Class Analysis
English 1
1 Dec 2012
How to Rescue a Nation from the 1% America: Land of the Free, Home of the Brave, where all citizens are guaranteed life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our forefathers guaranteed that long ago, and yet it seems today like that “guarantee” was more of a “warranty” that expired several years ago. Its possible the founders of our country even made it this way by creating a nation based on free market and laissez-faire economy. Although most of us have our basic human necessities met, this great nation has become one of “haves” and “have-nots,” and some of us work very hard to meet our basic needs of food, clothes, and shelter. If both the undermentioned readings have taught us anything, its that the gap between rich and poor has become so great in America that we need to immediately implement new policies to stop it from getting too far out of control. Our founding fathers have essentially left it up to us modern American citizens to decide whether we want an uber-capitalistic free market or a more socialistic economy that would bolster the aforementioned three guarantees. In “Class in America-2006,” Gregory Mantsios does his very best to point out that we need to take radical steps to diminish the growing gap between social classes. He does so by first pointing out that economic standing differs greatly among all citizens. The author then tells us how the middle class holds a diminishing share of the nation’s wealth, and that there are noticeable differences in lifestyle among classes. Later, Mantsios goes on to say that class standing affects one’s chances for survival, and also how class standing has a significant impact on chances for educational success. He then breaks down how inheritance laws do not allow all Americans to succeed. Lastly, Mantsios asserts that race and gender complicate the effects of class. In summary, Mantsios’ work makes it clear to us all that something has to be done to halt any further separation of rich and poor (Mantsios 182-195). In “Have the Rich Won?” Sam Pizzigati by asserts that we should implement a maximum wage connected to the minimum wage to stabilize the growing income gap. Pizzigati starts by explaining how we have lost the ability to discourage great amounts of wealth. He then points out how progressive tax rates are ineffective at deterring concentrated wealth. The author then writes about how growing economic inequality gives the wealthy too much political influence. Pizzigati’s final main point is that income inequality is increasing. Pizzigati offers a solution to the income gap crisis; we must cap the highest incomes, and that new cap should correlate with the minimum wage so that separation of classes does not get any worse than it already is (Pizzigati 14-17). Both authors would agree that this nation is becoming more divided every day on the basis of wealth or lack thereof. They both point out this growing disparity, and how unequal of a society we are becoming. The nation’s poor are typically working more hours of harder work than the wealthy elite, but are still struggling top provide their basic needs. The policies in place help the rich to gain larger shares of the nations wealth every year. And the politicians that make these policies are either filthy rich already or get lobbied by rich corporations and