poor-urban-americans-are-not-benefiting/) [Majora Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/majora-carter/) ## More by Vikram Chandra > [And so I began to read,' Sorkar said. 'And at first the complete works were like a jungle, the language was quicksand. Metaphors turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/and-so-i-began-to-read-sorkar-said-and-at-first-the-complete-works/) [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) > [“What could my mother be to yours? What kin is my father to yours anyway? And how did you and I meet ever? But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/what-could-my-mother-be-to-yours-what-kin-is-my-father-to-yours/) [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) > [“Don’t worry. I won’t forgive you –’ Bashir Ali blanched ‘– because there’s nothing to forgive. We are both trapped, you on that side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/don-t-worry-i-won-t-forgive-you-bashir-ali-blanched-because-there-s/) [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) > [“Then what in your opinion is a good story?' 'What it's always been, monkey,' Ganesha said. 'One dhansu conflict. Some chaka-chak song and dance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/then-what-in-your-opinion-is-a-good-story-what-it-s-always-been/) [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) > [I was writing fiction steadily, but I found that the stark determinisms of code were a welcome relief from the ambiguities of literary narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/i-was-writing-fiction-steadily-but-i-found-that-the-stark/) [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) > [I think the first time you have to change code you’ve written previously, to add features or remove a bug, you realize that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/i-think-the-first-time-you-have-to-change-code-you-ve-written/) [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) > [“So now that began to develop into a full-fledged shouting match of its own, and all in all it was soon a full-scale old-style…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/so-now-that-began-to-develop-into-a-full-fledged-shouting-match-of/) [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) > [The world is a story we tell ourselves about the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/the-world-is-a-story-we-tell-ourselves-about-the-world/) [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) > [When you're a writer, sometimes you have to spend time poking at a part of yourself that normal, sane people leave alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/when-you-re-a-writer-sometimes-you-have-to-spend-time-poking-at-a/) [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) > [“if you want to live in the city you have to think ahead three turns, and look behind a lie to see the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/if-you-want-to-live-in-the-city-you-have-to-think-ahead-three-turns/) [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) > [“We may read the same texts, but the dhvani that manifests within you will be unique. Your beauty will be your own. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/we-may-read-the-same-texts-but-the-dhvani-that-manifests-within-you/) [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) > [Ask him why there are hypocrites in the world.' 'Because it is hard to bear the happiness of others.' 'When are we happy?' 'When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/ask-him-why-there-are-hypocrites-in-the-world-because-it-is-hard-to/) [Vikram Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) [Explore all 13 Vikram Chandra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/) ## More Middle class quotes > [I grew up in the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/i-grew-up-in-the-middle-class/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are not going back to the failed policies of the past. We are fighting for the middle class!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/we-are-not-going-back-to-the-failed-policies-of-the-past-we-are/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [Aristocratic depression has this cosmic dimension to it, where it's asking these big questions about, "Why?" "What is the purpose of all this?" Neuroses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-douglas/aristocratic-depression-has-this-cosmic-dimension-to-it-where-it-s/) [Lawrence Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-douglas/) > [The Democrats have been there for working people in our country. That's who we are, trickle-down vs. middle-class economics. That's the major difference between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/the-democrats-have-been-there-for-working-people-in-our-country-that/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [If you read the 'Daily Mail,' you would imagine that the British middle classes lead lives of unremitting misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hoggart/if-you-read-the-daily-mail-you-would-imagine-that-the-british-middle/) [Simon Hoggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hoggart/) > [“They had tried to reproduce their own attitude to life upon the stage, and to dress up as the middle-class English people they actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/they-had-tried-to-reproduce-their-own-attitude-to-life-upon-the-stage/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [I wasn't the smartest in school - I was always sort of middle of the class - but when it came to football, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-wilson/i-wasn-t-the-smartest-in-school-i-was-always-sort-of-middle-of-the/) [Harry Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-wilson/) > [The family of my mother had a lot of money; the family of my father, nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charo/the-family-of-my-mother-had-a-lot-of-money-the-family-of-my-father/) [Charo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charo/) > [Now that I'm more middle class, I have access to consumer goods. I do enjoy feminine frippery, feminine doo-da, stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/now-that-i-m-more-middle-class-i-have-access-to-consumer-goods-i-do/) [Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/) > [Poor and most middle-class people believe "If I have a lot of money, I could do what I want and I'd be a success."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/poor-and-most-middle-class-people-believe-if-i-have-a-lot-of-money-i/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [My dad was a bartender. My mom was a cashier, a maid and a stock clerk at K-Mart. They never made it big. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/my-dad-was-a-bartender-my-mom-was-a-cashier-a-maid-and-a-stock-clerk/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [My father was in real estate, banking, and land management. As family life, it was very conventional, happy, and comfortable. We weren't wealthy, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/my-father-was-in-real-estate-banking-and-land-management-as-family/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [When in one area of the world the standard of living and the size of the middle class increases, it is going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lagarde/when-in-one-area-of-the-world-the-standard-of-living-and-the-size-of/) [Christine Lagarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lagarde/) > [The benefit of living in a free society is that we all have the choice to be rich, poor, or middle class. The decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/the-benefit-of-living-in-a-free-society-is-that-we-all-have-the/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) [Browse all 2,050 Middle class quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In this city, the rich had some room, and the middle class had less, and the poor had none.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vikram Chandra" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/in-this-city-the-rich-had-some-room-and-the-middle-class-had-less-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Middle class" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/in-this-city-the-rich-had-some-room-and-the-middle-class-had-less-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/vikram-chandra-36517_middle-class_in-this-city-the-rich-had-some-room-and_2134972.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/vikram-chandra-36517_middle-class_in-this-city-the-rich-had-some-room-and_2134972.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/vikram-chandra-36517_middle-class_in-this-city-the-rich-had-some-room-and_2134972.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In this city, the rich had some room, and the middle class had less, and the poor had none.” — Vikram Chandra", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Vikram Chandra", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-chandra/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In this city, the rich had...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/in-this-city-the-rich-had-some-room-and-the-middle-class-had-less-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-chandra/in-this-city-the-rich-had-some-room-and-the-middle-class-had-less-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```