Transcript US Society-

US Society
 classless society
 majority believe they are middle-class
 system produces many winners
 strong work ethic
 self-reliance important
 what about the losers?
USA Today survey – Jan. 2000
Problem Areas
1
inner-city problems
2
break-up of families
3
dealing with criminality
4
agreeing on gun laws
5
reducing inter-ethnic friction
6
polarisation of wages
1. Inner-city problems
 White flight

wealthy move out of cities
 result = less tax income for urban areas
 unequal conditions

schools, health care, policing, transport
etc.
 higher unemployment rate in cities
2. Break up of families
 urban families caught in a vicious circle
 increasing wealth gap
 low-paid, insecure jobs
 domestic friction
 increase in divorce statistics
 lack of (male) role model
Criminality
 zero tolerance policing has reduced crime
 but criminality still high

increase in teenage criminality

gang culture

many crimes drug related
 solution - tougher penalties?

three strikes law,

increased use of capital punishment
 prison population over 2m. - and rising fast
4. Gun laws
 gun ownership increasing
 divisive issue
 NRA – powerful lobby group
 constitutional right to own a gun
 people feel the need to protect
themselves
 laws vary from state to state
 increasing number of massacres
5. Inter-ethnic friction
 salad bowl not melting pot
 ethnic ghettos in cities
 Hispanics - poorly paid, often illegal, problems
integrating
 Afro-Americans - feeling of being unfairly
treated
 Asians - successful minority, facing
resentment
6. Polarisation of wages
 top 20% doing well
 bottom 20% falling behind
 minimum hourly wage $5.15
 increasing frustration, apathy,
resentment
 greater social differences = potential
danger for the future
However!!
 unemployment is low
 most people are happy with their lives
 more social mobility than in Europe

even for ethnic minorites
 the American dream is still alive