In the reading, “Who Rules America?
The Corporate Community and the Upper Class”, Domhoff “argues not only that there is a cohesive upper
class in the United States, but also that the upper class has a
disproportionate share of power through its control over economic and political
decision making in this country.” (p.257) In the United States division in
class does exist and collectively there is an upper class which has its own source
of power by influence from public affairs. Even though American’s dislike the
idea of class, meaning “fixed stations in life”, there are subjective and
objective evidence of social mobility provided by Domhoff. (p.257) He gives
examples of how people keep power and wealth within the upper class through
marriages. The wealthy marry in wealthy families to keep the riches alive.
Although generally people believe that there is equality among education, I believe
we all have access to education in the United States, but there is a clear distinction
in the education process among the upper class. Children in the upper level
have privileges and granted opportunities such as access to learning a variety
of skills which children in the lower division do not. Domhoff provides
examples of children being trained in dance, horseback riding, traveling abroad,
learning a foreign language, and enrollment in private institutions at an early
age to broaden young perspectives. People
are prepped at a young age with education leading to occupations of highly paid
professionals. Through these methods, society forms divisions in class and high
earning upper class members.
The chapter reinforced what I believe
does exist. Although class is an allusion that hovers above us, there are
differences among families when it boils down to income, occupation, and status
in society which embroiders categories upon each of us. I am not stating that
we are pre- destined based on our ancestors, grandparents, parents, or current
financial circumstances and that an individual cannot make improvements, but
social mobility does exist in subtle ways that help us move from one position
to another. According to Leonhardt, “In
Climbing Income Ladder, Location Matters”, there are powerful evidence that it
matters in which circumstances people are born into to make rise beyond the
current. Through my eyes, I’ve seen a
few sides in which people can transform themselves.
I have a friend who came to United
States at the age of 16 and his parents had difficulty with communicating in
English, therefore they did not have access to high paying jobs they had in the
old Country. Because my friend has family members in the United States who are
doctors and a strong social background, they were able to help my friend and
his parents find jobs. So that was a
stepping stone. My friend was also provided with a tutor by his uncle to help
him learn English, he learned within 6 months with effort and training. He then
started to work at restaurants, at a call center, and small places while
attending school to contribute to the financial situation. Now he is 23, recently
graduated from the College of Nursing from Wayne State University with a high grade point
average, he bought a lovely house, and headed for success. I am very happy for
him and how determined he is to have a better life for himself and his family.
In part he only had a little help from his family members, but majority of his
place now is upon his own strength and mentality. I could also relate to him based on my family
background and the struggles my parents went through and still do in the United
States to provide a support for my younger brother and me. If we lived in Bangladesh,
we would be better off on financial circumstances, but it is our courage,
strength, determination, effort, and patience that keep us going. Hopefully, I can
graduate from this prestigious institution with a degree that will help me
enhance my life as well as my family’s in the near future. Social mobility does
exist, but I believe that it’s what we make of our situation to gain ultimate
success. America does provide opportunities for students to work while in
school, which other countries don’t such as Bangladesh and India. America does
offer loans, grants, and scholarships for students who do well in school and it
also cultivates young minds to not give up. I’ve seen people who have nothing
work hard and create a better life for them. I’ve also seen families who marry
into each other to retain wealth and knowledge so that their children do not
have to go through the hardships they went through, which Domhoff uses to
exemplify how people remain in the upper class. I believe that people can move
up the social ladder if they have access to opportunities such as education,
qualifications, and jobs. And the idea
that power is linked to those in the upper class does make sense because of the
wealth and their lifestyle.
Twani I believe you raised a lot of good points in your post. However there are some things that I would like to question. One thing in articular would be how you said that a lot of people are able to break from the barriers that they encounter trying to climb the ladder in social mobility. I however think that there are many institutionalized problems that make it almost impossible for certain races and/or classes to climb the ladder in social mobility because they are in a way created to do just that. For instance I took an American Culture class last semester and a professor from the University of Chicago came in to talk about certain obstacles that society as a whole faces with inequality within the workplace and a circle that the system has created for African Americans that make it more challenging for them to break out of. She told us that it is almost impossible for any felon to get a job after they are released and have served their time in jail. Also it is hard for them to get any form of government assistance, in which most cases it is needed. Even if they were falsely accused and convicted that is something they could never get rid of, making prone to wanting to do something against the law again which could potentially put them back into the same place...prison. So yes I very much so think it is possible for some people to fight through certain obstacles to climb the social ladder, but in some circumstances its almost impossible and that's more than a personal problem.
ReplyDeleteI liked the story about your friend that you mentioned. The only thing that kind of contradicted your main point about how social mobility is possible through only a limited number of opportunities such as education. The only problem is what if your friends parents didn't know anyone and couldn't get jobs as quick? Then most likely they would live in a more urban part of the country which in turn, as we saw in one of the videos, would lead to a lower level of education. Lower level of education means a lower chance of scholarship going into college. And that means higher debt out of college due to loans (if you can even get a valid cosigner). One thing leads to another in this country trying to climb into different levels of education and by the end, you're in the red zone (negative revenue)and it is so hard to climb the social ladder because of it.
ReplyDeleteYes, you are right about "what if" my friends parents didn't know anyone and couldn't get jobs as quick. Actually, that happened to my parents when they came to the USA. My parents didn't know anyone and language was a barrier. I don't know how they managed but more power to them for coming thus far and supporting my brother and me.
DeleteI more than 100% agree with Twani’s idea of the existence of subtle social mobility. Although it is subtle, it is still possible to move from position to position. My parents immigrated here in their twenties— both with no money, just a few distant relatives. Through their hard work, they’ve been able to live the “American Dream” becoming owners of a home and their own business.
ReplyDeleteMy parents, with no American education at all, are a prime embodiment that education is not necessary for social movement, but rather a possible route to a step up the ladder in the social hierarchy of the United States. As a first generation American, I’m the first person in my family to be in college. I was lucky enough to get a good education at a private school while and where I had opportunities to make connections with people and further increase my chances of having a successful future. Because of my parents’ hard work, I would not have the opportunities I had.
In the “Social Immobility in the United States” video, Zakaria stresses the importance of fixing education, as other countries such as Europe, are highly ranked in education. My parents were both born in China and moved to America in search for a better life. Like your friend’s parents, communication was hard and with the help of my relatives, my parents learned English and found a decent job. Despite all their struggles, their hard work and willpower have taught my sister and me the value of education in order to acquire a better lifestyle in the future. I think by taking advantage of the opportunities that America has to offer allows moving up the social ladder to be more likely.
ReplyDeleteTwani's best point comes when she points out the "clear distinction in the education process among the upper class" versus the other classes. Had I not attended private school growing up I would have gone to a high-school with a 60% graduation rate. They send roughly half their class to college. My private high-school, the foundation of southern wealth, sent every kid who graduated minus one or two to college. It has a 300 million dollar endowment for a school of 800 kids. There is a 180 acre campus in Atlanta city proper. There are probably almost 50 buildings on the campus. I would never have attended The University of Michigan had I not gone to private school.
ReplyDeleteThe cost of attending private school is about $20,000 a year. To put it another way - a years salary for a minimal wage full time job. Even most middle class families cannot afford to pay that sum of money each and every year. The education gap is probably the biggest factor in continuing inequality in the United States.
However the causes of the education gap go far beyond the schools themselves. They rely on the families themselves. Upper class families are much more likely to raise children in a safe household. One where the kids play with educational toys and attend a daycare where they learn valuable skills before attending kindergarten.
I think your personal anecdote was a relevant touch that sheds light onto this topic. I am in agreement with your opinion that social mobility is a viable option, yet power is particularly linked to the upper class. Domhoff’s piece described the intertwined relationship between upper class society and the corporate world. Upper class children are sent to boarding schools, provided with additional educational opportunities, and engage in social scenes that enable powerful relationships to form. Most of the wealthy college students study finance, business, or law and then go on to become corporate executives. In this sense, they hold great economic power and influence over our country. I think it is an idealistic notion to say that anyone can be socially mobile, no matter what background he/she came from. Hard work, connections, and dedication are imperative for success, but so many prospects are only accumulated through being more well off. An example would be that attending more prestigious schools lends itself to networking with powerful people who ultimately exchange favors. The famous saying is very true, “It’s all about who you know”. Knowledge is essential for success, but knowing the right people can be a true blessing. For those lower class students who are not able to attend private schools, study abroad, or travel, it seems as though it would be much more difficult to rise out of their current situation and gain social mobility.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that social mobility occur through hard work, marriage, etc. But social stratification begins early in life. The reading indicates that children from upper class family received better education. They go to private school, make friends most from same background who may become potential network in the future. In other words, they get the scarce resources which children from lower class can't get access to. There is a survey showing that the Ivy League universities tend to take in high school graduates whose parents also entered in the same school. It makes harder for children from lower-class to get accepted into.
ReplyDeleteTwani's experience and some good comments above reminds me of what we learned in the first lecture- our life is shaped by both biography and history. Steve Jobs's success is not only his own talent, but also he grew up in a helpful environment and lived in a technology era. Many people fulfilled their American dreams is not only about their own hard work, but also about the timing. The people can't get up the ladder are lack of good timing. The parents from upper class can create good environment to their children. Children from lower-class have to pay double effort to catch these things up which they can't control of. However, the existence of social mobility shows that the importance of class may be decreasing.
I very much agree with Paul's point. I, as well, attended a private school my entire life and this article hit home in many ways. There is obviously a large difference in education between both the upper and lower class. Not only does a more wealthy family provide a safer house, but typically the family structure is also much more solid. This put kids that live in the lower class with parents who use drugs, are single parents, or are abusive at a much higher rate of not receiving/wanting to receive an education. Also, comments about how upper classes kids get involved with tutors, music lessons, and traveling around the world were activities that many of my friends partake in and it clearly will put them at an advantage in this competitive world. The social ladder is a tough one to climb, but hopefully in the future it will become much more reasonably even between all of the classes.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Twani that there is a clear distinction in the education process among the upper class; people from the upper class have more resources to education. In addition, I believe that the lower the class, the harder it is for social mobility.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in high school, I had a friend who was from an extremely poor family. However, I also had a friend who went to a very expensive private school.
My friend who came from a wealthy family definitely had more opportunities for academic success. His family were able to afford tutors for him: SAT and ACT tutors, violin tutors, art tutors, and piano tutors. His family bought him a $40,000 violin and he won many competitions. He did not have a job because he did not need money; he had more time to study and participate in extracurricular activities. In addition, his family members were educated; he was surrounded by good role models.
On the other hand, my friend who comes from a really poor family was working six hours everyday at a restaurant. She did not have as much time to study and participate in extracurricular activities. She was in the school orchestra and wanted to improve her violin skills, but she could not afford a violin teacher. She also could not afford to take SAT and ACT classes. In addition, her father became an alcoholic after he was laid off his job; she was constantly stressed and distracted.
I think it is very clear how social mobility would be very hard for my friend from the lower class.