Class In America By Gregory Mantsios

The article “Class in America” by Gregory Mantsios exploited the sad truth that is the American class system. Throughout the piece we are introduced to different myths about the economic spectrum that are later debunked by hard facts and evidence. On a day to day basis here at Monmouth University I am surrounded by fellow students who I would believe to be in the same social class as me. Growing up I never viewed myself as exceedingly wealthy or poor by any means but I knew my parents had to work hard for whatever income they could get. My family is what this article identifies as “middle class”, but after reading it should I begin to think of myself as less than that? According to the article, classes should not even be discussed because there

Have you ever referred to someone as “high class,” “middle class,” or “low class?” The article “Class In America” is a very educated read and describes the way people are characterized by their “class.” I think that this article informs all types of readers and allows people to see how people are grouped based on themselves. “Class in America” is written to show and prove to society that people do not talk about “class” anymore, because of the way the world looks at it today. Gregory Mantosis is the author of the article, and he uses many facts and data to prove his points.

Inequality has torn down all respect that people have for each other socially in the United States. In the recent video we watched in class, Robert Reich addressed the current issues revolving around inequality in the U.S. and inequality will forever exist. Even though citizens are aware of inequality, the biggest factor pertaining to it is the subject of money. Inequality is a true problem when money and taxes are involved. For example, the documentary we watched exhibits scenes that display hints of unjust. There is a scene that describes the problem people having too much power and wealth, and the wealthy citizens are taxed substantially less than the working, and middle class. For instance, Mitt Romney was taxed somewhere around 13 percent,

As Peter Edelman writes in “The State of Poverty in America,” in the United States, 20.5 million individuals of the population are in poverty, including 6 million with no income (1). Numerous poor individuals are in desperate need of essential opportunities. In contrast, the rich in the United States are moving up and becoming successful in their livelihood. The differences in the opportunities given to the rich and taken from the poor are ongoing. Opportunities include difficulties in achieving proper education, medicine, and/or jobs.

After the latest Presidential Election, the limelight has been shed on the upper class. Political leaders such as Senator Bernie Sanders have convinced the lower classes that the wealthy class has been working against them. Figures for instance, President Donald Trump have been vilified by the media to the extent that they’ve been labeled has greedy and selfish because of his wealth and successful businesses. Reality television shows such as “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” and “Real Housewives” have given an unrealistic representation of the wealthy in America, yet the lower classes worship these “reality TV” stars. The media has also failed to acknowledge the contributions to job growth and opportunity in America. Without their wealth and creation

“You’re fired,” the first thing an employee hears in his/her job at a real estate company in 2008 without knowing the cause while his/her CEO gets a massive raise. Ever since the subprime mortgage crisis occurred in 2008, which left a multitude of people without a stable, well-paying job, CEOs and other executives in the United States have been making gargantuan amounts of money from their respective companies while laying off workers. For example, according to From Beyond Outrage written by Robert B. Reich, “The chairman of Merck took home $17.9 million in 2010, as Merck laid off sixteen thousand workers and announced layoffs of twenty-eight thousand more.” and that is not just “worrisome, but also outrageous.” However, this paramount issue did not begin in the twenty-first century, but in the late 1980’s. During this time, George H. W. Bush’s Administration had utilized the concept of trickle-down economics that was implemented by the Reagan Administration, and, as a result, helped to create a growing gap in wealth in the U.S. Furthermore, this expanding gap has led to growth in poverty as well as the constant growth of the power of the upper class in which the author Gregory Mantsios, who wrote Class in Americaㅡ2012, wanted to clarify the myths and truths within the United States social hierarchy in order to explain the need to strengthen the middle class.

America has five social classes. The Upper Class is made up of wealth, and in most cases is inherited wealth that has been passed down from generation to generation. Individuals have little control over this class as many are born into the circumstance. The Upper Class participate in politics and economic environments. Not all Upper Class is “old money,” there are also those individuals that have made money as entrepreneurs. The next social class is the Upper-Middle Class. These individuals are at the top of management level in organizations, educated and have families. Many Upper-Middle class are two income families. (Tischler, pg 182) Education plays a key role in the success of the Upper-Middle class so there is a level of control an individual

The somewhat controversial issue of wealth disparity is, why there is such a huge economic disparity in the class system and how can it be dealt with. The reality of redundantly confirming the vivid difference among classes with regards to economic wealth would be an understatement. First and foremost, the US is a combination of

Wealth in the United States is generally thought to be distributed fairly as the highest earners have a higher percentage of wealth. Although this common notion is technically correct, the wealth is not spread as fairly as people might believe. The United States uses a free market, capitalistic economy, which entails wealth inequality. However, the amount of wealth inequality depends on how the government limits the wealthy. Interestingly enough, the government does not have regulations to distribute the wealth more fairly as the top 1% of earners in the United States own about 40% of the financial wealth in the country and the bottom 80% of earners own a measly 4.7%. Astonishingly, the financial wealth for the top 20% increased from 1983 to 2010 meaning the wealth became more concentrated at the higher socioeconomic tiers as time passed. These economic inequalities benefited the wealthy as they gained political powers, controlled a large portion of the economic market, and used capitalism to manipulate the public’s perspective of the wealth distribution in the United States. While wealth inequality is a result of capitalism, extremely wealthy people use their wealth to exercise political power,but the average person does not understand that this is a corrupt method of crippling the economy in favor of the ultra wealthy.

Race still predominantly plays a role in everyday classism. Discriminatory housing practices traps minorities in the lower class for generations. Moreover, America’s healthcare system unfair to people who have low income. Also, Public transportation does not properly serve the needs of those who use it; as well as, it makes it formidable to secure, and maintain a stable job. Additionally, education for the poor unequal in graduation rates; along with, a social polarization against lower class students. Classism in America is an old, yet consistent problem that, creates an unfair economic divide of

Americans avoid broaching the subject of class in America, notes Mantsios (2006). To support his claim, Mantsios (2006) states that most poor people in the United States identify first with their racial heritage, ethnic heritage, or geographic location. Members of the working class do not consider themselves part of a collective of workers, but rather as employees of a specific company. References to a "middle class" are, according to Mantsios (2006), usually done by politicians to pander to "the broadest possible constituency," (p. 183). When relative wealth or poverty is addressed in the mainstream media, it is done so without reference to the structural issues that cause income disparity.

The Greek philosopher, Aristotle once stated: “The character which wealth results is that of a prosperous fool.” Although Aristotle lived in a world that many would argue does not exist today, his statement still holds truth and is applicable to current events in modern era, specifically within the United States government. For years wealthier American citizens have soared above their less wealthier counterparts in politics, education, employment, and privilege. Those who are blinded by this privilege may contend that it does not exist, but there are various theories that support this ideology. For example, the elite and class theory states “societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal

America is often referenced with the idea of the “American Dream” and the “Land of Opportunity.” For centuries, people have flocked to America in hopes of a better life and greater opportunity. However, if they are searching for equal opportunity, America is not the country that they will find it in. Success in the United States is limited to the opportunities available to the individual, and without equal distribution of opportunity, financial success is not reachable to those in the lower classes of American society. Notable educators and authors such as Gregory Mantsios and Diana Kendall have brought the problems of American society to attention, claiming that the rich are getting richer and the poor continue to remain poor. In his essay, “Class in America – 2009,” Mantsios discusses the myths that revolve around class in America, and then refutes these myths by describing the realities of the society Americans live in. Similarly, in her essay, “Framing Class, Vicarious Living, and Conspicuous Consumption,” Kendall writes about the realities of the classes in America while advocating for a change in the way the media portrays the class issues. The United States was founded on the belief of equal opportunity for all individuals, and many still believe that equal opportunity still holds true today. Despite the way media masks the class issues, empirical evidence and research show that equal opportunity does not exist in America due to

Everywhere you look at the United States you can find economic stratification. From the kind of vehicle you drive, to the kind of house you live in, to the kind of restaurants you eat at the most you will find economic stratification. Some might ask, does any of that truly matter today? Yes, unfortunately, it does. An important goal for most people is what’s referred to as The American Dream. Whether it is to attend a good college, get a respectable job, purchase the perfect house, and have a small family or maybe just to start your own business; that dream starts with wealth. People with more money will have an easier time with achieving the dream than a lower income person would. With wealth comes power and prestige as well. People with more money have better life chances because they can afford better healthcare, education, healthier food, and safer neighborhoods just to name a few things.

Research by Johnson (2006) revealed that “the richest ten percent of the U.S population holds more than two-third of all the wealth, including almost 90 percent cash, almost half the land, more 90 percent of business assets, and almost stocks and bonds” (p.44). Therefore, they tend to control over the economy as well as the politic in their countries. “Adults who self-identify as being in the upper or upper-middle class is generally happier, healthier and more