ABSTRACT
American people are divided into classes: the capitalist class, the petit bourgeoisie or middle class, and-the class of the majority of Americans—the working class; and power—political, economic, and social—in the US is primarily distributed according to class. The majority of Americans—perceived to be middle class persons—express their wants, wishes and desires through their political institutions. This chapter suggests that E. Ginzberg’s interpretation of the cause of our elderly’s problem is profoundly ideological and political. Conscious elements within the US working class have used the Democratic Party as their political instrument. According to the government’s official poverty index, about four million older persons, or roughly 15 percent of the elderly lived below poverty line in 1981. Unfortunately, programs such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare and Medicaid have helped to create the erroneous impressions that the needs of elders—for an adequate income for health care—have been well taken care of by government.
