This document discusses social class and poverty in the United States. It defines key terms related to social stratification like income, wealth, and different forms of poverty. It also examines theories of social stratification like functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. Additionally, it looks at race and poverty statistics in the US and defines the major social classes in America including the upper class, upper middle class, middle class, working class, lower class, and urban underclass.

1. Chapter 7
Social Class in the United
States

2. Chapter 7 Terms
Social Stratification - the ranking of people and the
rewards they receive based on an objective criteria,
often including wealth, power and or prestige.
Income - is the money received for work or through
investments.
Wealth - is all of your material possessions plus
income

3. Forms of Poverty
Transitional Poverty - is a temporary state of
poverty that occurs when a person loses their job for
a short time.
Marginal Poverty - when a person lacks stable
employment.
Residual Poverty - is chronic and multigenerational
poverty.
Relative Poverty- is a state of poverty that occurs
when we compare ourselves to those around us.

4. Terms for Power and Prestige
Power - is the ability to carry out your will and
impose it on others.
Delegated - means given or assigned
Power Elite - is a small group of prestige who hold
immense power.
Prestige - is the level of esteem associated with ones
status and social standing.

5. Race and Poverty
•In the United States there are approximately 37
million people living in poverty.
•Most lower class often live paycheck to paycheck and
one hospital bill or layoff will cause financial problems
•In 2008 statistics showed that no matter what age
group they were in blacks seemed to have the most
poverty.
•Whites had the lowest amount of poverty

6. Race and Poverty
•Hispanics were in 2nd place for poverty
•More than 2/3 of Americans live near the poverty
line
•10% of senior citizens live at the poverty line
•½ of children in the U.S. live near the poverty line
•A poor woman is 3x more likely to have a child
before marriage which explains why ½ the children
are in poverty.

7. Race and Poverty
• Most homeless receive government assistance, have little
to no health care, and often lack a high school diploma.
•They often find jobs that pay them minimum wage, and
often known as the urban underclass
•Urban underclass - lives in disadvantaged neighborhoods
that are characterized by four components: poverty, family
disruption, male unemployment, and lack of individuals in
high-status occupations
•Sociologist William J. Wilson stated that these components
could trigger a cycle of undermining social organization

8. Race and Poverty
•U.S. urban poor are increasingly living in neighborhoods
with fewer opportunities, poor schools, weak social
structures, large amounts of crime, and rampant drug use
•What is the major disadvantage is that they have no role
models around them

9. Theories
(Social Stratification)
Functionalism
Kingsley Davis, Wilbert Moor etc
Stratification system is inevitable because people have
different ability. Abilities are more or less important to
society.
People need some people who do tough or stressful jobs or
a job which need longer the training. These people gain
grater the rewards.
The idea of “The united states is the land of opportunity” is
based on functionalism. Many Millionaires believe that they

10. Theories
(Social Stratification)
Conflict Theory
Melvin Tumin etc
Conflict theory has diametrically opposite interpretations of social
stratification. There is nothing inevitable about inequality. Social
inequality is rooted in a system that is more likely to reward you
based on where you start. Not solely based on ability you have.
The Social importance of a job does not seen to be the only basis
for financial rewards. The US system doesn’t allow dynamic social
mobility. Wealthy people stay affluence and poor people can not
escape from poverty. Educational inequality of the United States
can be explained by conflict theory.

11. Theories
(Social Stratification)
Symbolic Interactionism
Stuber etc
Symbolic interactionists focus how people perceive poverty
and wealth. Symbolic interactionists believe social class
impact to our personal belief system. For example, upper
class college students are unconcerned about social class.
Working class college students have to consider about their
situation. Lower class people have lower expectation about
future earnings and successes.

12. Classes in the
United States
Upper or Elite Class - a social class that is very small in
number and holds significant wealth.
Upper Middle Class - A social class that consists of high-
income members of society who are well educated but do
not belong to the elite membership of the super wealthy.
Middle Class - a social class that consists of those who
have moderate incomes.
Working Class - A social class generally made up of
people with high school diplomas and lower levels of

13. Classes in the
United States
Lower Class - Social class living in poverty
Urban Underclass - a Social class living in disadvantaged
neighborhoods that are characterized by four components.
Poverty, family disruption, male unemployment, and lack of
individuals in high-status occupations