Good Morning!! Pick up an answer sheet on the stand in the front and use it to identify whether the person/people in each photo are RICH, POOR, or IN THE MIDDLE. How do you know? #1 #2 #3

US Class Structure

Social Classes Categories of people who have about the same amount of income, power and prestige How do we identify a person’s class? 3 methods: Reputational Subjective Objective

Reputational Method Identifying social classes by selecting a group of people and asking them to rank others – These informants have been living in the community for a long time and can rank many other residents on the basis of their reputation “where does the town drunk rank? Where does the respectable banker rank?

Subjective Method Identifying social classes by asking people to rank themselves If asked whether they are upper, middle or lower class, people will most likely identify as middle class To call yourself upper class is to appear snobby To call yourself lower class is demeaning If given the fourth choice: working class- many will identify with that instead

Objective Method Identifying social classes using income, occupation, and education to rank people Useful for identifying classes of large populations Sociologists can easily obtain the information The combination if occupation, income and education constitutes what sociologists call socioeconomic status Exerts a powerful influence on our lives Its difficult to differentiate the people in the middle class

Upper Class/ Capitalist Class Top 1% of the population Owns 1/3 of all U.S. assets Great power and influence Direct access to top politicians Decisions open and close job opportunities for millions of people Shape or views and opinions- Own major media and entertainment outlets Pass on their privilege, assets, and social networks to their children. Live in exclusive areas, belong to private social clubs, and tend to marry their own kind Tend to be conscious of being members of a class

Old money v. New money Old money- people who are from wealthy families whom have been wealthy for a long time Attend exclusive private schools- socialized to learn the views that support their status and privilege Rarely work for wages- instead go into business or law to protect their and manage their family fortune New money- newly rich people who have made fortunes in business, the stock market, inventions, entertainment or sports Outsiders to the “old rich”

The Upper-Middle Class Distinguished from upper class by their lesser wealth and power and from those below them by their careers (Doctors, lawyers, etc.) Many have graduated from prestigious universities and have advanced degrees Manage the corporations owned by the capitalist operate their own business or profession

The Middle Class Constitutes the largest class in the US More diverse in occupation than the upper-middle class Made up of people with college educations or at least a high school diploma Work in low to mid-level white collar occupations Have achieved the middle-class dream of owning a suburban home

The Working Class Consists primarily of those who have little education and whose jobs are manual and carry little prestige Part-time work and union membership May make more $ than some in the middle class but their jobs are more physically demanding and more dangerous Others are unskilled workers Many women in this class Underpaid and face critical hardships KNOWN AS THE WORKING POOR

The Lower Class Joblessness and poverty Chronically unemployed, welfare recipients, and impoverished aged Live in run down houses, wear old clothes, eat cheap food and lack proper medical care Few have finished high school Low paying, unskilled jobs Many are stigmatized as the underclass- poor people as criminals or welfare mothers

Influence of Class- Health Life Chances: the likelihood of living a good, long, successful life People in lower classes generally live shorter and less healthy lives An infant born into a poor family is much more likely to die during the first year Why? Healthcare- access and quality Lifestyle- more likely to smoke, eat unhealthy food (healthy diet cost $500 more), be overweight, abuse drugs, etc. Life is hard for the poor- impact of stress on the body

Mental Health Mental health of lower class is worse than upper class Due to high stress Less job security and lower wages More likely to divorce More likely to be a victim of crime Not as many outlets Vacations, psychiatrists, counselors

Family Life Social class plays a role in family life including choices of spouse, divorce rate and raising children Upper classes place strong emphasis on family tradition Stress family ancestors, history, etc. Children learn that their choice of husband or wife affects the entire family (The “family line”) Parents play a larger role in their children’s spouse selection

Education, religion, politics Education increases as one goes up the social ladder Amount and type- private v. public Classes tend to cluster in different religious denominations Episcopalians are more likely to attract middle and upper class Baptist draw heavily from the lower class Can be explained by geography The higher the class, the more conservative they are on economic issues but more liberal on social issues

Lifestyle Lifestyles- tastes, preferences and ways of living Upper and middle class people are likely to be active outside their homes PTSO, charitable organization, etc. to make friends with professional colleagues Combine social and business lives Working class tend to restrict their social lives to families Seldom socialize with coworkers or neighbors