Download Incumbents Winning - Stratification Sociology - Lecture Slides and more Slides Sociology in PDF only on Docsity! Incumbents winning re-election 98.7 86.6 96.2 84.8 0 25 50 75 100 19 64 19 68 19 72 19 76 19 80 19 84 19 88 19 92 19 96 20 00 20 04 House Senate Year Pe rc en t docsity.com Outspending the losers Winning Candidates Who Outspent their Opponents 95 95 76 91 0 20 40 60 80 100 2002 2004 Percent House Senate docsity.com Does the power elite lose? • Sometimes – On ‘minor’ issues – When they are divided – After winning compromises • Examples – National Labor Relations Act (1935) – Family and Medical Leave Act (1993) docsity.com National Labor Relations Act (1935) • Labor militancy in reaction to the Depression – Ruling class forced to compromise • Protecting union formation, bargaining – Opposed most by Northern industrialists May Day, 1935 docsity.com Why did they lose – or did they? • Southern and Plains states made a deal – Excluded agricultural, seasonal, and domestic workers from union coverage • The act was later undermined when the economy improved Russell Lee, "Mexican girl carrot worker, Edinburg, Texas." February 1939. Library of Congress. docsity.com Family income distribution ($2001) 0 5 10 15 20 25 100k+ 75-99.9k 50-74.9k 35-49.9k 25-34.9k 15-24.9k 10-14.9k 5-9.9k Under 5k 0510152025 1971 2001 Percent docsity.com The shrinking middle class -10 -5 0 5 10 15 100k+ 75-99.9k 50-74.9k 35-49.9k 25-34.9k 15-24.9k 10-14.9k 5-9.9k Under 5k Percent change Change in family income distribution, 1971-2001 ($2001) docsity.com Theories of growing inequality • Individual explanations – Social Darwinism – IQ • Structural explanations – Capitalism – Government policy – Deindustrialization • Family structure Beggar, Mercedes: Beijing 2002 docsity.com Intelligence Quotient • Herrnstein & Murray, Bell Curve (1994) – More meritocracy means more inequality • IQ is supposed to be inherent intelligence – A fixed quantity of a single essence – Determined at or near birth • It must be measurable with a test – Not knowledge learned in school – Not something cultural docsity.com Intelligence and inequality • Even if the assumptions are correct • ‘Intelligence’ leads to class position, if… – Opportunity is equal – Inequality results from individual actions docsity.com Why ‘intelligence’ fails • Life, not birth, determines intelligence – Health, social and physical environment – School quality, parents’ education • Opportunity is not equal – Obstacles to education and employment – Discrimination • Inequality is structural, not individual docsity.com From manufacturing to services Reasons: Economic restructuring 13% 31% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 Pe rc en t o f a ll w or ke rs Manufacturing Services docsity.com Earnings: BA versus HS 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 19 75 19 77 19 79 19 81 19 83 19 85 19 87 19 89 19 91 19 93 19 95 19 97 19 99 20 01 20 03 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 Women Men The growing education pay gap docsity.com Computer / Internet at home, 2001 (%) 23 46 65 78 82 18 40 58 74 78 Less than high school High school Some college B.A. Advanced degree Householder education Computer Internet docsity.com
