This week and next week we are reading The Iron Heel, which talks a lot about economic classes and class antogonism.
What are classes? Basically, economic classes break down like this:
Workers own little to nothing but their ability to do manual labor, which they sale for a wage--hence, workers are sometimes called "wage slaves." Workers then take that wage and spend it on consumer goods that they just made at the factory.
The capitalist class do not labor for a living -- they do not sale their labor for a wage. Rather, they may be working wealthy -- maybe they own the machines and factories ("the means of production") in which workers labor each day for a modest wage and they own the stores in which laborers purchase their goods. Or capitalists could be part of the idle rich -- meaning they don't work for their money. Usually, their money is held in the form of investments and they make income from the dividends paid to them by the various companies.
Middle class folks sit somewhere in between the workers and the capitalists. They probably own a nice home and they may own a small business, but they probably work there each day alongside their employees, or they may be middle managers who earn a good salary but are not wealthy.
In America, the number of poor people is increasing. The middle class is getting smaller as more people fall from middle to working class.
Workers and the shrinking middle class in America work more with fewer days of leave, less maternity leave, and fewer days of paid vacation compared to others around the world. Click on these images for a better picture of the emerging situation in the US:
At the same time, the wealthy are fewer and getting richer. CEO pay keeps going up while worker pay stays about the same.
The gap between the wealthy and the working class is getting bigger -- while many citizens keep imagining that it is not, as this video shows:
Some people, however, see an increasing conflict between the classes -- as these graphs from Pew Research show.
What do you think? Are there classes in America? Is the gap between the classes too large -- is there too much inequality? If you think that gap is too large, what should be done to close the gap between the wealthiest and the poorest? Or, is the gap between the wealthy and the poor just about right? Should our policies aim to keep the wealthy wealthy and the poor poor? Are there any potential political problems of high levels of inequality?
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ReplyDeleteI feel there are classes in the United States, but i feel that they aren't as clear cut as other class systems in history have been. There is still such a broad spectrum of wealth in the united states (several different "levels" of poor, middle, and upper class).
ReplyDeleteThe only real gap in the classes that strikes me as to large is the gap between the super wealthy and... everyone else. Some people in the united states just have to much money. At some point the money you have will just be enough. If you have 500 million dollars do you really need any more? The interest on that will keep you living forever. I don't understand the super rich who continue to raise their own wages.
Although legislation could be passed to raise the equality rate in the united states I don't think it will every really be equal. The people in the united states have to much of a pride in themselves. They want to be better than someone that they feel they are naturally superior to. So, we should instead strive for simply closing the gaps between the classes. If the class lines are close together those that wish to change can change, and those that wish to simply live can live.
I agree that there are classes in the United States. They are labeled for us: Lower, Middle (which is divided into lower middle, middle middle, and upper middle), and Upper. There is even a class within the lower class that is called the poverty line and it's quite sad.
DeleteI also agree with Michael here in that the very wealthy are just that- "very wealthy"- Much wealthier than the class below them causing a gap. This gap is also causing problems with what we talked about in class with those same wealthy people running as candidates in politocs with no way to represent those of us on the lower side of that large gap.
We certainly don't need the wealthier even wealthier and the poorer even poorer. I must add the fact that some of the poor take advantage of what the government offers them, we all probably agree, however, their are people out there who really do need those resources and need help. Some people need more help then they can get considerring the guidelines for welfare and they may just be barely on the upper side of the line. It's circumstances like this one where the gap between wealthy and poor seems unfair and something should be done to help smooth it out a little... at least.
I definitely think there are classes in America. Wealth is not evenly distributed amongst the population and the gap between each class is a substantial amount. The wealthy continuously become wealthier by doing little to no work and the poor have no money and work to have exactly that. Although America has a middle class, I'm not sure there could be one middle ground between someone who makes $20,000 a year providing for a family of four verses someone making 300 million a year. Although the gap in my opinion is too great, i'm not sure what actions should be taken to help evenly distribute wealth. Those few people making up the rich class are not going to want to do anything different with their money then they are now. However, as one class becomes wealthier, other classes shrink and become poorer.
ReplyDeletePSCI 100.02
You are right in saying that wealth is not evenly distributed. The wealthy do get richer by doing nothing but most people had to do something in order to become wealthy. Some people inherit it and some work their butts off but I feel like wealth should almost be limited in a way.
DeleteMcKena Munson
PSCI 100.03
I definitely think there are classes in the United States- and there is a big gap. The wealthy are put on pedistals with their own reality shows about being rich- which inturn they become richer from. The poor slave all day long for a minimum wage at a bunch of dead end jobs. I feel that to close the gap, there should be somewhat of a limit on your income- say after a certain amount anything that you make there on after, is given to a charity of your choice to help provide for those who cannot provide for themselves, somewhat of a social darwinistic approach to fixing the system. Our policies need to be changed to shortened the gap becasue what is happening is only the wealthy are running for politcal offices- mostly becasue those who want their voices heard cannot financially afford to take a leave from their occupation to campaign to then fix the system.
ReplyDeletePSCI 100.03
I totally agree with you! I never really thought about the cut back on income thing. I think that would be an awesome idea to give to charity. I feel like it would be different if someone went to college and worked many years to achieve that income, then i don't think there should be a cut back. But i think there should be a cut back to people who are like swimming in money and don't even need half of what they have when somebody else could be dying for it. Like people who inherit wealth and who haven't worked a day in their life.
DeleteClasses are very evident in the United States. One percent of the population holds the majority of the wealth in this country. I don't feel that this gap needs to be closed, but how the upper class is treated and how they obtain their wealth should change. Money seems to buy people freedom if they can pay the price. If all wealthy people earned money through labor and didn't just inherit wealth, they would be respected more. I feel like the upper class is seen and portrayed as monsters who get what they want, have no morals, and are willing to forgo ethics to obtain more wealth.
ReplyDeletePaige Albert PSCI 100.03
It is apparent that there are classes in the United States. More homes are foreclosed upon and more people entire the unemployment lines today causing the number of the poor class to grow while the middle class shrinks and the rich kick back to watch their bank accounts swell. This gap needs to be closed in one way or another, maybe their should be a special taxation on the income of the wealthy if it exceeds a certain amount. There needs to be a balance to the classes or there could be a potential collapse and our middle class may disappear altogether.
ReplyDeleteThere are definitely classes in the United States. That is clear. However, inequality only persists in some of these cases. I believe that the only unequal parts of these classes is that there are men and women working 40+ hours to provide for their families and are still struggling to get by, yet there are men and woman who do nothing and get welfare to spend the majority on cigarettes. A stereotype? Perhaps, but I believe that in order to get governmental support, the mother and/or father should have a job and be annually drug tested. I think the gap between is too large and policies should aim to make that gap smaller. The only political problem I see, is what we spoke about in class. How can a politician be a speaker for myself or any other middle/working class American when the majority of whom they are speaking for is not in the class as them?
ReplyDeleteAshlee Barrett PSCI 100.02
I agree with Ashlee. There is a growing gap between social classes and it needs attention. Changes have to be made. Making those changes, I'm afraid, will only result from a downfall of the economy or a huge slap in the face.
DeleteCody Barrett PSCI 100.02
There are many possible political problems when it comes to high levels of inequality. Rich people dont know what middle class people or even poor people want when it comes to government involvement. The rich tend to always think they know whats best when the majority of them were hand fed their entire life and dont really know the meaning or hard work, and no sitting in a big office making a few decision isnt exactly hard work in the eyes of the middle and poor classes. We appointed the people that speak for us into their position, we're the reason they are there but at the same time our only decisions usually are between several rich guys that say they know what they need to do and what this country needs, but for the most part they usually know little to nothing about it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there are classes in America. The gap between the classes is not to big. I've been doing research for my English class on this topic and it breaks down to three broad classes. These three can be separated into five groups: Upper, Upper middle, middle, working, and poor. The gaps between the three are less broad and have more qualifications. The gap between wealthy and poor is large but middle class is where most people fall which is between the two. Wealthy people should not be making more money leading to poorer people and more of them. The money in America should be earned not inherited or an investment.
ReplyDeleteSummer Fitzwater
PSCI 100.02
I agree that there are classes in America. The gap that is big enough to see is between the middle and the lower. The middle class earns every cent they get for working every week, while the lower class receives money through welfare. I find it unfair because there are jobs out there. It took me a long time to find one, but I did. It’s not impossible to find one, it just takes more effort than the average American is willing to put forth. And here I see adults, not being able to afford food for their children, but cigarettes or mochas at Sheetz. I work at Shepherdstown Sheetz and I see a lot of people pay with this EBT card that pays for cold foods and nothing else. After they pay with their EBT card, they buy cigarettes. I think if you’re that poor that you can’t even afford food, stuff like cigarettes should be a money issue correct? If money is the issue, then you should spend it wisely and conserve as much as possible. There is a slight gap between the middle and upper class. I think these classes are treated equal, but the upper class should know when their wealth should cease. A lot of Americans shoudl realize that money isn't everything. Although you need money to pretty much survive, you only need so much. Ergo, there is inequality when it comes to those who work and those who do not work. Those who work earn every cent in their pocket.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lauren, there are definitely classes in America, but I do not believe that anything within government should be adjusted to benefit any of the classes. Yes, there is a distinct difference between upper class to lower class, but we cannot look at that to determine who should get the greater tax cut. It should all be equal. Those in the upper and middle class worked for what they have, and they deserve every cent of it. In many cases, the lower class just expects things to be given to them, through welfare. If things just keep getting handed to them, they will never realize how to become successful on their own. There are constantly places such as fast food and grocery stores that are hiring, so why not get up and do something for yourself instead of just waiting for things to come your way. As Lauren said, people waste money on stuff such as cigarettes all the time, yet use the EBT card to buy their food, so why should we feel bad that they are in a money situation? If you’re struggling to purchase food, but you can turn around and by cigarettes then you need to learn a better way of managing your money. Hard work pays off, and I believe that if you work hard enough then you will eventually see the benefits and stop having to rely on other people to provide for you.
DeleteTR PSCI 100.03
Yes there are classes in America. There is the wealthy, the middle class, the working class, and the poor. Until class yesterday, I used to think that the middle class and the working class meant the same thing. Now I realize that they are not the same thing; the middle class may work every day but it means they might have better paying jobs which allows for them to have a better life. The working class is exactly what it says; these people work all the time and in jobs that just barely make ends meet. With the economy struggling, it means that some people lose jobs. Those that will lose their jobs first are the middle class because companies are unable to afford the salaries. The working class also sees cutbacks, but when the middle class experiences job loss, the middle people will begin to look for working class jobs causing the working class people to not get a job causing them to fall into the poor class. The gap between the wealthy and everyone else increases every day, and as much as the government tries to help, it can’t. Politicians talk about taxing the wealthy but the taxes will only do so much. It won’t change the fact that the middle class, the working class, and the poor are struggling.
ReplyDeleteSarah Myers, Section 100.03
I think it is obvious that classes exist in the United States and that most people consider themselves a part of the "middle class." The problem is that there is a big gap between the poor and the wealthy. There is an embarrassing unequal distribution of wealth here. I think that what should be done is to back off from being the God-head of the world for a while and focus on cleaning up our own situation. I think that everyone should pay equal percent taxes based on their income and see how that works.
ReplyDeleteSamuel Bennett PSCI 100.02
There are definatly different classes within the United States and it is more apparent from the super rich to everyone else. But the United States was founded on people being able to better thier lives and being able to make as much money as they want to. I do not believe the government should get involved with the super rich because these people are owners of company who hire and ceate jobs for others. Which in return can take their business overseas and does not help anyone. I also belive everyone should pay the same percent of taxes. Lets say 10% for example for those who make 50 thousand a year that would be 5 thousand dollars and someone who makes 1 million dollars a year that would be 100 thousand dollars that seems fair.
ReplyDeleteAmerica today definitely has classes. One of the main problems i believe that America has is the mind set or opinion of wealthy people and poor people. Example would be that wealthy people are smarter and that's why they're rich, while poor people are just lazy and stupid. Most people dont recongize this distinct difference of thought. If most American's believe this way of the classes there probably isnt much hope left in changing policies unless people can change their thought about the wealthy and poor. Carlos Canino PSCI 100.2
ReplyDeleteI believe that there are definitely classes in the United States. I think that people range from either very rich people to those who have absolutely nothing at all. The "middle class" are everyday people who do well at some points and at others are struggling. I also believe that the gap between the rich and the poor is so incredibly outrageous. There should definitely be a compromise in that the poorest people can live at least a bit comfortably like the rest of the United States.
ReplyDeleteAmerican has always had different classes due to wealth and poverty. There is a very big gap between th upper class (wealthy people) and the lower class (poor people). It's like what we talked about in class, how the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer. The middle class work hard eight hours a day, five days a week. I do feel like there should be a compromise between the two but I also feel a little differently. In some cases the poor sometimes live off welfare when they don't need too. In some kind of aspect people need to get off their lazy butts and do some work. With the wealthy though, I do feel that if they have truly worked hard in earning their money than they should keep it. There are also those people who inherit their money from family, who do not deserve to have that much money. That's where I feel the compromise should come in but I don't know how that could take place. I do not know what would need to be done in order for that to happen. Everyone deserves to live life comfortably.
ReplyDeleteMcKena Munson PSCI 100.03
The middle class is what makes up the most of the United states. Most of the people we know are probably considered middle class. When we think of wealthy people we think of people with huge houses, nice cars, nice clothes ect. That is just the stereotype. Likewise, poor people are thought of as people who have no house or a very trashy one, trashy clothes, no car ect. The rest of us "normal" people are middle class. However, many of us have Uggs, Sperrys, Hollister clothes ect, so are we wealthy or middle class? I feel like the line between middle class and wealthy is very gray. I honestly think all of our policies should aim to help people who are struggling which would be all classes. We should help the poor people without giving them free money, help the middle class by not taxing them to help give free money to the poor and the same with the wealthy. I am all for helping the poor but I do not think people who work hard for their money should have to give it up to those who do not. Even poor people could get jobs.
ReplyDeleteI believe that there are classes in America. In my opinion, the game between the classes is way too big. There are people in this country that have people drive them around everywhere they go. There are also people that live under bridges and have little to no food to eat. When considering what can be done to fix the problem, you have to look at what the people did to get to their present situation in life. I would imagine that the richest people worked hard and have education in their brains. If everyone were to work hard and strive for success in their lives, then maybe the gap would not be so extreme. However, there are also the poorest people that worked hard but lost everything because of things they could not control. I believe that the government should be able to aid the poorest a little better than they do now. With that being said, there is only so much money they can spend for something like that.
ReplyDeletePaul Hvozdovic
PSCI 100.02
I think that there is a huge gap when it comes to wealth in the United States. The poor are becoming poorer, the rich becoming richer. The divide is growing. I believe that there absolutely classes in the United States, although we might not like to think so, with our obsession with equality. The fact we are not equal I think i something that we don't really want to acknowledge, like it's some dirty secret. We want to see each other as equal, but our individual financial statuses put us in a class. It's not something that I think anyone wants because everyone claims to be middle class. The poor don't want to be called lower class and I think the rich (for the most part) want to be moderate and be considered "middle class." Everyone wants to be in the middle even though most seem to be on either side of the spectrum.
ReplyDeleteVeronica Victor PSCI 12:25 - 1:40
I defiantly think America has classes. In this country either you are wealthy or you are considered poor. Most of the wealth in this country is inherited which is really sad. I believe that everyone must work for a living and strive for what they want in life, not just have it handed to them on a silver spoon. I do believe that the gap between the wealthy and the poor is extremely huge. There is so much poverty in this world its insane. We also live in a world where nothing is ever to be done about the "lower class" who are struggling. Everything is equal weather you are poor or rich, which is often unfair. To make any money in this world anymore it seems like you have to go to college. Even then you are in debt up to your eyeballs because of all the loans that had to be taken out for you to go to college. Most people can't afford to go to college. Yes, there are loans and aid, but sometimes when your income is too high you can't get any aid . AND you still can't afford college! I feel as if we had a government system like Norway does, as discussed in class, there wouldn't hardly be any debt, every one would be entitled to an education and people wouldn't be dying because they can't afford health insurance. Why must college and health care be so expensive? Whats the point? There is no reason why it should be this expensive. Most people see themselves as the middle class. What people don't understand is if your not "well off" right now money wise without the support of family your really considered poor. There is only a tiny portion in America that people are considered wealthy. I defiantly do see a future of inequality issues in politics.
ReplyDeleteMariah Bacon 910-10
I do feel America is separated by classes. The classes aren't necessarily a problem but they should be more equal. It is a problem that one percent of the population has majority of the wealth, others should have a chance at a somewhat equal style of living. Something should be done to circulate some of the wealth from the capitalist class back into the economy for others. It is ok for some people to have more money than others but I don't feel it is ok for a person to have so much money over an entire class that some people are homeless.
ReplyDeleteJena Wright
TR 12:25-1:40
PSCI 100.3
I believe there are different classes in America. You are either rich, somewhere in between, or poor. It is sad that their are some people who work so hard everyday and are struggling to get by. Then there are the people who don't do a thing all day because they are put on welfare and know they don't have to work for their money. I don't think that is fair, if you need welfare fine but you should also have to have a job or do something like volunteer work. I also think the wealthy should have to pay higher taxes, they have the money so why should they get to pay less on taxes. I don't see anything wrong with someone having more money then another person though especially if they earned it. I just think they should have to pay higher taxes then someone who may not make as much money.
ReplyDeleteMegan Hart MWF 9:10-10:00
yes there is a gap between classes. I feel that there should be more mutual aid then there is in this country. I also feel that a lot of the wealthy people worked for their money and that it would be wrong to take that away from them. I believe in possibly more taxing which would benefit the country as well as a lot of people but if i was in the wealthy group i would probably disagree with that. That is a very debatable topic. I feel everyone has a right to work hard and increase your profit. The wealthy have more of a pull in this country though because people are so caught up over money that money nowadays is almost buying everything. People are so blinded by wealth that it's dangerous.
ReplyDeleteColin Barry
PSCI 100.03
I believe that there are many different classes in the United States. I do not think they are as clear cut as we think they are. Everyone has the right to go out and do whatever they believe they can. And I do not believe we should tax the wealthy more because they make enough money that they would still be ok. Most wealthy people got to where they are because they took the time to build a company that benefits us all as Americans.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the classes are not as clear as we all think they are. However not all wealthy Americans worked their way to success, some inherited it from their fathers or grandfathers. I feel taht the there should be some sort of a higher tax on those who inherit their welath. That way the Americans who are not as wealthy as they are pay a little bit less in taxes but those who did work their way to their millions are still protected for their hard work.
DeletePSCI 100.03
There are classes in America, but we rarely hear the term "class" used in our society anymore. America's classes stem from the poor, working class which can be associated with middle class, and the wealthy. There are probably additional classes, but i'm not sure what they may be referred to as. An easier way to catergorize classes in America is "Have not made it", "Barely making it", "Making it" and the one's who "Have made it" in society. For a country that portrays itself as one of the wealthiest countries in the world, the gap between the classes are too large, and are getting larger. The rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer. The economy would probably be better if all the classes were treated equally and given the same opportunities. The wealthy is not obligated to help the poor, so there isn't much unity there or cooperation. People feel like that if you are wealthy, you work hard for your money, and if you are poor, you must not work, or you are not working hard enough. Most of the time, it is the exact opposite. The poor and the working class have help build this country and contributed so much more in society, mainly throught their taxes, because their tax bracket is higher.
ReplyDeleteCher'ie L. Dixon
PSCI 100.02
MWF 9:10-10:00
i believe that classes do exist in America. i also believe there is too much inequality between the wealthy, middle class, and poor people. i understand that the people with the most money have the most power and the finer things in life but why cant all humans be treated the same with or without money? if the country cares soo much about its people why can we drive to major cities and see homeless people, living out of boxes with barely any clothes on their back. Some people were born into poverty and are not always presented with the same amount of opportunities as others. i believe all people should be treated equally, just because one has more money over the other does not mean that he or she shouldnt have some shelter to live in
ReplyDeleteI do feel that there are classes in America. No matter what we do I foresee America always having inequality so I'm not sure that it would be possible to completely make everyone equal. I don't think that we should aim to keep the poor, poor. However I don't think that we have any say in keeping the wealthy, wealthy. CEO's and other wealthy people have enough money in their businesses and what not that I'm pretty sure they will only continue to get wealthier. And no, I don't think that there are potential political problems of high levels of inequality. The poor are too poor to have any say to fight for equality.
ReplyDeleteKellyn Butler
PSCI 100.02
I agree with Kellyn. There are classe in America and I don't think there is anything we can do to make the poor more wealthy or make the wealty not so wealthy but I also don't think there are any political problems. America will probably always have inequality.
ReplyDeleteAmber McFadden
PSCI 100.02
I believe that there are classes in America that are dividing the poor and wealthy people. I feel that the middle class is decreasing and becoming more of the poor class because prices of things these days are skyrocketing and some people can't afford to buy a lot these days for their families and they can't afford to pay bills. The wealthier classes just keep getting wealthier because a lot of them are on TV shows for no reason like Jersey Shore. They do absolutely nothing and get paid millions for it. Whereas the poor class is out their working their butts off and getting nothing. Stuff like this doesn't make sense to me!
ReplyDeleteAshlea McKenzie
MWF 910-10
I do feel like there are still classes in America. Though they may not be as more defined now as it was once. I feel why they arent is established is because the srugglement with people. Though it is unfair for the wealthier being wealthy and the poop being poor, butI feel like there is only so much you can do. You cant force the rich to give money to the poor, which is unfortunate. I do feel it is unfair though that the rich have to pay less taxes compared to the working class. Some people of the working class work pay check to pay check, which is rough on that person, but they have to pay more. This is something I dont agree with.
ReplyDeleteJordan Rodriguez
PSCI 100.02
There are definitley three defined classes in America, working class, middle class, and capialists. The gap between these are getting larger. Now there are billionaires, not just millionaires anymore. The working class is getting larger as well. I do think the middle class is deminishing and people are falling down into the working class. I dont think the gap should be so big. I feel like the upper class could have ways to help the lower class. If people have so much money, there shouldn't be a reason people go without food every night.
ReplyDeleteOf course there are socio-economical classes in America. The gap between the capital class and working class has always been and still is substantial. This is simply because man as a species has evolved into a selfish character conditioned to live in a dog-eat-dog society. Even with this claim, their is evidence that the current economic policies have provided the proper guidance to keep a homeostatic sense in regards to our financial stability as a nation. In short, the majority of average Americans still have faith in their banks, their government, and their nation.
ReplyDeletePSCI 100:03
I believe that there are classes in America and that the gap between the wealthy and poor is too big! The United States is to often looked at as some Utopia where everything is perfect. Were a democracy so everything is fairly decided. This is so obviously untrue. It is clearly prevailed in our economy and the gap between the rich and the not so rich. If this is a rising issue why dont we lower CEO's pay and increase the lower n middle class in order to even things out a bit. This would be a great start because at the rate were going now there will be no middle class.
ReplyDeleteI think there is definitely classes in the United States. In some ways I think the gap is too large. I think all taxes should be equal and I dont think big companies should be aloud to take there company out of the US. If your a US citizen then your business should have to be here and if not then they should be taxed more and recieve less help from the government and less breaks. Inequality in America is definitely present and our so called government should stop letting the companies leave and stop taxing the poorer people more.
ReplyDeleteDavid Gladden T-TH 12:25-1:40 100:03
Jordan Kaufman
ReplyDeletePSCI 100.02
9:10
I agree that There are classes in the US. Classes are ranged a lot but there tends to be a lot more in the middle class rather than the poor or wealthy considering a lot of poor people rate themselves as middle class.
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ReplyDeleteThe is a great gap between classes in our society. Those with the wealth stay in wealth and pass it along to there children. Those that are born poor most likely stay poor unless the squeeze through the holes and make it, but there is only a small number of these people. Even if someone does make it to the next level it is still rare to make it to the point where one is labeled as wealthy unless you are a water walker. I feel there should be additional opportunity for those who prove to be a good citizen and hardworking to move to the wealthy level. Also, for those who do have the resources or knowledge to move from the poor level should be given some sort of chance to prove themselves.
ReplyDeleteAnthonie Jefferson
PSCI 100.02 MWF 9:10-10:00