SOCIOLOGY
A Down-to-Earth Approach 8/e
James M. Henslin
Chapter Ten:
Social Class in the
United States
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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.”
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Prestige
Occupations and Prestige
They Pay More
They Require More Education
They Entail More Abstract Thought
They Offer Greater Autonomy
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Status Inconsistency
 Ordinarily Wealth, Power, and
Prestige are Similar
 When they Don’t Match
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Sociological Models
of Social Class
Updating Marx
Capitalists
Petty Bourgeoisie
Managers
Workers
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Consequences
of Social Class
 Physical Health
 Mental Health
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Consequences
of Social Class
 Family Life
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
Choices of Husbands and Wives

Divorce

Child Rearing
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Consequences
of Social Class
 Education
 Religion
 Politics
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Consequences
of Social Class
 Crime and the Judicial System
 Social Class and the Changing Economy
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Social Mobility
Three Types
Intergenerational

Upward

Downward
Structural
Exchange
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Social Mobility
Women and Social Mobility
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
Studies of Boys

More Recent Studies with Girls
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Interpreting Statistics
on Social Mobility
 Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From Tree
 The Pain of Social Mobility
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Poverty
Who are Poor?
Drawing the Poverty Line
Geography
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Poverty
 Who are Poor?
Drawing the Poverty Line
Geography
Race-Ethnicity
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Poverty
Who are Poor?
Drawing the Poverty Line
Geography
Race-Ethnicity
Education
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Poverty
Who are Poor?
Feminization of Poverty
Old Age
Children of Poverty
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Myths About the Poor
 Most are Lazy
 Poor are Trapped and Few Escape
 Most are Latino and African-American
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Myths About the Poor
 Most are Single Mothers and Kids
 Most Live in Inner City
 Most are on Welfare
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Dynamics of Poverty
 Culture of Poverty
 Most Poverty is Short-lived
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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.

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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Why are People Poor?
 Social Structure
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
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
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
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Chapter 10: Social Class in the United States
Poverty
 Where is Horatio Alger?
 Social Functions of a Myth
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