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CHAPTER 4
Social Class and Families
Prepared by Cathie Robertson, Grossmont College
McGraw-Hill © 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved
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THE AMERICAN DREAM
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/05/07/us/1194840031120/defining-the-american-dream.html
Land of Opportunity
Rags to Riches Anyone can become rich, famous, powerful
Jobs & education available to all
Liz Murray
Born in the Bronx, to HIV-infected, drug-addicted parents Age 16, her mother died of AIDS Went to high school, but often sleeping in
subways, park benches, or at a friend’s home.
Graduated in two years and attended Harvard
An inspirational speaker No matter how hard life is, you have to move
on and continue to work your way through the battles
Ozzy Osbourne
Born: Aston, Birmingham, U.K. Father a toolmaker 15, dropped out of schoolConstruction laborer, Plumber, Toolmaker, Slaughterhouse worker, and Car factory worker
Created band: Black Sabbath
Oprah Winfrey
Raised by grandmother in poor rural Mississippi
Became a millionaire at age 32 when her talk show went national
Age 41, Winfrey had a net worth of $340 million
J.K. Rowling
Yate, Gloucestershire, England
Moved from village to village
Went to Portugal to teach English
Completed first Harry Potter novel writing in cafés
Today worth about $1.1 billion
Sold over 400 million books
“WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT, THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS, THAT AMONG THESE ARE LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS”(DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE)
10/3 Families and the Economy
Technological changes Different types of jobs and skills
Workers replaced with machines
Loss of skilled and semi-skilled jobs to developing countries
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Families and the Economy (cont.)
The Growing Importance of Education
Factory jobs once the norm Now without college:
Low paying service and unskilled manual labor jobs
Bachelor’s degree needed for jobs in better-paying sector
How much education?
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Families and the Economy (cont.)
College educated people: More likely to stay married Have two parent household
Growth of higher education A major social development of 20th century America
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Adjusted Family of Four Median Incomes 1950-2000
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Families and the Economy (cont.)
Trends in PovertyPoverty line: a federally defined income limit
Defined as the cost of an “economy” diet for a family, multiplied by three
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Percentage of families with children under 18 Incomes below the poverty
line13
Social ClassSocial class: Ordering of persons in society by:
Economic resourcesPrestigePrivilege (power)
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Social Class
Life chances:Resources and opportunities
To provide themselves with
Material goods andFavorable living conditions
Social ClassStatus group: Group of people
sharing a common lifestyle and identifying with each other
Prestige: Honor and status in society
Privilege: Advantage or benefits
Income, education, and occupation correlates with status and social class
Social Mobility
Core of “American Dream” Movement of families up and
down economic ladder In 1990s, 40% of incomes
stayed at about same level 60% of incomes increased or
decreased significantly
Social Mobility
Social Mobility
Social Mobility
Key features of Social Class
WEALTH Valued possessions: Cash Land Buildings Property
Wealth tends to be passed generation to generation
Key features of Social Class
Income: Money received during a period of time
In exchange for labor or services
Sale of goods or property
Profit from financial investments
Key features of Social Class
POWERAbility to carry out one’s will, even if opposed by others
PRESTIGERespect given to people with valued positions or resources
Measuring Prestige (Harris Poll 2011)
People Like US
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU5MtVM_zFs
Upper Class Facts
Q. What % of Americans belong to the upper class?
0.5%
Q. Extent of wealth?– Top 1% owns more than one third of ALL net worth in the
U.S. – 50% stocks, 60% bonds; corporations, property,
inheritances;– Investments not employment
Q. Source of power?– Ownership of resources - money makes money– Economic power and political power intertwined
Q. Source of prestige?– Family name & resources – (old: Rockefeller, Carnegie, Walton, Getty; new: Gates)
Corporate Class Facts
Q.What % of Americans? 0.5%Q. Extent of wealth?– A lot, but not as much as the upper class– Usually not major owners of companies– Median CEO salary $10.8 million– President of the U.S. $400,000
Q.Source of power? Heads of companies, government
Q.Source of prestige? Position of influence
Middle Class
The Cosby Show
America’s first black middle class TV family
Distribution of Wealth
Middle Class Facts
Q.What % of Americans? 43%
Q. Extent of wealth? Ownership—own home Income—mid to high income
Engineer, $58,000 Teacher, $34,000 WU Professor, ??
Q. Source of power?- Limited within context of occupation
Q. Source of prestige? White collar job
Working Class
Working Class Facts
Q. What % of Americans? 43%
Q. Extent of wealth? Very little Ownership—little or no property Income—mid to low
Factory worker, $24,000 Machine operator, $23,000
Q. Source of power? Limited, sometimes collective power
through unions
Q. Source of prestige? Very little, Blue collar jobs
Lower Class
Homeless People
Lower Class Facts
Q. What % of Americans? 13%
Q. Extent of wealth? Very little, usually none Ownership: none Income: low
Poverty rate in 2011: 15.1% Family of four with annual earnings of
less than $22,314
Q. Source of power? Limited to none
Q. Source of prestige? Limited to none
Inequality Based on Class
Health—Higher class live longer (79.2 years vs. 74.7 years).
Crime—impoverished areas tend to have higher crime rates
Education—despite continued increases in financial aid, the proportion of higher class students at elite schools is increasing.
Families—higher class are more likely to have children while within marriage and at older ages.
Wealth
TAXES
Median Household Income by Region
Gender gaps in the labor market
Why does the gender gap exist?
Education? Women-Over 50% of students in college
Men work more hours? Women in full-time work earn less than men with same educational qualification
Traditional Gender Roles? Child-care responsibilities Lack of family friendly work policies
Why does the gender gap exist?
Gender Pay Gap
Poverty rates and Gender
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
In families Inmarried-couplefamilies
Femaleheadedfamilies
Maleheadedfamilies
Total
Revisiting the American Dream
Land of Opportunity? “Rags to riches” or “the rich get richer?”
Classes tend to reproduce themselves Occupational & Wealth inheritance Legacy admission to universities
Are all jobs open and equal for everyone? Clearly not
The American Dream
Is Social class achieved or ascribed? 40% to 60% of parental income-advantage passed to children
A meritocracy? Barriers to upward mobility
Education Role models / Mentors /Network Discrimination
How to Marry the Rich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvibi2Cph-E&feature=related
Untold Wealthhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=puiiaNJuyMA&feature=related
Mc Cainhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=cB_rEeO3Ccs&feature=related
America: A Tale of Two Cities
“Shining city on a hill”?Ronald Reagan
