A Down-to-Earth Approach 8/e SOCIOLOGY A Down-to-Earth Approach 8/e James M. Henslin Chapter Ten: Social Class in the United States This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; any rental, lease, or lending of the program.

What is Social Class? Social Class… Poor and Rich Conflict view’s problem? Those who own the means of production and those who do not More then just your relationship to production 3 Elements separate people according to Weber Wealth , Power, and Prestige Wealth Distinction Between Wealth and Income Wealth - What you own minus your debts Income – Money received, usually from a job Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

What is Social Class? What is income inequality then? How does this impact us on our daily lives? What is the impact of figure 10.3 Eastern University Example – Poverty in Latin America Power – The ability to carry out your will, even over the resistance of others C. Wright Mills – The Power Elite – those who make the nations major decisions How Powerful are these elite? William Domhoff says, “No major decision in the country is made without consulting this group.” Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Prestige Occupations and Prestige They Pay More They Require More Education They Entail More Abstract Thought They Offer Greater Autonomy Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Status Inconsistency Ordinarily Wealth, Power, and Prestige are Similar When they Don’t Match Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Sociological Models of Social Class Updating Marx Capitalists Petty Bourgeoisie Managers Workers Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Sociological Models of Social Class Updating Weber Capitalist Class The Upper Middle Class The Lower Middle Class The Working Class The Working Poor The Underclass Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Social Class in the Auto Industry - Ford The Fords - Capitalist Class Ford Executives - Lower Capitalist Class Owner Ford Dealership - Upper Middle Ford Salesperson - Lower Middle Class Ford Mechanics - Working Class Ford Detailer - Working Poor Car Lot Cleaner - Underclass Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Consequences of Social Class Physical Health Mental Health Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Consequences of Social Class Family Life Choices of Husbands and Wives Divorce Child Rearing Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Consequences of Social Class Education Religion Politics Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Consequences of Social Class Crime and the Judicial System Social Class and the Changing Economy Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Social Mobility Three Types Intergenerational Structural Exchange Upward Downward Structural Exchange Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Social Mobility Women and Social Mobility Studies of Boys More Recent Studies with Girls Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Interpreting Statistics on Social Mobility Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From Tree The Pain of Social Mobility Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Poverty Who are Poor? Drawing the Poverty Line Geography Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Poverty Who are Poor? Drawing the Poverty Line Geography Race-Ethnicity Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Poverty Who are Poor? Drawing the Poverty Line Geography Race-Ethnicity Education Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Poverty Who are Poor? Feminization of Poverty Old Age Children of Poverty Who are Poor? Feminization of Poverty Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Myths About the Poor Most are Lazy Poor are Trapped and Few Escape Most are Latino and African-American Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Myths About the Poor Most are Single Mothers and Kids Most Live in Inner City Most are on Welfare Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Dynamics of Poverty Culture of Poverty Most Poverty is Short-lived Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Dynamics of Poverty Culture of Poverty Most Poverty is Short Lived Number of Poor Relatively Stable The people who move out are being replaced people moving into poverty Most will move out within one year Some bounce back and forth for their entire life Poverty than is dynamic, touching a lot more people than the official totals indicate Although only 12% are poor at any given time, twice that number, almost 25%, has been poor at any give time. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Why are People Poor? Social Structure Characteristics of individuals Features of our society that deny some people access Some find escape routes out to be locked Race, age, gender, changes in the job market, and poor paying jobs. Characteristics of individuals Dropping out of school Having children in the teen years Having many more children than those in other social classes Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Poverty Welfare Reform Welfare Restructured in 1996 Deferred Gratification – forgoing something in the present in hope of achieving greater gains in the future Hard to practice these principles if you have never had them Emergencies Immediate Gratification Behaviors of the poor are not a cause of poverty but a result of poverty c Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Poverty Where is Horatio Alger? Social Functions of a Myth Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007