Economic Stratification In The American Family

Social class stratification continues to have a very important role in the life of people living in the U.S. and all around the world. The different class of people in the U.S. is based on several reasons. For this essay, we are going to examine the socio-economic background, level of education of the youth and the life style of an individual. A good question is how does the social class stratification originates?, why do middle class youths turn to be more successful than working class youths? Children get their first exposure of what society is all about from their parents who is the primary group. The school, teachers, and community serves as the secondary group and has an impact on the development of the child. It is during the up bringing of a child that the mores of the society should be assimilated. Failure to do so, the child becomes unproductive and feels rejected by the society and unfortunately, this child might end up with a deviant character.

The majority of opportunities presented to any American family are largely based upon their current social class. Depending on which class position a family falls, wealth or poverty is directly related to the lifestyle, income, and choices made readily available. An example being while most consider the Internet a necessity, it is in fact a luxury and those without readily available access are limited by experiences services that otherwise would enrich and enhance like higher education and specialized services. Economic inequalities further limits prospects given as those families in the lower to middle class range as they are prone to work for lower salaries, despite some individuals being highly skilled at a craft. Many of these workers are further limited to what are considered working class or blue collar jobs due to the lack of education, like a college degree, or being connected with

Parents' social class has a greater impact on how well their children perform at school than IQ. Social class has become the primary pathway as well as a towering obstacle to opportunity in America. Below I will discuss three articles on this topic.

Laureau argues that a child’s social class can affect and shape the way a child feels about their place in the world. Middle class parents, regardless of race, tend to raise their children as Laureau would describe as “concerted cultivation.” This type of parent enroll their children in many extra curricular actives. These activities are organized and used as a means to develop the child’s talents and instill important life skills. Working class and poor families tended to utilize the “accomplishments of natural growth” model. These families did not participate in as many activities because they were often unable to afford them. These two different types of parenting styles affected the way the child views their social status. Middle class children had a higher sense of entitlement while poor and working class kids felt they had no identities or abilities.

A family’s class background can have a huge effect on child-rearing. The way a family raises a child can be dependent on the class background that they have. Often families with a substantial amount of money are able to provide their children with more opportunities than families with lower income. This can have a tremendous effect on how the child is raised and how much help/support a child can get from their families to become successful and educated. Families with different financial backgrounds tend to raise their children differently and have different values in regards to schooling. In Annette Lareau’s book “Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life” she discusses the impact that economical class and family upbringings can have on a child and society. Throughout this analysis I will discuss the different approaches Lareau mentions, which approach prepares children for more effective school success, and the implications of these discoveries for teachers and schools.

It is undeniable that social class is associated with the well being of families. Children raised in upper class families are more likely to finish their post secondary education since tuition is not a problem. Whereas, low income families struggle to afford the necessities of life which increases the rate of school dropout and causes stress and anxiety. In fact, it may lead to aggression and drug abuse as well.

“How do you where you fit in the class system? Is it the level of income? Is it defined by your education or the kind of job you posses?”(Mosley 174). A person’s level education could be measured by their social class. Americans are categorized using the American class system; which is broken down into three tiers and is divided into sub categories. First three tiers are lower class, middle class and high class. The sub categories are poverty, the working class, limited privileged, and the wealthy. Social class determines how Americans socialize, how we function and how we acquire or gain wealth. Those who tend to be at the bottom of the spectrum are typically minorities. History shows us that the educational system has favored race since the

American households have never been so diverse. As a result of these changes, there is no longer one dominant family form in the U.S. Parents today are raising their children against a situation of increasingly diverse and, for most, constantly evolving family values. The idea of the modern family has evolved over the years because of the financial crisis which has caused both parents to look for work, parents are no longer staying together, and same-sex couples are presently able to start a family of their own.

The structural changes of families within the United States of America have altered due to economic, political and social changes which have occurred since the mid-twentieth century

ocial class has a large effect on the lifestyles of all Americans. But what does it really mean to be a part of the lower, middle or upper class? These divisions of social class are defined by aspects such as family income and lifestyle; however, education plays a large role in determining ones social class. That does not mean that it will determine success in ones life but to interpret, many people with a further education usually have a higher income as well. Those of the upper class have higher standards for education and career aspirations in contrast to those of the lower and middle class. Besides the differentiation of aspirations of the individuals of each social class, it is also used to determine who will go to college, depending

Social Stratification is a system which society ranks people in a class. When you see people it is clear that some people have a higher status and wealth compared to other people. Class standing, although it is achieved, it is achieved, is heavily dependent on family and ascribed factors, such as race and ethnicity. (Schaefer,182) There are four classes; upper class, lower class, working class and middle class. The upper class is about two percent of the United States. The upper class is very wealthy and they associate with their social and exclusive clubs. Unlike the upper class, the lower class is about twenty three percent of the U.S. The lower class lacks money and wealth. The lower class is mostly consisted of single mothers and other

Social inequality in the United States is not only evident but increasing, as the disparities between those in higher class versus those in poverty are noticeable in the daily lives of both groups and their subsequent offspring. Those in poverty struggle to survive while those in upper classes not only have enough for their wants and needs, but can provide the proper upbringing and opportunities for their children to remain in the upper class as well. These differences are caused by economic, cultural, and political factors that foster inequality. Economic factors that work as hindrances to one’s life and future are more common for those in lower classes. Cultural factors affect how one is looked at by others and this in turn can have influence over opportunities and networking. Additionally many of those in the lower echelons of society lack the political power to improve their situation due to barriers and lack of adequate public policy. Overall, social life for those in higher social class positions is easier in a variety of aspects because obstacles that many of those in poverty face are not an issue for those in the upper class, which causes social life for those in higher classes versus lower classes to not only be easier, but make social mobility more attainable. This difference is due to a myriad of economic, cultural, and political differences that sustain inequality in society.

A society is made up of different classifications of people, and the way they are classified is based on the resources they own. What sociologists call this is social stratification. According to the book, society ranks individuals into socioeconomic stratums based on their income, wealth, education, and race. Individuals are put into a specific social class that describes the way they live. The way social stratification divides and categories people vary from each society. Social stratification also implies that resources are often unevenly distributed. In which case results in a class system. In the United States there are three class distinctions: upper, middle, and lower class. There are additional subcategories that pertain to each class. For example the middle class can be divided into the upper middle class and the lower middle class. The difference between the two is that people who belong in the upper middle class tend to have more comfortable incomes, while the lower middle class has a harder time maintaining their decent lifestyle. Furthermore, the

Social stratification speaks of a system by which a society orders classes of people in a hierarchy. Here in the United States, it is perfectly clear that some groups have better standing, supremacy, and riches than other groups. You have the upper-class who pretty much have everything in life. The middle-class living paid check to paid check and the lower-class who just finds a way to get by. They are the ones who social has dean as “living in poverty” which is hard to come out of because it’s a vicious cycle to break.

Education provides one of the most promising chances of upward social mobility into a better social class and attaining a higher social status, regardless of current social standing in the overall structure of society. However, the stratification of social classes and high wealth inequality directly affects the educational opportunities people are able to obtain and succeed in, and the chance for one's upward social mobility. In other words, social class and a family's socioeconomic status directly affect a child's chances for obtaining a quality education