Social Class and Inequality

Social Class Ladder

  • Upper Class: 1% of the population, with incomes around 2million.Typicaloccupationsincludeinvestors,heirs,andexecutives.</mark></p></li><li><p><strong>Upper−MiddleClass:</strong><markdata−color="red"style="background−color:red;color:inherit">142 million. Typical occupations include investors, heirs, and executives.</mark></p></li><li><p><strong>Upper-Middle Class:</strong> <mark data-color="red" style="background-color: red; color: inherit">14% of the population, with incomes around150,000. Typical occupations include media/sports personalities.

  • Middle Class: 30% of the population, with incomes around 70,000.Typicaloccupationsincludeprofessionalsandmanagers.</mark></p></li><li><p><strong>Working(Lower−Middle)Class:</strong><markdata−color="red"style="background−color:red;color:inherit">3070,000. Typical occupations include professionals and managers.</mark></p></li><li><p><strong>Working (Lower-Middle) Class:</strong><mark data-color="red" style="background-color: red; color: inherit"> 30% of the population, with incomes around40,000. Typical jobs include semi-professionals and lower-level managers.

  • Working Poor: 13% of the population, with incomes around 25,000.Theytypicallyholdsemiskilledlabor,service,manual,andclericaljobs.</mark></p></li><li><p><strong>Underclass:</strong><markdata−color="red"style="background−color:red;color:inherit">1225,000. They typically hold semiskilled labor, service, manual, and clerical jobs.</mark></p></li><li><p><strong>Underclass:</strong> <mark data-color="red" style="background-color: red; color: inherit">12% of the population, with incomes around15,000. Often seldom employed or unemployed, relying on assistance.

Perspectives on Social Inequality

  • Structural Functionalism:

    • Social inequality is necessary and has functions.

    • Poverty provides undesirable jobs, housing, and cheap goods.

  • Conflict Theory:

    • Social inequality creates conflict between groups due to differing interests.

    • Welfare programs funded by taxes can cause conflict between rich and poor.

  • Symbolic Interactionism:

    • Social inequality affects presentation of self.

    • Class consciousness is developed to distinguish status.

    • Access to "props" (e.g., professional clothing) differs between classes, impacting impression management.