Social Class How Sociologists Analyze Term Paper

IT is commonly asserted that there are in the United States no classes, and any allusion to classes is resented. On the other hand, we constantly read and hear discussions of social topics in which the existence of social classes is assumed as a simple fact. "The poor," "the weak," "the laborers," are expressions which are used as if they had exact and well- understood definition.

Karl Marx, a famous philosopher and sociologist, studied social classes as part of the human society. According to him, social classes is a form of social inequality that caused problems and differences between people of different social status. He defined social classes as a creator of gauging the living status of an individual. From International Socialist Group Online, it was indicated that Classes emerge at a distinct point in the evolution of human society on a particular economic foundation. The social inequality which leads to the formation of social classes is accompanied by social struggle and the division of society is maintained or overthrown by struggle between social classes.

Marx further suggests that social classes affect the role that an individual plays in his nation. This is apparent by how most of poor people only works in jobs that are categorized as blue and Pink collars. On the other hand, as what we can see in some area in the workforce, there are no rich people who work as blue and pink-collar employees. Most of them are holding high positions in a company, or what the workforce terms as "white-collar" job.

The emergence of social classes is a transition from capitalism to socialism, according to Marx (Bottomore, 1991). In similar view, while socialist rules a nation, they can also capitalize on anything that they want. For instance, they can rule the economy and industry of a nation. The emphasis on social classes by the society presents hindrances to the progress of the society.

Wright Mills, another sociologist who tackled a subject on social classes, as indicated in Rachael Thomas' review of his the Power Elite, studied a particular class in society - those who are in the higher level of society.Mills calls the higher class as the "Power Elite." They are those have possessions and whom people always wish to be a part of. Thomas restated Mills' view of Power Elite as the elite are in a social class all their own. Many have tried to penetrate that circle without success. You are either in or you are out..."

Another point-of-view on the higher class, as taken from the Internet World article, was indicated by Thomas, stating that members of society who, by virtue of wealth or important leadership position, exercise power in society" (1997). These are a higher circle of people that can realize much, much more than the masses. These are the ones with money, power, and prestige. These are the ones that belong to the economic, political, and military order - the three domains."

No matter how sociologists view the social classes, there is one common definition that they seem to deliver. That is, social classes divide our society. It is usually a source of unwanted undertakings that many people struggle to overcome.

Bibliography

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Analyzing and Resolving Class Conflict.

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Chapter Five: The Future of Social Classes.

1991. Harper Collins Academic. 2004. http://socserv2.mcmaster.ca/soc/courses/soc2r3/botom05.htm

Thomas, Rachael. The Power Elite: An Article Review.

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