Social Class In US Flashcards
Which of following factors affect social class standing in US?
Being born into certain family, race and gender
Following analysis of Karl Marx, which class forms core of industrial proletariat ?
Working-class
Men and women of low social positions tend to…
Engage in different activities
While being in upper upper-class is usually result of ______, being in lower upper-class is more matter of ______.
High-income; amount of education you have
In general, people of lower class postion…
Live in less safe and more stressful environments, are less likely to describe own health as “excellent” and live fewer year’s overall
Income
earnings for work or investments
Wealth
Total value of $ and other assets, minus outstanding debts
Upper-upper class
“Blue-bloods or simply “society” that includes less than 1% of population; membership is almost always result of birth, as suggested by joke that easiest way to become upper-upper is to be born one
Lower-upper class
3 or 4% of US population-generally live in large homes in expensive neighborhoods, own vacation homes near water or in the mountains, and send children to private schools and good colleges
Upper-middle class
Live in comfortable homes in fairly expensive areas, own several automobiles and build investments
Average-middle class
Typically work less prestigious white-collar jobs as bank branch managers, high school teachers and government office workers or in highly skilled blue-collar jobs such as electrical work and carpentry.
Objective approach
Involves using measurable criteria. This measurable criteria includes amount of income, amount of education, occupational prestige residential location, house type and source of income associated with individual. Number is then assigned to each criterion. Total number of points obtained by adding all six criteria will determine assignment in social class hierarchy
Subjective approach
Involves asking individuals to determine own ranking in social class hierarchy
Reputational approach
Relies on info from other members of community.
Intragenerational social mobility
Change in social position occurring during person’s lifetime
Intergenerational social mobility
Upward or downward social mobility of children in relation to their parents; important because usually reveals long-term changes in society, such as industrialization, that affect everyone
Upward social mobility
Earning college degree, landing higher paying job, or marrying someone who earns good income
Downward social mobility
Dropping out of school, losing job or becoming divorced
Horizontal social mobility
Changing jobs at same class level and more common than other social mobility
5 general conclusions about social mobility in US
- Social mobility has been fairly high
- Within single generation, social mobility is usually small
- Long-term trend in social mobility has been upward
- Since 1970s, social mobility has been uneven
- Short-term trend in social mobility has been downward
Disturbing trends
- For many workers, earnings have stalled.
- More jobs offer little income
- Recent recession brought economic deadline
- Young people are remaining at home
Relative poverty
Lack of resources of some people in relation to those who have more
Absolute poverty
Lack of resources that is life-threatening
Feminization of poverty
Trend of women making up increasing proportion of the poor
Views of poverty
- poor are mostly responsible for their own property
- society is mostly responsible for poverty
Culture of poverty
Lower-class subculture that can control people’s ambition to improve lives
Social stratification’ said different dimensions
- income: earnings from work and investments are unequal, with richest 20% of families
- wealth: total value of all assets minus debts, wealth is distributed more unequally than income, with richest 20% of families holding 89% of all wealth
- power: income and wealth are important sources of power
- occupational prestige: work generates not only income but also prestige. White-collar jobs generally offer more income and prestige jobs are performed by women and people of color
- schooling: affects both occupation and income. Some categories of people have greater opportunity for schooling than others
Caste elements in US
- Ancestry: being born into particular family affects persons opportunities for schooling, occupation and income
- race and ethnicity: non-Hispanic white families enjoy high social standing based on income and wealth. By contrast, African American and Hispanic families remain disadvantaged
- gender: on average, women have less income, wealth and occupational prestige than men
Social classes
Upper, middle, working and lower
Upper class
5% of population. Most members of upper-upper class, or “old rich”, inherited their wealth; members of lower-upper class, or “new rich,” work at high-paying jobs
Middle class
40 to 45% of population. People in upper-middle class have significant wealth; average-middles have less prestige, do white-collar work and most attend college
Working class
30 to 35% of population. People in lower-middle class do blue-collar work; only about one-third of children attend college
Lower class
20% of population. Most people in lower class lack financial security due to low income; many live below poverty line; just 70% of children complete high school
Health
Rich people, with greater education and financial security, display greater tolerance than working-class people
Politics
- Affluent people tend to be more conservative on economic issues and more liberal on social issues than poor people
- affluent people, who are better served by political system, are more likely to vote than poor people
Family and gender
- Affluent families pass on advantages in form of “cultural capital” to their children
- class also shapes division of family responsibilities, with lower-class people maintaining more traditional gender roles
Social mobility
- common in US, as it is in other high-income counties, but typically only small changes occur from one generation to next
- between 1980 and 2013, richest 20% of US families enjoyed 56% jump in annual income experiences 7% decrease
- historically, African Americans, Hispanic Americans and women have had less opportunity for upward mobility in US society than white men
- American Dream- expectation of upward social mobility-is deeply rooted in our culture, although high income families are earning more and more, many average families are earning more and more, many average families are struggling to hold on to what they have.
- marriage encourages upward social mobility. Divorce lowers social standing
- global reorganization of work has created upward social mobility for educated people in US but has hurt average workers, whose factory jobs have moved overseas and who are forced to take low-wage service work
Blame individuals
Culture of poverty thesis states that poverty is caused by shortcomings in poor themselves
Blame society
Poverty is caused by society’s unequal distribution of wealth and lack of good jobs
