Transcript The American Class System

CHAPTER 9
Social Stratification
Section 1: Systems of Stratification
Section 2: The American Class System
Section 3: Poverty
SECTION 1
Systems of Stratification
Question:
What are the major theories
of social stratification?
SECTION 1
Systems of Stratification
Cause of
Stratification
Criticisms
of Theory
Stratification is needed to help
society function smoothly by
ensuring that specific roles are
performed. Higher rewards
guarantee that important roles
that require more skill are filled.
 Society does not provide
equal access to education
and jobs.
Conflict:
 Marxists
 The bourgeoisie exploit and control
the proletariat to maintain wealth and
power.
 American
Theorists
 Groups compete for scarce
resources. Those with power use it
to maintain their position.
It fails to recognize that
unequal rewards are
based in part on
differences in talents,
skills, and desires among
people.
Theory
Functionalist
 Rewards do not always
reflect the social values
of roles.
SECTION 2
The American Class System
Question:
What are characteristics of
the American class system?
SECTION 2
The American Class System
AMERICAN CLASS SYSTEM
Upper Class:
1 percent; prestigious schools; heirs, investors, large
business owners and top executives
Upper Middle
Class:
14 percent;
college or university;
business executives and
professionals
Lower Middle Class:
30 percent; high school
or college; lower-level
managers, skilled
craftworkers,
supervisors
Working Poor:
22 percent; some high school; laborers,
service workers—
gardeners, house cleaners, etc.
Working Class:
30 percent; high school;
factory and clerical
workers, lower level
salespeople, some
craftworkers
Underclass:
3 percent; some high school; undesirable
low-paying jobs, unem-ployed, or on
welfare for some time
SECTION 3
Poverty
Question:
What groups of Americans
are affected by poverty?
SECTION 3
Poverty
Sex:
Age:
 Women are the largest
segment (57 percent).
 Female-headed households
account for about half
of all poor families.
 Children are the largest group
(37 percent).
 Three times more African American
and Hispanic children are poor
than white children.
Characteristics
of Poor
Americans
Race and Ethnicity:
 African Americans and Hispanics are far more likely
than white Americans to be poor.
CHAPTER 9
Chapter Wrap-Up
1. How do caste systems and class systems differ?
2. How do the functionalist and conflict
explanations of stratification differ?
3. What are the six social classes recognized by
most American sociologists?
4. What is the poverty level, and how is it
calculated?
5. How can poverty affect the life chances of
Americans?
6. How have government programs to assist poor
Americans changed in recent years?