Download The American Class System

The American Class System
Class in America
• Sociologists
disagree on the
number of class
divisions there are
– 3: upper, middle,
lower
– 5: upper class,
upper-middle, lowermiddle, working
class, and lower class
With a partner:
• Write down 5 characteristics you
associate with the following social
classes:
• Upper Class
• Upper Middle Class
• Working Class/Lower Middle Class
• Working Poor
• Lower Class/Poverty
Look at the following
pictures. For each picture
answer the following:
• 1. What social class do you
believe this person belongs to?
• 2. What indicators did you use
to make this assessment?
Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
Picture 4
Picture 5
3 techniques
• Sociologists use 3 basic techniques to
rank individuals according to social
class
– 1. Reputational Method: individuals rank
others in their community- Problems?
– 2. Subjective Method: individuals are asked
to determine their own rank Problems?
– 3. Objective Method: social class is defined
through occupation, income, and education
The Upper Class
• Upper-upper class
– “Old money”- wealthy families
for generations- INHERITANCE
• Rockefellers, Vanderbilts,
Kennedys
– Born into an atmosphere of
wealth and power- attend
prestigious schools
– Seen in exclusive places, know
the most famous people
The Upper Class
• Lower-upper class
– “new money”- acquired wealth through
their own efforts
– Not as prestigious as old money
• Not as established in society, but still
wealthy!
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Upper Class
Expensive houses
Luxurious cars
Fine art collections
Top government positions
Charity work
Tend to hold traditional views and be
politically conservative
• Conspicuous consumption
– The purchase of good for the status they
bring, rather than for usefulness
The Upper-Middle Class
• High-income and business professional
people
–
–
–
–
College educations/advanced degrees
Large houses and cars
Yearly vacations
College educations for children
• Class membership is based on income, not
assets
• Career oriented, active in the communitylocal level
The Lower-Middle Class
• Traditionally hold “white collar”
jobs- no manual labor
– Require less education- provide a
lower income
– Nursing, middle management, and
sales
– Owners of small businesses
• Live a comfortable life, but
work hard for upkeep
• Also hold traditional values and
tend to be political
conservative
The Working Class
• The largest segment of the American
population
– Jobs that require manual labor- “blue
collar” and “pink collar”
• Factory workers, tradespeople, unskilled
workers, and some service personnel
• Clerical, low-level sales, serive jobs that
don’t require manual labor
– Some jobs pay as much or more than the
lower-middle class,
but carry less prestige
• Fewer financial reservesemergencies a problem
The Lower Class
• People in the lowest-paying jobs
– Unemployed, some of the elderly, the homeless,
the unskilled, and those on public assistance
– Some members move into the class from other
classes- others are born into poverty
• Individuals survive from day to day
• Lack of education and opportunity effect
future prospects
Social Mobility
•
US is an open class system
–
1.
2.
3.
Social mobility (movement between or within
social classes) is possible
Vertical mobility: movement between social
classes (up or down)
Horizontal mobility: movement within a
social class (job to job)
Intergenerational mobility: differences
between your original status and your
current status (status of your parents)