Family and Society

SOCIAL CLASS, POLICY, AND FAMILIES

I. DEFINITION OF SOCIAL CLASS

A segment of the population whose members hold a similar share of resources and who may share values, norms, and lifestyle

II. SOCIAL CLASSES IN THE U.S. (IDEAL TYPES)

A. UPPER CLASS

Have much wealth, privilege, power –

Tend to own expensive homes, to possess expensive clothes and furnishings, have substantial investment holdings, and be recognized as part of the cultural elite in their communities –

men tend to be owners or senior managers of large corporations, banks, or law firms – women are less likely to work for pay than women in other social classes – these wives often do much volunteer work and maintain relationships for sake of husband’s paid work

B. MIDDLE CLASS

Secure, comfortable income and live well above subsistence level –

Usually can afford nice house, new car, college education for kid(s), fashionable clothes, vacations, etc –

Jobs held usually require some college education and are mainly done in offices and businesses –

men usually have higher-paying jobs such as lawyer or engineer or midlevel manager at corporation – these jobs usually have benefits and vacations and retirement pensions – wives are still underrepresented in these careers although their numbers are growing – most women tend to be in fields that require college such as nursing and teaching, but don’t get paid as much as men

C. WORKING CLASS

Incomes can provide reliably for minimum basics, such as a modest house or apartment, a car, enough money to enroll kid in community college –

Men tend to hold manual jobs in factories, car repair shops, construction sites, and so on – jobs don’t give them authority over others – layoffs common so vulnerable to periods of unemployment – women tend to have clerical jobs such as secretary, cafeteria cashier

D. LOWER CLASS

Low paying jobs or frequently unemployed – may live in crappy housing with high crime rate – may not be able to afford basics like warm clothes for winter – may need govt assistance like food stamps – vulnerable to homelessness –

workers may have little education or job skills can find jobs that pay only at or slightly above minimum wage

III. POVERTY LINE

A. DEFINITION AND FORMULA

Annual income below which people are considered officially poor by the federal govt –

Formula: federal govt computes cost of nutritionally adequate diet and then multiplies that number by three

B. PROBLEMS WITH THE POVERTY LINE

- formula outdated – based on food but now biggest expense is housing

- ignores fact that cost of living varies geographically

- ignores differences especially health care costs

- misses entire groups of people including homeless, incarcerated, ALFs, military housing, etc, and unauthorized immigrants

- does not successfully adjust for inflation bc wages have remained relatively flat

C. WHO’S MORE LIKELY TO BE POOR IN THE U.S.?

- race-ethnicity (especially Blacks and Hispanics and Native American Indians)

- gender (women)

- nativity (immigrants)

- family structure (single parents)

- age (children under age 18)

D. EXAMPLE OF CONSEQUENCES: POOR CHILDREN

Officially poor kids are higher risk for death in childhood, anemia, blindness, deafness, lower GPA, more disabilities

V. HOW DO PEOPLE IN THE U.S. VIEW THE POOR?

A. INDIVIDUALISM

In US we blame poor people themselves for being poor – stereotype is crappy lifestyle

B. MYTHS ABOUT POOR

1. REFUSE TO WORK

Stereotype is that people are poor bc they refuse to work, are lazy –

Reality is that minimum wage of $7.25/hr is not enough to get out of poverty –

Also some may not work due to age (kid or elderly), transportation costs, childcare costs

2. WELFARE DEPENDENCY

Stereotype is that people are poor bc they “mooch” off welfare/govt assistance –

Reality is that govt assistance like welfare is a strict program and hard to qualify for –

TANF temporary assistance for needy families – signed by Pres Bill Clintion 1996

- block grant = federal govt gives each state money to spend on welfare – total allocation is $16 billion a year (since 1996)

- work requirement = you have to get a job within 2 years of receiving welfare – research shows some recipients work multiple jobs bc wages not high enough

- lifetime cap = you can receive welfare for no more than 5 years total in your lifetime – research/govt data show that most recipients receive welfare for less than 2 years total

- family cap = if you have a kid while receiving welfare your monthly check amount does not increase – most recipients have 1-2 kids and receive $349/month

- you are supposed to show proof of US citizenship to be able to apply for welfare

3. RACE-ETHNICITY

Stereotype is that most poor people are black –

Reality is that most poor people are white

VI. SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF POVERTY

A. INSTITUTIONAL DISCRIMINATION

Structural arrangements systematically disadvantage poor people – takes money to make money

B. POLITICAL ECONOMY

Capitalism makes poverty inevitable bc some will be working for low wages