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Chapter 8

SOCIAL CLASS: THE STRUCTURE OF
          INEQUALITY
Why is it important to study class inequality?
Social Stratification & Inequality

social stratification: the division of society into
 group arranged in a social hierarchy
     *it exists in all societies in one form or another

social inequality: the result of the unequal
 distribution of wealth, power, or prestige among
 members of society
      *stratification is maintained through beliefs
 that are widely shared by members of a society
Systems of Stratification

slavery: the most extreme form of stratification,
 based on the legal ownership of people. This still
 exists in some societies today

caste system: a form of social stratification in
 which status is determined by one’s family history
 and background and cannot be changed
Systems of Stratification

apartheid: legal system of segregation in South
 Africa between 1948 and 1991

social class: a system of stratification based on
 access to resources such as wealth, property, power,
 and prestige
     socioeconomic status (SES): a measure of
 an individual’s place with a social class system.
 Often means interchanged with “class”.
Systems of Stratification Around the World

Brazil’s system of stratification is influenced
 primarily by race – over 25 racial “categories” exist

Iran has been dominated by a theocracy (religious
 government) since the revolution of 1979. Strict
 observance of Islamic law dictates social position.

Sweden has attempted a “classless” society, made
 easier by a homogenous population. Social services
 are provided to every citizen
Social Class in the United States

The upper class:


     - wealthiest people in a class system

     - usually very well educated

     - make more than $250,000 per year

     - make up about 1% of the US population

     - possess most (80%) of the wealth of the country
Social Class in the United States, continued

The upper middle class:
     - professionals and managers (college educated)
     - make up about 14% of US Population
     - make $89,000 - $150,000 per year

The middle class consists primarily of:
     - “white collar” workers (2 & 4 year college educ)
     - make up about 30% of US population
     - make $55,000 - $88, 000 per year
Social Class in the United States, continued

The working (lower middle) class:
    - “blue collar” or service industry workers
    - less likely to have college degrees
    - make up about 30% of US population
    - make about $23,000 - $54,000 per year
Social Class in the United States, continued

The working poor:
     - poorly educated, higher rates of high school
       dropouts and a lower levels of literacy
     - work includes unskilled and temporary labor
     - about 20% of the US population
      - make about <$10,500 - $22,000 per year
The underclass:
     - truly disadvantaged populations
     - make less than $7,500 per year
      - may depend on charity to survive
THE U.S. SOCIAL CLASS LADDER (FIGURE 8.1)




                              The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology, 2nd Edition
                                                   Copyright © 2010 W.W. Norton & Company
Problems With Class Categories

Measuring socioeconomic statues (SES) accurately is
 difficult because it is based on so many factors like
 income, wealth, education, occupation, and power.

Status Inconsistency: stark contrasts in the level
 of different statuses one person may occupy.
 Example: someone from a poor background who
 becomes a millionaire. Does income alone make her
 a certain class?
Theories of Social Class – Karl Marx

Karl Marx believed that there were two main social
 classes in capitalist societies:
     - capitalists (or bourgeoisie)
     - workers (or proletariat)

He believed that the classes would remain divided
 and social inequality would grow as long as
 capitalism prevailed.
Theories of Social Class – Max Weber

Max Weber thought that other factors besides
 owning the means of production should be
 accounted for when measuring social class standing.

     - wealth (or privilege, if inherited)
     - power (ability to control others)
     - prestige (social honor granted to those who
       belong to certain groups.
Theories of Social Class – Pierre Bourdieu

Bourdieu reported on a phenomenon he called social
 reproduction: the tendency for social class status
 to be passed down from one generation to the next

This happens because each generation acquires
 cultural capital (tastes, habits, expectations,
 skills, knowledge, etc) that help us to gain
 advantages is society
Pierre Bourdieu, continued

Our cultural capital can help us or hinder us as we
 become adults.
     Ex: “she talks like a hillbilly” or “he sound too
     ‘street’”.

 *It can shape the perceptions we have of a person*

There is evidence that states half of all children will
 grow up with the same SES as their parents
Theories of
 Social Class –
 Symbolic
 Interactionists
Symbolic interactionists
examine the way we use
status differences to
categorize ourselves and
others
Erving Goffman pointed
out that our clothing,
speech, gestures,
possessions, friends, and
activities provide
information about our
socioeconomic status


What do these living rooms
tell us about the owners’
SES?
THEORY IN EVERYDAY LIFE




                    The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology, 2nd Edition
                                         Copyright © 2010 W.W. Norton & Company
Socioeconomic Status and Life Chances

Belonging to a certain social class has profound
 consequences for individuals in all areas of life,
 specifically education, work, crime, family, and health
 care.

Family:
  - people are likely to marry those with similar
     backgrounds because they have more access to
       people like themselves

 - higher education  marrying & having children later
Socioeconomic Status and Life Chances, continued

Health:
     -Lowest SES least likely to obtain adequate
 nutrition, shelter, clothing, and health care

     -Higher education  feel healthier & live longer

     -lower level SES do not have opportunities to
     exercise live high SES
SES & Life                 Percentage of 12th Graders Expecting to Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
                           or Attend Graduate or Professional School, by Family
Chances -                  Socioeconomic Status (SES)
Education
-schools with low
income students have
fewer resources, also
affecting student
attitude towards
education

-good education
necessary for a good
job, but access to
quality education is not
equal across SES
spectrum

-expectations differ
across SES levels
Real Median Income for Working-Age
SES & Life                 Households, 1989–2007
Chances – Work
and Income
-unequal education 
different types of jobs
 income gap
-- lower classes always
working, difficult to go
back to school to
improve job chances
-our economy now is
still experiencing job
losses, and most blue
collar jobs these days
can barely support
families, if at all
Socioeconomic Status and Life Chances, continued

Criminal Justice:
      * lower SES associated with higher rates of
 violent crime, but studies show that other
 variables like dense population and anomie have
 an even greater impact
      *lower SES are more visible, less powerful, and
 more likely to be caught. White collar crimes are
 much less likely to ever be prosecuted
      *Punishments for crimes are also very unequal
      *Lower SES feel more threatened by police
Social Mobility

Social Mobility is the movement of individuals or
 groups within the hierarchal system of social class

    A closed system is one with very little opportunity to move
     from one class to another. Ex: Caste system, India
    An open system is one with ample opportunities to move
     from one class to another. Ex: USA
Social Mobility, continued

Intergenerational mobility is the movement
 between social classes that occurs from one
 generation to the next. Ex: 1st & 2nd generation
 immigrant children

Intragenerational mobility is the movement
 between social classes that occurs over the course of
 an individual’s lifetime.
    horizontal mobility: changing occupations within a social class
    vertical mobility: movement between social classes; either
     upward or downward
Structural Mobility

Structural Mobility refers to changes in the
 social status of large numbers of people due to
 structural changes in society

Ex: many people became overnight millionaires during
 the dot-com boom of the 1990s. Programmers that
 used to be middle class were now upper class
Defining Poverty

The United States determines a federal poverty line
 each year to determine who should be categorized as
 poor.

As of 2008, at over 13% of the population in the
 United States were considered poor
NUMBER IN POVERTY AND POVERTY RATE, 1959–2007 (FIGURE 8.4)




                                       The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology, 2nd Edition
                                                            Copyright © 2010 W.W. Norton & Company
Defining Poverty, continued

Relative deprivation: a relative measure of
 poverty based on standard of living; ex: a McDonalds
 worker making $25,000 is poor compared to a
 lawyer making $300,000

Absolute deprivation: an objective measure of
 poverty defined by inability to meet minimal
 standards for food, shelter, clothing, or health care.
 Ex: high levels of diabetes among Native Americans
The Culture of Poverty

The culture of poverty is an idea stating that
 entrenched attitudes can develop among poor
 communities and lead the poor to accept their fate
 rather than improve their lot

This idea is reinforced by social welfare critics who
 think welfare is unnecessary, and it is criticized by
 those who see it as an acceptance of poverty rather
 than a need to eradicate it.
The Invisibility of Poverty

Residential segregation: the geographical
 isolation of the poor from the rest of the city (or from
 neighbors in rural areas) Ex: Palm Beach built as
 haven for rich, West Palm Beach built for the
 working poor that supply Palm Beach’s labor.

Accomplished most notably through public housing
 projects and “redlining” – the process by which
 banks refuse mortgages/loans to people from certain
 neighborhoods
The Invisibility of Poverty, continued

Disenfranchisement: the removal of the rights of
 citizenship through economic, political, or legal
 means

The poor feel ignored by the political system so they
 do not participate, which leads to little
 representation on their behalf to make their plight
 more visible.
The Invisibility of Poverty, continued

The homeless embody an example of a group of
 people that are often deliberately removed from
 public view.

The homeless are routinely moved during important
 events, and we do not even know the exact number
 of homeless in our country
These are among the most harshly treated people in
 our country
Inequality and the American Dream

The American Dream is part of our ideal culture –
 but does it really exist?

Some criticize it for legitimizing stratification by
 telling us that everyone has the same chances to get
 ahead in life

 If we credit anyone with succeeding, then logically
 we must blame anyone who fails.
People like to think of the United States as a
 meritocracy, or a system in which rewards are
 distributed based on merit, but sociologists find
 otherwise
Most people will make little social movement in their
 lifetime. More importantly, social mobility is
 dependent upon a person’s ethnicity, class status,
 and gender rather than merit
Closing Comments

Social Stratification is all about power


Different types of social power such as wealth,
 political influence, and occupational prestige are
 distributed in unequal ways.

These inequalities are part of the larger social
 structure and our everyday interactions.

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Chapter 8 socio

  • 1. Chapter 8 SOCIAL CLASS: THE STRUCTURE OF INEQUALITY
  • 2. Why is it important to study class inequality?
  • 3. Social Stratification & Inequality social stratification: the division of society into group arranged in a social hierarchy *it exists in all societies in one form or another social inequality: the result of the unequal distribution of wealth, power, or prestige among members of society *stratification is maintained through beliefs that are widely shared by members of a society
  • 4. Systems of Stratification slavery: the most extreme form of stratification, based on the legal ownership of people. This still exists in some societies today caste system: a form of social stratification in which status is determined by one’s family history and background and cannot be changed
  • 5. Systems of Stratification apartheid: legal system of segregation in South Africa between 1948 and 1991 social class: a system of stratification based on access to resources such as wealth, property, power, and prestige socioeconomic status (SES): a measure of an individual’s place with a social class system. Often means interchanged with “class”.
  • 6. Systems of Stratification Around the World Brazil’s system of stratification is influenced primarily by race – over 25 racial “categories” exist Iran has been dominated by a theocracy (religious government) since the revolution of 1979. Strict observance of Islamic law dictates social position. Sweden has attempted a “classless” society, made easier by a homogenous population. Social services are provided to every citizen
  • 7. Social Class in the United States The upper class: - wealthiest people in a class system - usually very well educated - make more than $250,000 per year - make up about 1% of the US population - possess most (80%) of the wealth of the country
  • 8. Social Class in the United States, continued The upper middle class: - professionals and managers (college educated) - make up about 14% of US Population - make $89,000 - $150,000 per year The middle class consists primarily of: - “white collar” workers (2 & 4 year college educ) - make up about 30% of US population - make $55,000 - $88, 000 per year
  • 9. Social Class in the United States, continued The working (lower middle) class: - “blue collar” or service industry workers - less likely to have college degrees - make up about 30% of US population - make about $23,000 - $54,000 per year
  • 10. Social Class in the United States, continued The working poor: - poorly educated, higher rates of high school dropouts and a lower levels of literacy - work includes unskilled and temporary labor - about 20% of the US population - make about <$10,500 - $22,000 per year The underclass: - truly disadvantaged populations - make less than $7,500 per year - may depend on charity to survive
  • 11. THE U.S. SOCIAL CLASS LADDER (FIGURE 8.1) The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology, 2nd Edition Copyright © 2010 W.W. Norton & Company
  • 12. Problems With Class Categories Measuring socioeconomic statues (SES) accurately is difficult because it is based on so many factors like income, wealth, education, occupation, and power. Status Inconsistency: stark contrasts in the level of different statuses one person may occupy. Example: someone from a poor background who becomes a millionaire. Does income alone make her a certain class?
  • 13. Theories of Social Class – Karl Marx Karl Marx believed that there were two main social classes in capitalist societies: - capitalists (or bourgeoisie) - workers (or proletariat) He believed that the classes would remain divided and social inequality would grow as long as capitalism prevailed.
  • 14. Theories of Social Class – Max Weber Max Weber thought that other factors besides owning the means of production should be accounted for when measuring social class standing. - wealth (or privilege, if inherited) - power (ability to control others) - prestige (social honor granted to those who belong to certain groups.
  • 15. Theories of Social Class – Pierre Bourdieu Bourdieu reported on a phenomenon he called social reproduction: the tendency for social class status to be passed down from one generation to the next This happens because each generation acquires cultural capital (tastes, habits, expectations, skills, knowledge, etc) that help us to gain advantages is society
  • 16. Pierre Bourdieu, continued Our cultural capital can help us or hinder us as we become adults. Ex: “she talks like a hillbilly” or “he sound too ‘street’”. *It can shape the perceptions we have of a person* There is evidence that states half of all children will grow up with the same SES as their parents
  • 17. Theories of Social Class – Symbolic Interactionists Symbolic interactionists examine the way we use status differences to categorize ourselves and others Erving Goffman pointed out that our clothing, speech, gestures, possessions, friends, and activities provide information about our socioeconomic status What do these living rooms tell us about the owners’ SES?
  • 18. THEORY IN EVERYDAY LIFE The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology, 2nd Edition Copyright © 2010 W.W. Norton & Company
  • 19. Socioeconomic Status and Life Chances Belonging to a certain social class has profound consequences for individuals in all areas of life, specifically education, work, crime, family, and health care. Family: - people are likely to marry those with similar backgrounds because they have more access to people like themselves - higher education  marrying & having children later
  • 20. Socioeconomic Status and Life Chances, continued Health: -Lowest SES least likely to obtain adequate nutrition, shelter, clothing, and health care -Higher education  feel healthier & live longer -lower level SES do not have opportunities to exercise live high SES
  • 21. SES & Life Percentage of 12th Graders Expecting to Earn a Bachelor’s Degree or Attend Graduate or Professional School, by Family Chances - Socioeconomic Status (SES) Education -schools with low income students have fewer resources, also affecting student attitude towards education -good education necessary for a good job, but access to quality education is not equal across SES spectrum -expectations differ across SES levels
  • 22. Real Median Income for Working-Age SES & Life Households, 1989–2007 Chances – Work and Income -unequal education  different types of jobs  income gap -- lower classes always working, difficult to go back to school to improve job chances -our economy now is still experiencing job losses, and most blue collar jobs these days can barely support families, if at all
  • 23. Socioeconomic Status and Life Chances, continued Criminal Justice: * lower SES associated with higher rates of violent crime, but studies show that other variables like dense population and anomie have an even greater impact *lower SES are more visible, less powerful, and more likely to be caught. White collar crimes are much less likely to ever be prosecuted *Punishments for crimes are also very unequal *Lower SES feel more threatened by police
  • 24. Social Mobility Social Mobility is the movement of individuals or groups within the hierarchal system of social class  A closed system is one with very little opportunity to move from one class to another. Ex: Caste system, India  An open system is one with ample opportunities to move from one class to another. Ex: USA
  • 25. Social Mobility, continued Intergenerational mobility is the movement between social classes that occurs from one generation to the next. Ex: 1st & 2nd generation immigrant children Intragenerational mobility is the movement between social classes that occurs over the course of an individual’s lifetime.  horizontal mobility: changing occupations within a social class  vertical mobility: movement between social classes; either upward or downward
  • 26. Structural Mobility Structural Mobility refers to changes in the social status of large numbers of people due to structural changes in society Ex: many people became overnight millionaires during the dot-com boom of the 1990s. Programmers that used to be middle class were now upper class
  • 27. Defining Poverty The United States determines a federal poverty line each year to determine who should be categorized as poor. As of 2008, at over 13% of the population in the United States were considered poor
  • 28. NUMBER IN POVERTY AND POVERTY RATE, 1959–2007 (FIGURE 8.4) The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology, 2nd Edition Copyright © 2010 W.W. Norton & Company
  • 29. Defining Poverty, continued Relative deprivation: a relative measure of poverty based on standard of living; ex: a McDonalds worker making $25,000 is poor compared to a lawyer making $300,000 Absolute deprivation: an objective measure of poverty defined by inability to meet minimal standards for food, shelter, clothing, or health care. Ex: high levels of diabetes among Native Americans
  • 30. The Culture of Poverty The culture of poverty is an idea stating that entrenched attitudes can develop among poor communities and lead the poor to accept their fate rather than improve their lot This idea is reinforced by social welfare critics who think welfare is unnecessary, and it is criticized by those who see it as an acceptance of poverty rather than a need to eradicate it.
  • 31. The Invisibility of Poverty Residential segregation: the geographical isolation of the poor from the rest of the city (or from neighbors in rural areas) Ex: Palm Beach built as haven for rich, West Palm Beach built for the working poor that supply Palm Beach’s labor. Accomplished most notably through public housing projects and “redlining” – the process by which banks refuse mortgages/loans to people from certain neighborhoods
  • 32. The Invisibility of Poverty, continued Disenfranchisement: the removal of the rights of citizenship through economic, political, or legal means The poor feel ignored by the political system so they do not participate, which leads to little representation on their behalf to make their plight more visible.
  • 33. The Invisibility of Poverty, continued The homeless embody an example of a group of people that are often deliberately removed from public view. The homeless are routinely moved during important events, and we do not even know the exact number of homeless in our country These are among the most harshly treated people in our country
  • 34. Inequality and the American Dream The American Dream is part of our ideal culture – but does it really exist? Some criticize it for legitimizing stratification by telling us that everyone has the same chances to get ahead in life  If we credit anyone with succeeding, then logically we must blame anyone who fails.
  • 35. People like to think of the United States as a meritocracy, or a system in which rewards are distributed based on merit, but sociologists find otherwise Most people will make little social movement in their lifetime. More importantly, social mobility is dependent upon a person’s ethnicity, class status, and gender rather than merit
  • 36. Closing Comments Social Stratification is all about power Different types of social power such as wealth, political influence, and occupational prestige are distributed in unequal ways. These inequalities are part of the larger social structure and our everyday interactions.