Class Structure A social class consists of a category of people who share similar opportunities, similar economic and vocational positions, similar lifestyles, and similar attitudes and behaviors. A society that has several different social classes and permits social mobility is based on a class system of stratification. Class boundaries are maintained by limiting social interaction, intermarriage, and mobility into that class.

Social Classes in the United States Upper class Upper-middle class Lower-middle class Working class Lower class

Family Income by Quintile, 2007

Income Distribution In 2000, the richest 1/5 of families earned 49.7% of the total income for the year while the poorest 1/5 earned only 3.6% The richest 20% of American families owns more than 3/4 of all the country’s wealth. The richest 5% of all families owns more than 1/2 of America’s wealth. The number of people in poverty grew from 24.5 million in 1978 to 31.1 million in 2000.

Question Many poor people simply don't want to work hard. Strongly agree Agree somewhat Unsure Disagree somewhat Strongly disagree

Poverty Prefers to a condition in which people do not have enough money to maintain a standard of living that includes the basic necessities of life. Between 14 and 45 million Americans live in poverty, but we do not have an unequivocal way to determining how many poor people there are in the U.S. In 2004, 12.7% of all Americans lived below the poverty level.

Poverty Rates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 1959 to 2007

States Ranked by Poverty Rate

Rich Countries with Poor Children

The Feminization of Poverty A phrase referring to the disproportionate concentration of poverty among female-headed families. In 2001, a family with both a husband and wife present had a median income of $60,471. For a male householder without a wife the figure was $40,715. For a female householder without a husband it was $28,142.

Single Women With Children 12.7% of all people were below the poverty line in 2004 and 28.4% of all single women with children were living in poverty. If trends continue, 60% of all children born today will spend part of their childhood in a family headed by a mother who is divorced, separated, unwed, or widowed. Almost half of female-headed families with children younger than 18 live below the poverty line.

How Do We Count the Poor? The federal government has devised a poverty index of specific income levels, below which people are considered to be living in poverty. According to the index, the poverty level for a family of four in 2004 was $19,484. The poverty index is based solely on money income and does not reflect the fact that many low income people receive noncash benefits such as foodstamps, Medicaid, and public housing.

Number in Poverty and Poverty Rates, 1959–2007

Myths About the Poor Myth 1: People Are Poor Because They Are Too Lazy to Work Half of the poor are not of working age. About 40% are under 18; another 10% are over 65. A person working 40 hours a week at minimum wage, will not earn enough to lift a family of three out of poverty.

Myths About the Poor Myth 2: Most Poor People Are Minorities, and Most Minorities Are Poor Most poor people are white, because there are many more whites than minorities in the U.S. The poverty rate remains considerably higher for African Americans and Hispanics than whites.

Myths About the Poor Myth 3: Most of the Poor Are Single Mothers With Children 60% of mothers receiving assistance have never married, however, most people in poverty live in other family arrangements: 1/3 live in married couple families. Nearly 1/5 live alone or with nonrelatives. The remainder live in a male-headed or other family setting.

Myths About the Poor Myth 4: Most People in Poverty Live in the Inner Cities In 2002, the poverty rate in rural areas was 14.2% compared with 11.6% in urban areas. Rural residents have higher unemployment rates and earn lower wages than urban residents. Rural residents tend to have below-average educational levels and limited job skills.

Myths About the Poor Myth 5: Welfare Programs for the Poor Are Straining the Federal Budget Since welfare reform in 1996, the number of families receiving aid has decreased by 50%. Assistance programs for the poor cost the federal government 1/3 as much as other types of assistance. Social Security and Medicare mainly go to middle-class Americans, not the poor.

Government Assistance Programs Government programs that provide benefits to families or individuals can be divided into two categories: social insurance and cash benefits going to people of all income levels means-tested programs and cash assistance going only to the poor.

Income Sources for Poor Female-Headed Families

Poverty Rates for People over 65 and under 18, 1960–2007

Consequences of Social Stratification Low-income mothers are more likely to have low birth-weight babies. The poor have a lower life expectancy, regardless of race or ethnicity. Babies born in poverty are significantly more likely to die before their first birthday.

Consequences of Social Stratification For the same criminal behavior, the poor are: More likely to be arrested. If arrested, more likely to be charged. If charged, more likely to be convicted. If convicted, more likely to be sentenced to prison. If sentenced, more likely to be given longer prison terms than the middle and upper classes.