10 Questions
Who developed a four-class model based on Marx?
Erik Wright
Which class is at the top of the six-class model developed by Kahl and Gilbert?
Capitalist class
What is the classification of small business owners in Erik Wright's model?
Petty bourgeoisie
How many classes are in the model developed by Erik Wright?
Four
Who developed a six-class model based on Weber's ideas?
Kahl and Gilbert
What is the primary factor that determines social class, according to Weber's definition?
Property and wealth
What has been the trend in the distribution of wealth in the United States since 1970?
Greater inequality
What is the ability to get your way despite others' resistance, according to the concept of power?
Control
What term did C. Wright Mills coin to describe the small group that holds the reins of power in business, government, and the military?
Power elite
What is prestige linked to, according to the concept of social class?
Occupational status
Study Notes
Models of Social Classes
- Erik Wright developed a four-class model based on Marx's ideology, comprising:
- Capitalists (owners of large businesses)
- Petty bourgeoisie (small business owners)
- Managers
- Workers
Alternative Model of Social Classes
- Kahl and Gilbert developed a six-class model based on Weber's perspective, with the following hierarchy:
- Capitalist class (at the top)
- Upper-middle class
- Lower-middle class
- Working class
- Working poor
- Underclass (at the bottom)
Social Class
- A large group of people who rank closely to one another in terms of property (wealth), power, and prestige.
- Wealth consists of the value of property and income, which is concentrated in the upper classes.
Wealth Distribution in the United States
- From the 1930s to the 1970s: trend was toward greater equality in wealth distribution.
- Since 1970: trend has been toward greater inequality in wealth distribution.
Power
- Defined as the ability to get your way even though others resist.
Power Elite
- Coined by C. Wright Mills to refer to the small group that holds the reins of power in:
- Business
- Government
- Military
Prestige
- Linked to occupational status
Understand the different models of social classes developed by Erik Wright and Kahl and Gilbert, based on Marx and Weber's theories.
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