ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the distribution of wealth in the United States and Weber's theories about it and relates how occupation, power, and education contribute to social class positions. It describes the differences between open and closed mobility systems in addition to explaining the concepts of ascription and meritocracy. The chapter discusses some of the explanations of inequality, including conflict theory, functionalism, cultural factors, and individual reasons. It also discusses the ways poverty can be defined and measured, and how government can respond to poverty and discusses recent trends in poverty, including the gender gap and describes some of the characteristics and values of working-class families. The chapter presents working-class families with middle- and upper-middle-class families. Social class in the United States involves: money; occupation and social class; power and social class; and formal education and social class.
