Preface to the Fifth Edition
Acknowledgments
1 The American Dream: Origins and Prospects
Individualism and the Origins of the American Dream
Religious Origins
Political Origins
Economic Origins
Cultural Origins
Merit and Non-Merit Explanations for Inequality
Downsizing the American Dream
Home Ownership
Better Opportunities for the Next Generation
Chance to Get Rich
Secure and Comfortable Retirement
Plan of the Book
References
Discussion Questions
2 On Being Made of the Right Stuff: The Case for Merit
Innate Talents and Abilities
Having the Right Attitude
Working Hard or Hardly Working
Playing by the Rules
A Note on Human Capital
The Myth of the Most Qualified
Summary
References
Discussion Questions
3 The Silver Spoon: Inheritance and the Staggered Start
Income and Wealth Inequality
Intergenerational and Intragenerational Mobility
The Cumulative Advantages of Wealth Inheritance
Childhood Quality of Life
Comportment and Demeanor
Having Friends in High Places
Early Withdrawals on the Family Estate
What Goes Up Doesn’t Usually Come Down
Live Long and Prosper
You Can’t Take It with You
What is it Like to Be Rich?
Exclusive
Class Endogamy
Distinctive Lifestyle
Political Power
Summary
References
Discussion Questions
4 It’s Not What You Know But . . .: Social and Cultural Capital
Social Capital: “Who” You Know
The Strength of Weak Ties
The Invisible Hand of Social Capital
Social Capital and Upward Mobility
The Dark Side of Social Capital
Nepotism
Cultural Capital: Fitting In
Acquiring Cultural Capital
Cultural Capital and Jobs
Old Money and New Money
Social Climbing
Summary
References
Discussion Questions
5 Making the Grade: Education and Mobility
Functional Views of Education
Conflict Views of Education
Social and Cultural Capital
School Quality and School Funding
Recent K-12 Challenges
Higher Education
Socioeconomic Status and Standardized Aptitude Tests
Legacy Admissions and Demonstrated Interest
Increasing College Costs and Student Debt
Credential Inflation and the Paper Chase
Summary
References
Discussion Questions
6 I Did It My Way: The Decline of Self-Employment and the Ascent of Corporations
Mom and Pop, Where Art Thou? The Decline of Self-Employment
Betwixt and Between: The Contradictory Class Position of the Self-Employed
Characteristics of the Self-Employed
Swimming with the Sharks: The Ascent of the Modern Corporation
Megamergers
Summary
References
Discussion Questions
7 The Luck Factor: Being in the Right Place at the Right Time
The Demand Side
Creative Destruction
All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go
Baby Boomers and Baby Busters
The Geography of Economic Inequality
Split Labor Markets
The Random Walk Hypothesis
Lottery Lucky
Summary
References
Discussion Questions
8 Mobility through Marriage: The Cinderella Effect
With the Collaboration of Catherine B. McNamee
A Brief History of Mate Selection and the Origin of Class Endogamy
Hunters and Gatherers
Agricultural Revolution
Industrialization
Postindustrialization
Mate Selection in Contemporary America
Internet Dating
Individual Marriage Filters
Diverging Destinies
Summary
References
Discussion Questions
9 An Unlevel Playing Field: Racism, Sexism, and Other Isms
Discrimination: Individual and Institutionalized
Racial and Ethnic Discrimination in America
Economic and Occupational Discrimination
Discrimination in the Political and Legal Systems
Discrimination in Educational Systems
Segregation in Housing and Evidence of Continuing Discrimination
A Note on Asian Americans and Jewish Americans
Sex Discrimination
The Pink Collar Ghetto
Gender Income and Wealth Gaps
The Glass Ceiling
Good Old Boy Networks
Family Versus Career
The Second Shift
Sexual Harassment
Political Activity and Office Holding
Other Isms
Coming Out But Often Still Shut Out: Heterosexism
Where the Handicapped Get Parked: Ableism
Old Dogs and New Tricks: Ageism
Getting Stung by the Wasp: Religious Discrimination
Survival of the Prettiest: Lookism
Multiple Jeopardy: A Note on Intersectionality and the Matrix of Domination
Summary
References
Discussion Questions
10 Growing Inequality in the Twenty-First Century: What Can Be Done?
Individual Coping Strategies
Relying on Moonlighting or Multiple Wage Earners
Having Fewer Children
Delaying Retirement
Going into Debt
What Can Be Done?
Noblesse Oblige
Tax Policy
Government Spending
Asset Accumulation
Affirmative Action and Reparations
Labor Unions and Workers’ Movement
A Note on Other Economic and Political Reform
Would A Meritocracy Society Be a Fair and Just Society?
References
Discussion Questions
Notes
Index
About the Author