SOCIAL CLASS IN THE UNITED

STATES

By: Wesley Gottchall and Tim Taylor

Thesis

There are many factors that determine Social class, and people are affected in many ways by which social class they are in.

Social Class

Three components to social classWealthPowerPrestige

Status Inconsistency

Sociological Models of Social Class Marx

Two classes: capitalists and workersWright updated Marx’s class model into four

classes: Capitalists, Petty bourgeoisie, Managers, and Workers

WeberSix class modelLike a ladder; as you go down the ladder there

is less power, less wealth and less prestige

Social Class Ladder

Capitalist Upper Middle Lower Middle Working Class Working Poor Underclass

Consequences of Social Class Physical Health Mental Health Family Life Education Religion Politics Crime Technology

Social Mobility

Three types of Social MobilityIntergenerational mobilityStructural mobilityExchange mobility

Women in Studies on Social Mobility In a study of 200 women from working-

class homes have gone up the social ladder. Almost all the girls had encouragement from when they were young to postpone marriage for an education. The study confirms that family is of utmost importance in the socialization process, and entrance to the upper middle class is a college education.

New Technology and Fears of the Future Going down in social class strikes fear into many

people The United States also has to keep pace with

other countries by producing low-cost quality goods, or the United States’ position will decline, lowering the opportunities for workers and thus lowering the class of people

As new and more advanced technology is being developed the technological illiterate are being left behind, which makes their future, and their hopes of climbing the social class ladder grim

Poverty

Poverty Line Who are the Poor? Children of Poverty Culture of Poverty Why Are People Poor?

Welfare Reform

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act

Criticisms

Deferred Gratification

Giving things up in the present for greater gains in the future

Difficult to follow this if one does not have a middle-class surplus or middle-class hope

Horatio Alger Myth

Fictional hero Rags to riches Due to limitless possibilities anyone can

get ahead if he or she tries Encourages people to compete for

higher positions

Works Cited Henslin, James M. Sociology, A Down-To-Earth Approach.

Needham Heights, Massachusetts: A Pearson Education Company, 2001.

“Social Class in the United States.” www.mltranslations.org. 1999. May 13, 2009. http://www.mltranslations.org/us/rpo/classes/classes.htm

"Welfare Reform." Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington Web Site. 06 Apr. 2009 <http://www.mrsc.org/Subjects/HumanServices/welfare/welfare.aspx>.

"Social class in the United States -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 13 May 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_class_in_the_United_States>.