Social Class in America

Social Class in America

Irrespective of the country’s economic situation, there will always be two categories of people: those favored by the situation and those destroyed. Different factors can contribute to class differences. Class in America found its way back in the 1970s when the federal government was attempting to revive the economy, which was on the verge of collapsing. These attempts saw the disparities among the people growing and increasing. Class difference is a social situation determined by the political stability, government policies, educational infrastructure, and empowerment of people. This paper will highlight the reason for the increased class differences and the factors that influence them.

The government or the political situation of a country contributes much to class formation. This is because the government is mandated to ensure that the country’s economy is stable and the people have access to essential services. Besides, it forms policies that can favor or reduce wealth or income disparities. A good example is a progressive tax that aims at taxing the rich people at the expense of the poor. Government funding and investments can promote disparity if the set priorities do not favor all the people. For example, when the federal government channeled most of its funds, subsidies, and investments to boost the southern and western states’ economic situation, the politicians of these states prioritized high-tech industries and university-level research. They neglected primary and secondary public education. The same case is reflected in the Hostos Community College case, where they were denied funds to prepare and utilize the 500 buildings for educational use. The rise of job opportunities in Southern and Western states meant that the demand for skilled labor would increase, but the South Bronx residents could not have that chance since the school that would help them grow their education and skills was not functional. This, in return, would force them to work as casual laborers, getting low wages compared to the northerners who were migrating to the South in search of high-paying jobs.

Social and education infrastructure contributes directly to class differences. Education infrastructures such as schools, colleges, and universities are great hubs for developing skills for people. They also give room for research that can help improve the situation of the region. Therefore, having the infrastructure put in place allows people to gain the knowledge and skills required to secure a job. The lack of these social amenities is similar to shattering down a child’s dreams with a great vision. The student must have realized this fact, and no wonder they were protesting to receive funds to renovate the school, which would later be used to train residents of South Bronx. Due to the lack of social and educational infrastructure in Southern and Western states, the high-skill, high-wage jobs were taken by the northern states. This, in turn, would translate to higher salaries for the northerners while the middle-class workers remained poor.

People’s empowerment is a powerful tool in creating social classes. In most cases, a class is made up of people who have many things in common. Their situation could be a result of external factors that motivated them to carry out their activities. People require support, whether financial, physical, or emotional, to move from one level to another. When the federal government was reviving the southern states’ economy, it had to empower people by channeling funds, creating investments, and offering subsidies. From this situation, people who took advantage of the situation might have benefitted a lot. For example, the southern states’ political leaders created new ideologies, which in turn changed the notion of the people. They introduced the free-market aspect that encouraged people to come together and form groups that would benefit them.

In conclusion, class differences are majorly contributed by the political situation and the government policies, the availability of social and educational infrastructures, and the empowerment of people. These factors affect the ability and motivation of people to access the resources needed to develop themselves. Also, they determine the fitness of a person in an existing economic situation and their ability to cushion themselves in harsh economic situations.

References

“The unraveling the American yawp,” Deindustrialization and the Rise of Sunbelt

“Students and Faculty Take Over the 500 Building,” CUNY Digital History Archive, accessed January 15, 2021, https://cdha.cuny.edu/items/show/6212.

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Read all of the secondary sources and one primary source. Write an essay in which you develop an argument about what your analysis of the primary source allows you to understand about class in the 20th and 21st centuries in America and how class has changed since the 17th century. As part of your argument, explain how your analysis of the primary source adds to or challenges the information and ideas about class in the secondary sources. Cite all your sources (primary and secondary) using APA style at the end of the essay. (500-700 words).