Moving Up the Ladder

                    In Modern America Social Stratification is the class classification of persons into socio-economic conditions. It is a ladder that rises in social class as it get higher. Originating centuries ago, social stratification has progressed from: the Greek era to caste society to medieval feudal society and to capitalist society.

Not to reverberate what you already know, lets begin!

             

                      The American society as a capitalist society is socially stratified into three group. These include: Upper class, Middle class, and Lower class. Inequality exists economically, socially, politically, and ideologically. Weber would explain this society as one in which class status depends on material wealth, although, honor, prestige, and religious affiliation come secondary in determining class status. 

         The American society is state based and divided into subdivisions according to Dennis Gilbert, William Thompson, Joseph Hickey, and James Henslin. These include:  the upper class, who are rich and powerful; the upper middle class, who are highly educated and affluent professionals; the middle class, who are college educated and white –collar individuals; the lower middle class; the working class, who are clerical and blue-collar workers; and lower class, who are working poor and unemployed underclass.

                   

                                   Class mobility in regards to social stratification has become a growing concern sociologist. Class mobility is defined as class ascendancy. It follows the principle that each successful generation will have a higher standard of living than predecessor. 

                 

                   The American Culture, which believes that an individual has the freedom and liberty to pursue happiness know this as the American dream. The idea emphasizes that any individual possess the opportunity to move up the social class ladder. It sent hundreds of million to the American shore. 

                                           Yet to many Americans, this was reality in the past, where educational attainment and income were easily increased in a lifetime.

               

                         Research shows that the middle class has experienced a decreased in class income. Compared to the past, social mobility has decreased. This is evident in the tax difference between the rich and the other classes beneath. For instance, a CEO to a company makes more money in an hour than his employee makes in a month under minimum wage. 

                                      In a poll in 2006, less than one third believed that life would be better for the next generation. Another showed more than half of Americans no longer believe that the American Dream is attainable for majority of their fellow citizens. Further, a survey showed the fear within American towards the inability to continue their present life style. This gruesome idea has impacted 5% of American today wherein the unemployment rate has risen from 4% in 1999 to 9% in 2011.

So ask yourself, does the American dream still exits today?