The American Class Structure in an Age of Growing Inequality

by Dennis L. Gilbert

The American Class Structure in an Age of Growing Inequality, Eleventh Edition reveals how social class affects our everyday lives, from who we marry and how we raise our kids to where we live and how we vote. Dennis Gilbert emphasizes the socioeconomic core of the class system. A major theme running through the book is the growing inequality in American society. The author describes the shift, beginning in the mid-1970s, from an Age of Shared Prosperity to an Age of Growing Inequality. Using fresh data on jobs, wages, income, wealth, and poverty, he measures the widening gap between the privileged classes and average Americans. He repeatedly returns to the question, "Why is this happening?" Economic, political and social factors are examined, and the competing explanations of influential writers are critically assessed. In the final chapter, Gilbert synthesizes the book’s lessons about the power of class and the forces behind growing inequality.

Genres: Sociology, Politics, Nonfiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Dennis L. Gilbert is a professor of Sociology whose primary research interests are Latin American and American class system.

Reviews

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enlightening, comprehensive and dry. Glad to have read it and to have learned from it; thrilled it's over.

[junie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to class studies. Cara penyampainnya newbie friendly. Banyak hal yg bikin aku bilang, "Hm bener sih."

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too many statistics for someone who hasn't had statistics since High School. Otherwise it was very interesting and enlightening.