Chapter Eight Social Class in the United States Powerpoint PDF

Chapter EightSocial Class in the United States Weberian Concept of Social Class●“A large group of people who rank closely to one another in property, power, and prestige. These three elements give people different chances in life, separate them into different lifestyles, and provide them with dist...

Chapter EightSocial Class in the United States Weberian Concept of Social Class●“A large group of people who rank closely to one another in property, power, and prestige. These three elements give people different chances in life, separate them into different lifestyles, and provide them with distinctive ways of looking at the self and the world” (p. 221 –previous textbook) Weberian and MarxianNotions of Social Class●Weber: Classes are constituted by similar levels of property, power, and prestige.●Marx: Classes are constituted by similar relations to the means of production (owner versus worker). Elements of Weberian Social ClassPart One●Property: “Material possessions: includes animals, bank accounts, bonds, buildings, businesses, cars, cash, commodities, copyrights, furniture, jewelry, land, and stocks” (p. 230)●Wealth: “The total value of everything someone owns, minus the debts” (p. 230)●Income: “Money received, usually from a job, business, or assets” (p. 230) “Below the surface prosperity –the exotic vacations, country club membership, private schools for the children, sports cars, and an elegant home –the credit cards may be maxed out, the sports cars in danger of being repossessed, and the mortgage payment 'past due.'” (p. 222 –previous textbook) Elements of Weberian Social ClassPart Two●Power: “The ability to carry out your will, even over the resistance of others” (p. 234)●Power Elite: “C. Wright Mills' term for the top people in U.S. corporations, military, and politics who make the nations major decisions” (p. 234)●Prestige: “Respect or regard” (p. 236) Balancing Statuses●Status Consistency:●“Ranking high or low on all three dimensions of social class” (p. 236)●(Property, Power, and Prestige)●Status Inconsistency:●“Ranking high on some dimensions of social class and low on others; also called statusdiscrepancy” (p. 236)●(Property, Power, and Prestige) More Terms●Anomie: “Durkheim's term for a condition of society in which people become detached from the usual norms that guide their behavior” (p. 238)●Contradictory Class Locations: “Erik Wright's term for a position in the class structure that generates contradictory interests” (p. 239)●Examples: Worker-turned-owner, lottery winner, college professor Consequences of Social Class●Physical Health●Mental Health●Family Life–Spousal Selection–Divorce–Child Rearing●Education●Religion●Politics●Crime and Criminal Justice Social MobilityIntergenerational Mobility: “The change that family members make in a social class from one generation to the next” (p. 246)Upward Social Mobility: “Movement up the social class ladder” (p. 246)Downward Social Mobility: “Movement down the social class ladder” (p. 246)Structural Mobility: “Movement up or down the social class ladder that is due more to changes in the structureof society than to the actions of individuals” (p. 246)Exchange Mobility: “A large number of people moving up the social class lader, while a large number move down; it is as though they have exchangedplaces, and despite much social mobility the social class system shows little change” (p. 247) Problems in Social MobilityWhen a person experiences upward social mobility, it may alienate them from their family and friends.How does this occur? Poverty Triggers“The unexpected events in life that push people into poverty” (p. 246 –previous textbook)What pushes a person into poverty? Horatio Alger Myth“The belief that due to limitless possibilities anyone can get ahead if he or she tries hard enough” (p. 259)