Social%20Structure

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Social Structure

• Capitalism
• the means of production (land, money, equipment)
  are privately owned

• Corporate capitalism
• the economy is dominated by large, powerful
  corporations

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• many workers are employed by corporations

• no such thing as a job for life

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Social Inequality
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Poverty

• 13 of families in USA below the poverty line
  (1999)
• many are African-American, Hispanic, or Native
  American

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Social Classes

• Upper class
• inherited wealth, or
• successful business owners or managers

• Middle class
• white collar workers (educated professionals)

• Lower class (working class)
• blue collar workers (manual labour)

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Middle Class

• more that 50 of Americans
• mainstream America
• largest consumer group
• largest voting group

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Class in Britain

• a long history of class
• aristocratic families
• a strong awareness of class

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Class in USA

• most immigrants were poor
• belief that anyone can be successful
• belief that class doesnt exist
• but it does!

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Class in Australia

• similar to USA
• the Aussie battler (respect for the working
  class)

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Family

• basic social unit nuclear family (parents and
  children)
• can easily move (to find work)

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Moving Out

• many people want to leave home as soon as they
  can afford to
• in America it is common for students to study at
  a college in a different city

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Households

• nuclear family
• extended family
• young couple
• older couple (children grown up)
• single
• shared