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, lower-middle, 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?

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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 community-local 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 reserves- emergencies 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 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)