Abstract

This article presents the results of an empirical investigation on a denomination used in Chile to name the members of the upper class: The cuicos. Using a qualitative methodology based on 64 interviews and 6 discussion groups conducted with men and women belonging to different social classes and of different ages in Santiago city, we analyzed the meanings associated with this word and, therefore, the perceptions and representations of the upper class in Chile. The analysis shows that the word has different meanings, associated with a sense of class belonging, on the one hand, and an attitude of alleged superiority, on the other. Through its use, individuals manifest negative representations of the upper class, drawing social and cultural boundaries, but also racial and above all, moral bounds ones with respect to their members.