Social Mobility and Stratification Essay - 980 Words

In America, common belief is that one born with nothing can work hard to gain anything, when this is clearly not the case. People accept meager wages and conditions with the idea that it is simply a stepping-stone to better things. What causes some people to view their disadvantages as being positive? The newspaper, â€Å"The Economist†, believes that the success of minority figures such as Obama define a high degree social mobility in American culture. Many are not improving from their parent’s positions, and few maintain it if not falling below. There are several factors including income inequality, family background and lack of opportunity for mobility that contribute to this decline. What are the disadvantages will we suffer as†¦show more content†¦For individuals supporting their family and making ends meet, they simply cannot afford to attend college without working full-time. Without financial aid, it is nearly impossible for disadvantaged students to at tend college, none the less pay for their heaping student loans. Government spending for community colleges alone has dropped by from $10 billion to about $2 billion in recent times according to â€Å"The Economist.† The people who come from families with a higher rating of wealth or economic status, are far more likely to be able to get their education and attain wealth. What does this mean for people who do not have financial assistance or sufficient parental income? Without access to an education, social mobility remains stalled in the long term, and the â€Å"rich-poor† gap grows wider. The connection between an education and gained wealth is clear; people who attend college and earn a degree have a much lower unemployment rate, and higher income versus people who did not attend college. According to â€Å"United States Department of Labor and Statistics,† people with a high school diploma or equivalent, face an unemployment rate of 10.3% down to 2.4% at a p rofessional degree versus an unemployment rate of 14.9% for Americans with less than a high school diploma. With fewer graduates, it will be more difficult for parents to pay their own children’s tuition, as many cannotShow MoreRelatedSocial Stratification Mobility Essay1797 Words   |  8 PagesSocial Stratification Mobility Individuals in today’s society are separated by many different factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, and economic status. Another form of separation is that of stratification. There are four major systems of stratification slavery, caste, estate, and class. â€Å"Social stratification means the differentiation of a given population into hierarchically superposed classes.†(Sorokin, 1964, p. 11) Stratification can either be in the form of an open or closed system. 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