Social Ranks in the American Societies

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1 Social Ranks in the American Societies Valencia College ANT2000 Professor Spottke December 8, 2022 Social Ranks in the American Societies

2 Introduction The discipline of anthropology examines how human civilizations and cultures arose and how they have evolved through time. Languages, beliefs, social structures, institutions, and material items are all part of a people's cultural practices that have been learnt through time (Duff 2019). Using a wide range of methods, anthropologists examine the traits of historical and current human populations. This is done so that we may learn about and understand the historical lifestyles of people from all over the globe. This article may be placed in the field of cultural anthropology, also called social anthropology, since it investigates the stratification of American communities. Learned behavior in social groups is a field of research. Most sociologists believe that persons of similar wage, education, and employment status are members of the same social class (Henry et al., 2020). These aspects have a role in determining one's influence and standing in society. As a result of the inequitable distribution of wealth, societal inequality has emerged. People with money often have more say or options in life. It may come as a surprise, but sociologists do not agree on how many social classes there are in the United States or even on how to quantify social class membership. This study will begin by examining the measurement problem, then go on to a discussion of the many categories defined by sociologists. Measuring the Social Ranks/Class According to (Dolan et al., 2022), there are factual and subjective ways to evaluate a person's socioeconomic status. Individuals are sorted into groups based on their employment, level of education, and/or income if we use the objective approach. The researcher is responsible for assigning persons to a certain socioeconomic group depending on how they fare in these categories. If we go with the subjective approach, we simply inquire as to which group

3 individuals believe they fall within. One common study scenario involves participants being asked to self-identify their socioeconomic status using one of four labels: “lower class, working class, middle class, or upper class” (Manstead 2018). There is a problem with using self-reports as a proxy for social status since some persons may claim to be in a different social class than what their actual characteristics would suggest. Since this has become an issue, most sociologists studying class structures in the U. S. favor the use of quantitative measures. Nonetheless, sociologists do not agree on the best objective measurements to use in this situation either. Measures of education, money, and employment are used by sociologists as indicators of social class. There are situations when only one of these factors is used to determine socioeconomic status, and others where two or even all three are combined (in ways that are beyond the scope of this discussion) to do the same. When analyzing social stratification based on employment, sociologists often utilize predetermined indicators of professional standing. In nationwide polls conducted every few years, Americans have been asked to rank a large number of jobs in terms of prestige (McClanahan et al., 2022). The marks obtained have been reasonably consistent throughout time. But sociologists favor more sophisticated measures of social status that consider things such as who controls the production processes and how that impacts workers' lives. These indicators better reflect what Karl Marx meant when he referred to "class" in his various publications. They account for the vast diversity of vocations and institutional arrangements that he may not have foreseen when he was penning his ideas years ago. Many corporate executives, for instance, have no direct stake in the company's means of production, but they have significant control over the daily operations of the companies' lower-

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4 level employees. So, they don't belong to either the bourgeoisie or the proletariat, the two fundamental social groups identified by Karl Marx. Conflict sociologists acknowledge these challenges by drawing lines between social classes based on characteristics like as who owns the means of production, how much control employees have in their occupations, and who supervises them. The American Class Structure Counting the number of socioeconomic strata in the United States is a difficult task, as should be obvious. Sociologists have, throughout the years, defined as many about seven distinct social classes based on factors such as education, profession, money, lifestyle, the schools’ individuals send their children to, a name and reputation in the neighborhood, the age and source of their wealth, etc. (Wacquant 2019). The four major categories represent the most essential variations in the American class system, despite the existence of subgroups within each of the broad category. The Upper, Middle, and Lower Classes Only the most influential members of society are afforded the privilege of gazing down from the upper crust. Only 1% of Americans are very wealthy, yet they control 33% of the country's total wealth (DiMaggio 2019). Possessing substantial wealth affords one several opportunities beyond the acquisition of material goods. The job opportunities of millions of people are affected by the decisions made by members of the wealthy elite in their roles as corporate leaders. They mold the national psyche by monopolizing the country's media. They have a stranglehold on the mainstream media, owning major networks in television and radio as well as newspapers, periodicals, and even major league sports franchises. The elites who are the

5 board members of the nation's most prestigious organizations have significant influence on national values. They take on the role of philanthropist by creating endowments to fund initiatives they feel strongly about. Political donors may influence policymakers and finance campaigns, often to advance or defend their own financial interests. The exceedingly rich seldom work for a salary. Some go into business or law school to handle the family company. Some like Kim Kardashian, take use of their socialite position to become celebrities while also showing off their lavish lifestyles. Many individuals identify with the middle class, but what that entail is defined in many ways. That's why there are higher and lower segments of the middle class in the United States. Those in the upper level of this class are often those who have completed postsecondary education. They have a background in fields including administration, law, medicine, and business. Members of the lower middle class often have earned either a bachelor's or an associate degree from a university or college. Even while "lower class" is often used, some observers find that it has an unfavorable connotation and hence prefer a more neutral phrase like "the poor," which is why that term is employed here. Lower-class persons, in comparison to the poorer middle class, have a lower standard of living and a lower level of education. They have low-skilled employment that require them to carry out basic chores while being closely supervised. The Working Class

6 Members of working-class families often occupy lower-skilled, blue-collar professions including manufacturing, construction, and service employment. Many members of the working class do not have any formal education beyond a high school diploma. Most are not technically poor, yet they are in a precarious financial condition anyway. A major unexpected expense, such as medical care or a vehicle repair might force you into serious debt. When compared to their more affluent peers, working-class households are far less likely to own their own houses and send their children to college. Hundreds of thousands have been laid off since the start of the U.S. economic crisis in 2008, and many more are at danger of losing their jobs because of company downsizing. Social Mobility The term "social mobility" is used to describe a person's potential for advancement or downward movement within a given society's established social order (Duncan 2018). Social mobility occurs when individuals move up or down the social stratification ladder because of changes in their economic circumstances. The term "upward mobility" describes a rise in status. Many Americans are inspired by the success stories of superstars like Oprah Winfrey and LeBron James, who rose from humble beginnings to become household names. Yet, the truth is that only a small fraction of the population is able to make it from poverty to the middle class. Although money plays a significant role, it is not the only indicator of a successful existence. One may improve their social status in the United States in several ways, including by getting a better job, going to graduate school, or marrying into money. Downward mobility, on the other hand, suggests a fall in one's social status. Defeat in business, job loss, or sickness may all lead to a negative spiral for certain individuals. Some life events, such as not finishing school, losing

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7 one's work, or going through a divorce, may have a devastating impact on one's social standing, potentially leading to a downward spiral of poverty and diminished social standing. References

8 Dolan, P., Laffan, K., & Velias, A. (2022). Who’s miserable now? Identifying clusters of people with the lowest subjective wellbeing in the UK. Social Choice and Welfare , 58 (4), 679- 710. Duff, P. A. (2019). Social dimensions and processes in second language acquisition: Multilingual socialization in transnational contexts. The Modern Language Journal , 103 , 6-22. DiMaggio, P. (2019). Social structure, institutions, and cultural goods: The case of the United States. In Social theory for a changing society (pp. 133-166). Routledge. Duncan, O. D. (2018). Methodological issues in the analysis of social mobility. In Social Structure & Mobility in Economic Dovelopment (pp. 51-97). Routledge. Henry, D. A., Betancur Cortés, L., & Votruba-Drzal, E. (2020). Black–White achievement gaps differ by family socioeconomic status from early childhood through early adolescence. Journal of Educational Psychology , 112 (8), 1471. McClanahan, K. J., Maner, J. K., & Cheng, J. T. (2022). Two ways to stay at the top: Prestige and dominance are both viable strategies for gaining and maintaining social rank over time. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin , 48 (10), 1516-1528. Manstead, A. S. (2018). The psychology of social class: How socioeconomic status impacts thought, feelings, and behaviour. British Journal of Social Psychology , 57 (2), 267-291. Wacquant, L. J. (2019). Making class: the middle class (es) in social theory and social structure. In Bringing class back In (pp. 39-64). Routledge.

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