Social stratification in the United States

What is a social stratification? Social stratification is the division of a society's population into socioeconomic levels depending on characteristics such as money, employment, education, and power. On the one hand, stratification creation of inequality in the society and resources are distributed unequally. The major source of social inequality in society may be argued to be social stratification. On the other hand, stratification results of physical and intellectual sides. Moreover, family lineage, race, ethnicity, and gender are all factors that influence social position. In the United States, social stratification gets essential place in the society, and it is closely related mobility of every social class. The United States, as a wealthy civilized country, has the means to offer basic requirements to those in need through a variety of federal and state-run social welfare. In this essay, I am going to discuss about social stratification in the United States and identity, characteristics of every class. According to one social point of view, the classes are divided in part by their relative power and influence over their lives. The upper class not only has power and influence over their own life, but also over the lives of others because of their social rank. Although the middle class does not have authority over the rest of society, its members do have control over their own lives. On the other hand, the lower class has little influence over their jobs or their life. The major divisions of social class in the United States, as well as its key subdivisions, will be discussed here. Only a small percentage of the population in the United States has access to the highest standard of living. According to an U. S Federal Reserve research, one percent of the population owns one-third of the country's wealth (Kennickell 2009). Rich people receive the most education, have better mental health, and acquire the most products and services. Wealthy people have a lot of clout when it comes to making decisions. The United States is often referred to as a "middle-class society" by many people. They believe that a few people are wealthy, a few are poor, and the majority are in the middle of the social scale. However, as the study cited above shows, wealth is not distributed evenly. Lots of males and females are unable to pay their rent, eat, find work, or afford basic medical care. Only the wealthy elite get to witness the view from the upper class, which is considered the pinnacle. People with massive wealth account for 1% of the population in the Country and own one-third of the country's wealth (Beeghley 2008). Money gives you access to more than just material possessions; it also gives you access to a lot of power. People in the upper class make decisions that affect the employment status of millions of people as company leaders. They have an impact on the nation's common identity as media proprietors. They own and operate the major network television networks, radio stations, newspapers, periodicals, publishing businesses, and sports franchises. They shape cultural attitudes and values as board members of the most influential schools and universities. They form foundations to help social problems they believe in as philanthropists. They sway politicians and fund elections as campaign contributors, sometimes to defend their own economic interests. Money gives you access to more than just material possessions; it also gives you access to all kinds of authority. People in the upper class seek to influence the employment status of millions of people as business executives. They have an impact on the government's common identity as media proprietors. They own and operate the major network television networks, radio stations, newspapers, periodicals, publishing businesses, and sports franchises. They shape cultural attitudes and values as committee members of the most influential educational establishments. They form organizations to help social problems they believe in as philanthropists. They sway politicians and fund elections as political donors, sometimes to defend their own corporate interests. In the United States, there has always been a distinction between "old money" and "new money. " Even though both categories have the same economic wealth, they have traditionally held different social positions. People of old money, who have been solidly established in the upper class for generations, have enjoyed a high level of prestige. Their families have instilled in them the knowledge of wealth's conventions, standards, and expectations. The very wealthy frequently do not work for pay. To handle the family riches, some study economics and becoming lawyers. Others, such as Kim Kardashian, take advantage of their status as wealthy socialites and turn it into celebrity status by flaunting their wealth. New-money upper-class individuals, on the other hand, are unfamiliar with elite habits and mores. They didn't attend the most prestigious schools. They don't have any old-money social links. People who have received new money may display their status by purchasing performance cars and houses, yet they may still engage in activities associated with the middle and lower classes. Some people believe themselves to be middle-class, yet different people have different definitions of what that term entails. People earning $150, 000 a year, as well as those earning $30, 000 a year, are classified as middle class. That explains why the middle class in the United States is divided between upper and lower subdivisions. Bachelor's and postgraduate degrees are more common among upper-middle-class persons. They've studied politics, management, law, or medical, for example. Members of the lower middle class have bachelor's degrees from four-year universities or associate's qualifications from two-year communities or technical institutions. The middle-class values comfort above all else. People in the middle class work extremely hard and live-in relative comfort. Upper-middle-class persons are more likely to pursue occupations that pay well. They offer spacious mansions and gorgeous cars for their families. On vacation, they might go skiing or swimming. Their children are educated and cared for in a high-quality environment (Gilbert 2010). People in the lower middle-class work in positions that are overseen by upper-middle-class people. They work in jobs such as technical support, lower-level management, and administrative assistance. Lower-middle-class employment have more status and pay slightly more than lower-class jobs. People can afford a nice, mainstream lifestyle with these wages, but they struggle to sustain it. They usually do not have enough money to save significantly. Furthermore, their position in society is more unstable than that of those in the highest echelons. Lower-middle-class persons are frequently the ones who lose their jobs when funds are tight. The working class is another term for the lower class. The lower class is split into three divisions, similar to the middle and higher classes: working class, working poor, and underclass. Lower-class persons have fewer educational opportunities and earn less money than those in the lower middle class. They undertake regular chores under strict control and work occupations that require little prior expertise or experience. Working-class people, the most affluent segment of the lower class, frequently find decent work in industries such as custodial or food service. Landscaping, cooking, cleaning, and construction are examples of jobs that are hands-on and often physically challenging. The working poor lies beneath the working class. They work in low-paying, unskilled jobs, just like the working class. Their occupations, on the other hand, rarely provide advantages such as insurance or retirement planning, and they are frequently seasonal or transitory. Sharecroppers, migrant agricultural workers, housecleaners, and day laborers are among their occupations. Some of the students are high school dropouts. Some people are illiterate and unable to read employment advertisements. The underclass is the lowest social strata in the United States. Inner-city dwellers make up the majority of the underclass. Many people are jobless or underemployed. Those who do have work usually do menial jobs for little money. Some of the poor are evicted from their homes. For many people, welfare programs provide enough aid in the form of food, medical treatment, shelter, and other services. Lastly, in this essay, I described the features of the social stratification system in the United States. Some economic issues in the United States may be changed, and we are lucky that the poverty we see here is mostly relative poverty rather than absolute poverty. Absolute poverty is defined as privation so extreme that survival is jeopardized, but relative poverty is defined as not having enough money to live the typical person's existence in your country. Social stratification research is critical for identifying and understanding some of the root crime problem, poverty, and bad health in a community. In today's United States, a modern free market, it is debatable if the top class has too much money in comparison to the lower class. Contract laborers, who might be semiskilled or completely unskilled and work as service personnel in industries, make up the majority of the middle classes. The middle class, on the other hand, is made up of clerical employees, managers, and businessmen. In terms of labor, women are less likely than men to acquire well-paying employment, as proven by the political arena.