I'm sure it'd be a lot worse 'back in the days', being called peasant scum, but I really can't take any of their verbal bullying seriously. Imagine someone calling you nowadays peasant scum XD Well, tells you a lot about todays social structure.
language, and slurs especially, evolve. English is not my native language, but I suspect a modern rquivalent would be, in case of white people "white trash" or "trailer trash" when talking about poor person. I think I've heard "project kid" or something before?
Also, context matters. Being the only X feels far worse then being one of many Xes
I never tried to convice anyone otherwise. In german, we would say (that is, of course without trying to stirr up any social conflict here and in disregard of whether or not the meaning are congruent, or only similiar in context) "Du Hartzer" as in, someone who relies on Hartz IV, a social safe net. Im sure a lot of people, especially those, who are in fact relying on this, wouldnt take too kindly to that insult.