Social Class and Social Stratification

measure of a person's inability to obtain the necessities of life, such as food, clothing, and shelter

idea that the social and political systems of the United States provide all individuals opportunities to become very successful or wealthy based on hard work and talent

class that owns property, including owning and controlling the means of production

system in which class is determined at birth and upward mobility is not allowed

group of people in a society who hold a particular social and economic status

awareness of shared economic, social, and political circumstances and an understanding that working together with others in the same class is necessary in order to solve problems faced by all members of the class

behaviors, knowledge, education, credentials, and skills that support upward social mobility

moving to a lower social group from a higher social group

phenomenon of women having higher rates of poverty than men

expansion of international trade, international investment, and multinational corporations

money received from wages, payments, and earnings from investments

movement of one generation in a family to a different social position from that of another generation in the same family

movement of individuals up or down the socioeconomic ladder over the course of their lives

working class, who own only their own labor. Members are forced to sell their labor because they have no control over the means of production.

measure of inequality based on the standard of living for the majority of people in a society

social assets acquired through networks of relationships that grant access to power and opportunity

movement of individuals and groups up and down within overall social structure and social hierarchy

hierarchical ranking of social groups based on unequal levels of wealth, power, and social status

combined measure of income, education, and occupation

condition of possessing some high-status and some low-status characteristics

unequal access to material and symbolic rewards, including money, education, prestige, and rights

how broad, macroeconomic trends affect movement on the class ladder

moving to a higher social group from a lower social group

value of all economic assets, including income, property, investments, and debt