Social Class in America
In general, social class refers to differences between groups and individuals that are different from one society to another or even within a particular society.
Each group of people believes in certain ideas such as age, gender, education, religion, income, family background that place the individual in a higher or lower position in society.
Social groups in the upper classes always wield great power which enables them to subjugate the lower classes.
The concept of class in the United States:
Class in the United States refers more to personal income, educational attainment, and occupational prestige for those 25 or older. Although there are many people in the United States who believe that American society is divided into three groups: poor, middle class, and rich, this society is more diverse culturally and economically. Although some theorists believe that due to such diversity it is impossible to draw distinctive lines between social classes in the United States, there are some who believe that it will be helpful if we look at the basic classes to discuss and understand the question of class better .
American society is categorized into five main class systems:
The first is the upper class, which is defined as those with great power who are prestigious and influential, especially over the nation’s institutions.
The second-class system is the upper-middle class, which refers to those who enjoy a high-level job with a comfortable personal income. Most of them have received higher education and belong to white-collar professions.
The lower middle class is the third system, which refers to those with higher education who usually suffer from a lack of job security. They also do not get adequate income.
The fourth system, labeled the working class, includes those individuals who belong to both blue- and white-collar jobs; most of them have not received college degrees (there are even many who have never attended college) and suffer from low personal incomes.
Those who are in the lower class are marginalized and poor even though they work day and night.
Since the majority of people in the United States identify themselves as middle class, it would be helpful if we concentrate more on this particular system to understand the social conditions of the United States.
Culture, educational attainment, and income are three factors that have so much influence on an individual identifying as a member of the middle class.
Different social groups in United States society have their own subcultures, including common beliefs and manners accepted by all members. Subcultures can influence the way members view the world and even the way they raise their children.
If an individual moves up or down from one social class to another, the members of one class will change their class culture. Because class culture changes how individuals view the world, it can directly affect the need for education in the eyes of members of social classes and indirectly affect members’ incomes.
In America, as people become more educated, they can earn more money and can occupy more prestigious positions. Prestigious location is the other factor that, apart from higher education and comfortable income, influences an individual to identify as a member of the upper middle class or a member of the upper class.
#Social #Class #America