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In discussion of the social structure of modern capitalist societies the distinction between the "old" and "new" middle class is common. The old middle class is epitomized by the small businessman and the new middle class by the bureaucratic manager and employee. It has been postulated that the political sentiments and attitudes are different among these two subsets of the middle class. Specifically, it is hypothesized that the old middle class in a mature industrial and capitalistic system is especially vulnerable to right-wing extremism. It is the purpose of this paper to report research testing the above general hypothesis by using three factors of explanation.

IN THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF MODERN CAPITALIST SOCIETIES, DIFFERENTIATION IS MADE BETWEEN THE 'OLD' MC (BUSINESSMEN) & THE 'NEW' MC (BUREAUCRATS). IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT THE OLD MC IN A MATURE, INDUSTRIALIZED, CAPITALIST SYSTEM IS HIGHLY VULNERABLE TO RIGHT-WING EXTREMISM. THIS HYPOTHESIS IS TESTED USING 3 FACTORS OF EXPLANATION UPON WHICH TESTABLE HYPOTHESES WERE GROUNDED: (1) MASS-SOCIETY THEORY CLAIMS A RIGHT-WING MC RESPONSE TO A LACK OF INVOLVEMENT IN THE POWER STRUCTURE & DECISION-MAKING OF MODERN CAPITALISM, (2) ECONOMIC THEORY CLAIMS THAT THE ROOTS OF EXTREMISM LIE IN THE ECONOMIC RISK INHERENT IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT, & (3) RURALISM THEORY SEES THE ROOTS OF EXTREMISM IN THE VALUES OF THE PREINDUSTRIAL AGRARIAN EXPERIENCE. A TOTAL OF 388 (N=299 UR, 45 RU) QUALIFIED PHARMACISTS WERE R'S IN INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED IN THE SUMMERS OF 1969 & 1970 IN THE RU & UR AREAS OF EDMONTON. DIFFERENCES DO OCCUR IN THE HYPOTHESIZED DIRECTIONS, BUT NOT OF A MAGNITUDE SUBSTANTIAL ENOUGH TO BE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. 6 TABLES, APPENDIX. T. BABITSKY.