Social Stratification in the United States Songhua Hu Department of Sociology Stanford University

America the Beautiful

What is America? Land of Opportunity –Anyone in America can become president, rich, famous –Jobs and education are open to everyone equally Social Class is achieved –Individuals decide what class to belong to. Horatio Alger: rags to riches –People of low class worked hard and rose to positions of wealth and power

What determines Social Class? Wealth –Valued possessions—cash, land, buildings, property that they have –Income—money we receive each year Power –How many people you give orders to or take orders from. Prestige –Respect given to people with valued positions or resources for class.

Occupational Prestige –Ratings by Americans about the prestige of different occupations Physician82 Lawyer76 School Teacher60 Computer Programmer51 Secretary46 Baker34 Taxi Driver22 Shoe Shiner9 ALC Professor? Sociology Professor?

5 American Social Class Upper Class –Percentage of Americans.5% –Wealth: A lot Ownership: They owns 50% stocks, 60% bonds; corporations, property, inheritances Income: High income—mostly from investments –Top 1% has 22 times the average wealth of the other 99% –Power: From Ownership, lots of power –Prestige: May not have jobs; prestige from family name, resources

Corporate Class –Percentage of Americans.5% –Wealth: A lot, but not as much as upper class Ownership—no major ownership of companies Income—median CEO salary $10.83 million –President of the U.S., $200,000 –Power: Heads of companies, government –Prestige: high

Middle Class –Percentage of Americans 43% –Wealth: Some Ownership—little property Income—mid to high income –Engineer, $58,000 –Teacher, $34,000 –ALC Professor, ?? –Power: Some –Prestige: White collar jobs

Working Class –Percentage of Americans 43% –Wealth: Little Ownership—little or no property Income—mid to low –Factory worker, $24,000 –Machine operator, $23,000 –Power: Little –Prestige: Blue collar jobs

Lower Class –Percentage of Americans 13% –Wealth: Very little or none Ownership: none Income: low –Poverty rate in 2001: 9.9% –Only about 1/3 of poor get welfare –Power: Low –Prestige: Low

Distribution of Wealth Wealth Class 1998Net Worth Top 1%38.1%$10,204,000 Next 4%21.3%$1,441,000 Next 5%11.5%$623,500 Next 10%12.5%$344,900 Next 20%11.9%$161,300 Middle 20%4.5%$61,000 Bottom 40%0.2%$1,900

American’s Attitude towards Social Stratification Mixed Optimism

Importance of Education

Better off over Generations

Trap of Poverty?

American Dream for Everyone?

Race, Gender and Social Class

Unemployment RaceUnemployment, 2000 Hispanic or Latino9.3% White4.3% Black11.8% American Indian12.4% Asian5.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 10.9%

More men work full time than women, but comparing men and women who work: Median Income Male$29,458 Female$18,957 –For every dollar men make, women make 64 cents

Explanations for these differences Education? –Women make up over 50% of students in college Men and Women with a BA (1999) Male $47,126 Female $34,455

Poverty rates and Gender

What is America? Land of Opportunity –Can anyone become rich? –Are all jobs open and equal for everyone? Social Class is achieved –Do Americans decide which class they belong to? Horatio Alger: rags to riches –Work hard and you will achieve?

America the Beautiful?

Or is it more complicated?

Tale of Two Cities