Class and Status in America: A Contemporary Perspective

Which Americans are upper-class, middle-class, and lower-class? How important is money, family background, education, appearance and behavior in determining one's socioeconomic class? This book attempts to answer these questions as well as related questions focusing on income inequality, economic segregation and inter-class mobility. The author also offers specific recommendations for reducing economic inequality and making America a better, happier, and more optimistic place,

How many socioeconomic classes are there in 21st century America?

How do members of the upper class and lower class live?

What criteria are used to determine the socioeconomic class of individual Americans?

How important is money and family background in determining socioeconomic class?

What role does education play in determining the socioeconomic class of Americans?

What is or was the socioeconomic class of JFK, Tiger Woods, George H. W. Bush, Elvis Presley, Mitt Romney, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Martin Luther King Junior"?

How easy is it to move up or down in socioeconomic class?

How has the American class structure evolved since the Country was founded?

What is the meaning and derivation of the following terms: "Boston Brahmin,"

"Patrician," "The Elite," "The Social Register," "The Working Class" and "WASP"?

How is income inequality measured and is it growing or declining?

Do members of the upper class look any different than other Americans?

Is there an unwritten dress code for the upper class?

Is there an unwritten code of conduct/behavior for the upper class?

What is a "moral compass" and does having one matter?

What do the homes of the upper class look like and how are they decorated?

Can one accurately "guesstimate" the socioeconomic class of an American by simply observing and/or listening to him or her? What "clues" to look for.

How much "class warfare" is there in America and what can be done about it?

What should be done to improve America's culture, school systems, colleges and universities, health care, and income protection programs?

About the Author

John F. Sullivan is a former professor in the College of Social Science, Michigan State University and a founder of Sullivan, Cotter and Associates, a nationwide human resources consulting firm. He is the author of several articles in professional journals and the author of the first edition of this book which was published under a pen name.