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Class Inequalities in America: Wealth Distribution & Social Mobility

Explore social class dimensions, wealth distribution, and life chances in the United States. Learn about the changing views of inequality, class awareness, and the diversity within different classes.

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Class Inequalities in America: Wealth Distribution & Social Mobility

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  1. Chapter 12Inequalities of Social Class • Dimensions of Social Inequality in America • Social Class and Life Chances in the United States • More Equality?

  2. Basic Measures of Inequality • Income • Wealth • Occupational prestige • Educational attainment

  3. Distribution of Wealth in the U.S. • 6% of households have a net worth of $250,000 or more. • 25% of households have a net worth of less than $5,000. • Top 1% of Americans enjoy 40% of all wealth.

  4. Jeffersonian View of Inequality • Envisioned a society in which most families lived on their own farms or ran small commercial or manufacturing enterprises. • Emphasized economic self sufficiency through hard work.

  5. Changing Views of Social Inequality • Great Depression - industrialization increased hostility between workers and owners of businesses. • Mid-twentieth century- studies revealed existence of a complex social-class system and a racial caste system. • Shift to an economy based on services resulted in an easing of class conflict.

  6. Class Awareness In America Today • Most people identify themselves as members of the middle class. • They base class assignments on socioeconomic status derived from occupation, family status, education and income.

  7. Upper Classes • 1% of the U.S. population. • Controls 40% of personal wealth • Divided into two subgroups: high society and newly rich.

  8. Middle Classes • 45% of Americans classify themselves as middle class. • Differ in income, education and access to wealth.

  9. Middle Classes • Tend to be employed in nonmanual occupations. • Work hard to afford material things more easily acquired by the upper class. • Spend almost half their income on three essentials: housing, utilities and health care.

  10. Working Class • 44% of white Americans and almost 57 % of African Americans. • Undergoing rapid and difficult changes as industrialization spreads throughout the world.

  11. Working Class • Employed in skilled, semiskilled, or unskilled manual occupations, and many are union members. • Can be divided into industrial workers and those employed in skilled crafts. • More racial and ethnic diversity than in other classes.

  12. The Poor • According to official statistics, about 13% of Americans are living in poverty. • Most have jobs that do not pay enough to support their families.

  13. The Poor Categories: • Single-parent families headed by women. • Elderly with fixed incomes. • Marginally employed rural workers. • Part-time miners. • Chronically unemployed manual workers. • Disabled workers and their families.

  14. Welfare Reform • In 1996 Congress enacted major reforms in the welfare laws, which now require that adult aid recipients work. • Data on the effects of the reforms indicate that they have had mixed results and may actually have worsened conditions for poor children.

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