The document discusses class in America and argues against common myths. It notes that the wealthiest 1% own 34% of total wealth and the richest 20% own 85% of household wealth, showing sharp differences. In contrast, 13% of Americans live below the poverty line, including 1.4 million homeless children each year. It concludes that with such extremes, the US cannot be considered classless and that class has a significant impact on life chances from education to survival.
2. WHAT IS CLASS?
Many people think discussing class in America is unacceptable
It is acceptable to talk about “middle class” Americans because it
is such a broad spectrum
Low suggestion of conflict when discussing middle class
Low class & high class are rarely talked about, except when
referred to as “rich or poor”
Life on the street vs. a look inside the rich and glamorous
3. 4 MYTHS OF CLASS IN THE
US
1. The US is a classless society. Rich or poor we are all equal in the
eyes of the law
2. We are a middle class nation. Most people have risen up and
have achieved affluence of some kind.
3. We are all getting richer, steadily moving up the economic
ladder.
4. Everyone has an equal chance to succeed.
4. “Are there significant class differences among
Americans? Do these differences have a significant
impact on the way we live? Does everyone in the US
have an opportunity to succeed?”
• -Class in America
5. THE ECONOMIC
SPECTRUM: THE
WEALTHIEST
The wealthiest 1% of americans own 34% of total national wealth
They also own over 1/3 of all consumer durables and financial
assets
The richest 20% of Americans hold nearly 85% of the total
household wealth in the country
There are nearly 400 billionaries in the US today
6. ECONOMIC SPECTRUM:
POVERTY AND DESPAIR
13$ of the American population, nearly 1 in 8 people, live below
the official poverty line ($10,590 for an individual and $21,203 for a
family of four)
An estimated 1.4 million of these people are childreen and
experience homelessness in any given year.
7. “The contrast between rich and poor is
sharp, and with nearly one-thrid of the
American population living at one extreme
or the other, it is difficult to argue that we
live in a classless society.” –class in America
8. 7 REALITIES
1. there are enormous differences in the economic standing of
American citizens
2. The middle class in the US holds a very small share of the
nations wealth and that share is declining steadily. The gap between
the rich and poor is larger than ever.
3. There are enormous class differences in the life-styles among
the haves, the have-nots, and the have-littles
9. REALITIES (CONT…)
4. from cradle to grave, class standing has a significant impact on our chances
for survival.
5. Class standing has a significant impact on chances for educational
achievement.
6. All Americans do not have an equal opportunity to succeed. Inheritance laws
ensure a greater likelihood of success for the offspring of the wealthy.
7. Racism and sexism significantly compound the effects of class in society.
10. QUESTIONS
1. How has class affected your life? Do you think would be a
different person if you would have been born into a different class?
Do you believe what this study suggests? That class plays a major
role in the course of your life from birth? Why?
11. CITATION
rothenberg, P. S. (2009). Race, class, and gender in the united states. (8th
ed., pp. 177-191).
