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Socioeconomic status and academic achievement
Causes of wealth inequality in america
Causes of wealth inequality in america
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The American Dream led millions of individuals to travel to America in hopes of achieving this enticing ideology. People across the world sought freedom, education, and wealth. Recent statistics show that a majority of people do not think the American Dream still holds truth, and an even larger majority believe one the most harmful issues is “not everyone is given an equal chance to succeed in life” (Jones, Cox, Navarro-Riverra, 2014). The attainability of the American Dream decreases as inequality, more specifically income inequality, increases. Democracy is arguably the best and worst form of government. The idea of having, freedom, human rights, a say in political decisions, and control of personal decisions creates a place where people …show more content…
feel free. In a perfect world, equal individuals would enforce these qualities of democracy. In reality, inequality destructs the epitome of democracy: equality and freedom. In certain aspects, equality and freedom cannot coexist. It is not the mere presence of inequality the destructs and threatens democracy, but rather the increase in income equality and the rise of political inequality through family structures and parenting styles. Income often determines accessible resources and opportunities, which explains the importance of inequality. Inequality contributes to political turmoil in democracy. The increasing rate of inequality threats society economically, socially, and politically. As shown through Democracy in America, by definition, Alexis De Tocqueville shows how America is actually a republic. Either way, both a democracy and a republic are participatory systems. Different racial, ethnic, gender, educational, and class distinctions have markedly variant levels of economic participation. Certain groups who participate less become less represented throughout the government, having a major impact on the representation as a whole group in a society of democracy. As the income rises among the wealthier people and decreases or stagnates among the poor or middle class, political figures with extremely high income can rise to power much more easily than the latter. Politics becomes focused on money, and “as class differences in political voice are amplified, the political system becomes less representative of Americans” (Putnam 240). Thus, the opportunity gap directly contributes to political inequality and challenges the integrity of democracy. Statistics show “surveys of high school seniors confirm that kids from less-educated homes are less knowledgeable about and interested in politics, less likely to trust the government, less likely to vote, and much less likely to be civilly engaged in local affairs than their counterparts from college-educated homes” (Putnam 236). Democracy represents the voices of high-income, well-educated individuals, while the lower income families tend to not participate. Democracy prides itself on the importance of morals and values in society. Because “a relatively high economic development and a relatively low degree of inequality are widely considered to be the most important predictors of democracy,” income inequality, leading to political inequality, creates tension in democracy and counteracts its values (Gel’man 28). Family structure and parenting style contribute greatly to the issues of income and political inequality. Because “educated parents are more likely to be politically engaged, and kids raised in politically stimulating homes naturally become more politically engaged as adults,” the lack of education contributes to inequality (Putnam 236). Family structure directly affects the outcome of children.
In his novel Our Kids, Robert Putnam speaks on about how the 1970’s brought a change in family structures. The family structure of two strong parents and stigma against wedlock births and pre-marital sex quickly began to fade. Birth control and the feminist revolution contributed to these rapid changes. Women began to work and were “in part, freed from patriarchal norms” (Putnam 62). Rather than conforming the female gender role and staying home, having children, and putting food on the table, women actually started to become a part of the economy. They were not as focused on the idea of marriage and finding an economically stable husband to provide for them. The decrease in family structure quickly began to affect opportunity inequality among individuals. Those children with “neo-traditional” marriages are more like to receive a college degree rather than those without. Having a lower-income family reduces educational opportunities children have. While a child from a two-income family may attend a private school with resources that assist them in getting into ivy league schools, a kid from a single parent family may have to attend a public school where there is not even access to a computer lab or extracurricular activities. The lack of education these kids have contributes to their lack of opportunity to receive a college degree. Normally, a college degree allows individuals to receive a higher income than those who just have a high-school diploma. They simply are not exposed to the resources to succeed. This contributes to the inequality of opportunity, and ultimately, the inequality of income. Not only does the structure of family affect the outcome of children, but also the style of
parenting. When parents pay little attention to their kids, wrongly enforce rules, and lack nurture, their children are less likely to succeed in life. Their motivation and drive to do well lacks, and they do not have the necessary support to succeed. That is not to say individuals with parents similar to this do not succeed. Putnam shows the differences in success levels of children from different parenting styles of three African-American children, Desmond, Michelle and Lauren, and Elijah. Desmond grows up with caring parents who are economically stable and educated. He has a mother who enforces studying and motivates her son to strive for success. He goes on to graduate and acquire a successful job. His parents contributed to his ability to become successful. Although Michelle and Lauren had a strong, committed mother, and economic funding took away from their success, their mother, Stephanie, “takes hard-earned satisfaction in what she has managed to do for her kids” (Putnam 101). Elijah lacks supportive parents, faces abandonment, and grows up in a community of violence. Although he struggles to make it, and “still seems addicted to the adrenaline rush of violence,” he holds onto his ambition toward becoming successful (Putnam 108). Parents largely contribute to the inequality of opportunity among children. These three cases show the effect opportunity inequality and how devastating it can be. Passion is important, but sometimes money overpowers it. There are many cases where individuals who grow up in poor families or are neglected as a child become extremely successful, but the chances of failure are more likely than not. Although each story is that of an African-American kid, they “illustrate the interplay of economics, family structure, and parenting that affects the prospects of kids from different class backgrounds, whatever their racial backgrounds” (Putnam 83). Although racial inequality is both present and important, in many cases, the inequality of opportunity due to class does not depend on race. To uphold the values of democracy, inequality must decrease. There will never be complete equality of income, and there will always be uneducated or neglectful parents. Not everyone will be wealthy and poverty will never cease to exist. If income and political inequality continue to increase, the tension between inequality and democracy will become out of control. Putnam speaks on the larger issues, like restoring working-class wages, cannon happen overnight, but should not be put to the future. He also talks about changes such as “ending pay-to-play for extracurricular activities” as something that can be implemented now (Putnam 260). These are just a few things that can contribute to the decrease in the opportunity gap. For now, the rising inequality still poses a large threat to democracy. It will not be until society steps up as a whole, that democracy will return to a position of security.
The American Dream has always been a driving force in the lives of Americans. It has become a foundation of ideals and hopes for any American or immigrant. Specifically, one of the ideals that always exist is the dream of America free of class distinction. Every American hopes for a society where every person has the opportunity to be whomever he or she desire. Another ideal in the American dream is the drive to improve the quality of life. As one’s idea of the American Dream gets closer and closer, often times political and social ideals of America cause their American Dream to take a turn for the worst.
In a country like the United States of America, with a history of every individual having an equal opportunity to reach their dreams, it becomes harder and harder to grasp the reality that equal opportunity is diminishing as the years go on. The book Our Kids by Robert Putnam illustrates this reality and compares life during the 1950’s and today’s society and how it has gradually gotten to a point of inequality. In particular, he goes into two touching stories, one that shows the changes in the communities we live in and another that illustrates the change of family structure. In the end he shows how both stories contribute to the American dream slipping away from our hands.
As mentioned before, sociologists Coontz and Hochschild further elaborate upon Parsons and Bales’ concepts of the American family, but they mostly critique the idea of the male-breadwinner family. One of the main arguments Coontz and Hochschild present is the decline of the male-breadwinner family due to the economic changes of the United States and the arising social norms of consumerism. Because Parsons and Bales never considered how the changes throughout society would affect family, they believed the male-breadwinner family would continue to be a functional type of family for everyone. However, within her text, “What We Really Miss about the 1950s,” Coontz specifically discusses the major expense of keeping mothers at home as consumption norms...
People who work hard enough become successful and build a good life for themselves and their family. Millions of Americans and others who admire America have believed this for generations. However, is this still true? Brandon King debates his interpretation of the American Dream in his published work, “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” During his essay, the speaker highlights how important the American Dream is to the economy and providing a distance from inequality. The speaker emphasizes his belief that the American Dream is still alive within America and that people must work hard to achieve it. When discussing the American Dream, King will agree that the idea is alive and thriving in the minds of Americans; yet, I argue that the idea is on hold within American society due to lack of upward social independence and economic mobility.
The Myth of the American Dream Exposed in Niall Ferguson's "The End of the American Dream? How rising inequality and social stagnation are reshaping us for the worse." and Timothy Noah's "The Mobility Myth" The common stereotype of the American dream is a house with a white picket fence, a deck with a grill, kids, dogs, and most importantly – happiness. That is what most people think of with the American dream. Some may say that the American dream is different for all, and that it is what one makes out of their life. Niall Ferguson and Timothy Noah are two men who argue that the American dream does not exist – or, if it did, it has disappeared. The American dream is indeed a myth, a simple term for mere luck, and it affects people because of all the misguided hopes and dreams of the middle and lower classes. Ferguson and Noah argue that social mobility is caused by the upper class, and I agree because in my experience, the only thing that has ever mattered is what your last name is, and how much money is tied to that name.
The American dream is something everyone knows and strives for. However, not all can achieve this dream just by accidentally finding gold in a stream. Two different classes such as the wealthy and the poor can create many issues. Just as James Baldwin said in his 1985 essay called “The American Dream and the American Negro,” “Unless we can establish some type of dialogue between those people who enjoy the American dream and those who have not achieved it, we will be in terrible trouble,” there will be consequences if the wealthy still causes trouble for the poor. Unfortunately, even though it is the twenty-first century, we have not avoided this “terrible trouble” due to powerful and wealthy Americans and their privileges that still exist
Kuttner also agrees, “a lot of ugly realities were concealed by “traditional values”; the legal and economic emancipation of women was long overdue, and the task now is to reconcile gender equality with the healthy raising of the next generation.” (124). Before the 1890s, females had no other options but to live with their parents before marriage and with their husband after marriage. They couldn’t work and if they did, their wages were way lower than men.
However, social conditions made it less feasible for families to live this way. As the 1960s approached and consumption was in high demand, women were yet again, forced to join the work force; but only a quarter of the women joined the workforce, whereas in the 1990s about “two-thirds of women who had children were in the work force (Coontz 55). Coontz (1997) explains how by 1973, “real wages were falling for young families, and by the late 1970s, government effectiveness had decreased (Coontz 54). It was because of economic factors that the nuclear bread-winning family could only be a lifestyle a few can afford. Nonetheless, women joining the workforce created a new understanding of women-hood, changed women’s status in society, and created conflict within the household. Women did not have the time to complete all the household tasks which contributed to the increased divorce rates, but left women happier due to the fact that they had that ultimate
The Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture defined the American Dream as “the idea that the US is a place where everyone has the chance of becoming rich and successful.”But those principles have changed. It has become something that is further out of reach for most people without facing misfortune. It has been tainted by greed, power, anger, and jealously. J. G. Ballard said “the American Dream has run out of gas. The car has stopped. It no longer supplies the world with its images, its dreams, its fantasies. [It is] no more. It 's over. It supplies the world with its nightmares now: the Kennedy assassination, Watergate, Vietnam.” The American Dream has causes destruction. The American Dream is disillusionment.
The American Dream is so important to our country and especially for our generation to take seriously. The American Dream is the opportunity to reach the goals one sets for themselves. It is about having your dream job and life you have always fantasized about. The dream is also about having freedom and equality. The American Dream was much easier to attain a few decades ago compared to today. However, it is still possible. The economy was better fifty years ago than it is today. People are in greater debt now and the United States is in higher debt than it was fifty years ago. The American Dream is still possible despite the lack of improvement within social mobility in American society over the past years. The American dream is achievable by being able to live a middle-class lifestyle and that lifestyle is obtainable through hard work and perseverance, even in light of obstacles such as racism. “The American Dream is still achievable, however, the good news is that people at the bottom are just as likely to move up the income ladder today as they were 50 years ago” (O’Brien 1). The ability to attain the American Dream is hindered by race, the middle class, and giving up facing adversity.
In today's society, the American dream is hindered by issues involving gender discrimination, racial discrimination, and weak economic mobility. The influence of money has broadened in our society, creating an elite group of winners, and leaving the rest as losers. Our government has been intoxicated under the influence of those holding a paper with a handful of zeros scrawled on it.
The American Dream is known to be a hope for a better, richer, happier life for all citizens of every class. For almost all Americans, this entails earning a college degree, gaining a good job, buying a house, and starting a family. Although this seems wonderful, a large amount of the American population believes that the Dream has changed immensely because of increased prices in today’s society, the price of tuition being highly unaffordable, as well as the unemployment rate skyrocketing and weaker job growth. While some American citizens believe it has changed, others believe that the American Dream has not changed, but point out it is harder to obtain.
...does not match reality since it is more of an ideology. The American Dream is nothing more than a belief that explains and justifies some sort of social arrangement, in this case America’s social class hierarchy (Ferris & Stein, 2008, 2010). A problem with the achievement of the American Dream is inequality. Inequality rooted in race, social class and ethnicity suggests that the American Dream is not attainable at all. Sociologists found that no matter how hard an individual works or seeks out a good education, the majority will make little movement up the social class ladder at all. The American Dream does the opposite of what it is sought out to be; it encourages consumerism and valorizes material wealth which ultimately leaves Americans in debt. With Americans going more and more into debt, there is an increasingly unlikely escape from their position of poverty.
While the husbands were in college, getting educated, college, women increased the birthing rate to five (5) to six (6) children. The women no longer worried about their careers, but focused on motherhood. Women were equals to their husbands and they found their place, being a housewife, being so proud of it to place it as their occupation. Women, all over the world, had thought that the suburban life was the dream life. The problem that had no name, was that women did not want to be housewives anymore because they felt empty being a wife and mother, they wanted something more, a
In a report by two Ivy League professors, it was found that from 1979 to 2012, the median family income rose by .4 percent, but the income among specifically married families rose at triple this rate (Lerman, Wilcox 11). In addition to their research into income growth the pair researched the difference in marriage premiums. Marriage premiums are the income difference between a married person and their single equivalent. According to the study, married men, compared to single men, made an average of $15,900 per year more, and more astonishingly, married couples who were both raised in traditional families made an average of $42,000 more than those who were unmarried and raised in non-traditional families (Lerman, Wilcox 3). This difference in income was also linked to the opportunities of higher education. In the same study, it was found that children raised in a nuclear family are more likely to receive higher education (Lerman, Wilcox 3). Children who are raised by a mother and a father living together are given more opportunities than children with single