Full Description
With the latest data on income, wealth, earnings, and residential segregation by income, The American Class Structure in an Age of Growing Inequality, Tenth Edition describes a consistent pattern of growing inequality in the United States since the early 1970s. Focusing on the socioeconomic core of the American class system, author Dennis L. Gilbert examines how changes in the economy, family life, globalization, and politics are contributing to increasing class inequality.New to this Edition"The Class Basis of Trump's Victory" looks at why for the first time since before the 1932 election, the Republican presidential candidate won a greater proportion of the working class vote than the Democratic opponent.Addresses the role of technology and other factors in the decline of manufacturing employment and how the trend is crucial for understanding growing inequality and changes in working class family life.Offers international comparisons to show how the U.S. compares with other wealthy nations on social mobility and poverty, and questions our conception of the U.S. as a uniquely open society.
Contents
About the AuthorPrefaceChapter 1 Social Class in AmericaKarl MarxMax WeberThree Issues and 10 VariablesWhat Are Social Classes?An American Class StructureIs the American Class Structure Changing?ConclusionKey Terms Defined in the GlossarySuggested ReadingsChapter 2 Position and PrestigePeople Like UsW. Lloyd Warner: Prestige Classes in Yankee CityPrestige Class as a ConceptHow Many Classes?Class Structure of the MetropolisPrestige of OccupationsOccupations and Social ClassesConclusion: Perception of Social Rank and Prestige ClassesKey Terms Defined in the GlossarySuggested ReadingsChapter 3 Social Class, Occupation, and Social ChangeMiddletown: 1890 and 1924Middletown RevisitedIndustrialization and the Transformation of the National Class StructureThe National Upper ClassThe Industrial Working ClassThe New Middle ClassNational Occupational SystemThe Transformations of the American Occupational StructureFrom Agricultural to Postindustrial SocietyThe Loss of Manufacturing JobsWomen Workers in Postindustrial SocietyTransformation of the Black Occupational StructureHispanic Workers in Postindustrial SocietyWages in the Age of Growing InequalityGrowing Inequality of Wages: Why?Harrison and Bluestone: New Corporate StrategiesFrank and Cook: Winner Take AllConclusionKey Terms Defined in the GlossarySuggested ReadingsChapter 4 Wealth and IncomeThe Income ParadeLessons From the ParadeThe Distribution of IncomeSources of IncomeTaxes and Transfers: The Government as Robin Hood?How Many Poor?Women and the Distribution of Household IncomeThe Distribution of WealthThe Changing Distribution of WealthThe Changing Distribution of IncomeIncome DynamicsChanging Tax RatesConclusionKey Terms Defined in the GlossarySuggested ReadingsChapter 5 Socialization, Association, Lifestyles, and ValuesBourdieu: The Varieties of CapitalChildren's Conception of Social ClassKohn: Class and SocializationLareau: Child Rearing ObservedPatterns of Association in Early LifeMarriage StylesBlue-Collar Marriages and Middle-Class ModelsSocial Class and Domestic ViolenceThe Marriage GapCherlin: The Disappearing Working-Class FamilyInformal Association Among AdultsFormal AssociationsSeparate LivesResidential SegregationConclusionKey Terms Defined in the GlossarySuggested ReadingsChapter 6 Social Mobility: The Societal ContextHow Much Mobility?Social Mobility of WomenCirculation and Structural MobilityDeclining Social MobilityAmerican Mobility in Comparative PerspectiveConclusionKey Terms Defined in the GlossarySuggested ReadingsChapter 7 Family, Education, and CareerBlau and Duncan: Analyzing Mobility ModelsJencks on EqualityThe Fortunes of Sons and DaughtersWho Goes to College?The Stratification of Higher EducationConclusionKey Terms Defined in the GlossarySuggested ReadingsChapter 8 Elites, the Capitalist Class, and Political PowerThree Perspectives on PowerMills: The National Power EliteMills, His Critics, and the Problem of Elite CohesionPower Elite or Ruling Class?Who Rules?Winters' OligarchyThe National Capitalist Class: Economic BasisThe National Capitalist Class: Social BasisA New Elite?The National Capitalist Class: Participation in GovernmentMoney and PoliticsThe Fate of Campaign Finance ReformWho Gives?What Do Rich People Want?Business LobbiesPolicy-Planning GroupsIndirect Mechanisms of Capitalist-Class InfluenceThe Capitalist-Class ResurgenceConclusionKey Terms Defined in the GlossarySuggested ReadingsChapter 9 Class Consciousness and Class ConflictClass IdentificationCorrelates of Class IdentificationClass Identification, Political Opinion, and VotingElections and the Democratic Class StruggleThe End of the Democratic Class StruggleWhy Trump?Policy Preference and Government ResponseClass and Political ParticipationClass Conflict and the Labor MovementThe Postwar Armistice: Unions in the Age of Shared ProsperityLabor in DeclineHacker and Pierson: Winner-Take-All PoliticsConclusionKey Terms Defined in the GlossarySuggested ReadingsChapter 10 Poverty and Public PolicyRoosevelt and the Beginnings of WelfareRediscovery of Poverty: Kennedy and JohnsonThe Official Definition of PovertyHow Many Poor?Who Are the Poor?Trends in PovertyThe Transitory Poor and the UnderclassRestructuring WelfareThe Earned Income Tax CreditPersistent PovertyEconomic TrendsChanging Family PatternsGovernment PolicyAmerican Poverty in Comparative PerspectiveConclusionKey Terms Defined in the GlossarySuggested ReadingsChapter 11 The American Class Structure and Growing InequalityHow Many Classes Are There?The Class StructureGrowing InequalityWhy?Hard Times in the Age of Growing InequalityKey Terms Defined in the GlossaryGlossaryBibliographyNote on Statistical SourcesIndex
