Class and power in America

Type :

Term papers

Pages :

5 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

08/10/2009

Category :

Political science

Sub category :

Social sciences

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Summary :

Introduction
1. American dislike for the idea of class
2. A more democratic class system
Social issue of classes today
1. The research carried out by sociologists
2. Class
3. Membership network analysis
4. Organizational network
Types of empirical studies
1. Historical case study
2. Determining activities outside of the city
3. Statistical analysis of the patterns of memberships and affiliations
4. Establishing the existence of upper-class institutions
What is power?
1. Who benefits
2. Who governs
Conclusion
Bibliography

Abstract

Most Americans don't like the idea that there might be social classes. Classes imply that people have relatively fixed stations in life. Even more, Americans tend to deny that classes might be rooted in wealth and occupational roles. They talk about social class, but with euphemisms like "the suits", "Joe Sixpack", and "the other side of the tracks" etc...

Americans dislike for the idea of class is deeply rooted in the country's colonial and revolutionary history. Colonial america seemed very different from other countries to its new inhabitants because it was a rapidly expanding frontier country with no feudal aristocracy or rigid class structure. The sense of difference was heightened by the need for solidarity among all classes in the war for freedom from the British.