Social Justice Blog Six: Deep-Rooted Class Inequalities In America

Adams's and Zinn's books have taught me a great deal about classism-a topic that I initially had a vague understanding of. I personally feel that the topic of class is kept under wraps even more than many other social issues. It's extremely rare to hear someone say "That's classist of the government," or "Colleges are biased against the poor." Nevertheless, a significant percentage of the discrimination that takes place is based on class. Due to this barrier, large numbers of Americans have been struggling to escape poverty for generations.

As Zinn describes the atmosphere of the railroad system in the 1890s, he gives a glimpse into the centuries-long exploitation of people by corporations. I found it interesting that the wages were $957 for engineers, known as the "aristocrats of the railroad," while they were $575, $212, and $124 for conductors, brakemen, and laborers, respectively. The fact that railroad work was one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, where thousands were killed and injured each year, didn't seem to mean much to the companies. To top it off, many of these companies had the audacity to classify these deaths as "acts of God" or "carelessness of the workers." The Locomotive Firemen's Magazine correctly asseses the situation as he describes how the workers are overworked and that the accidents are "chargable to the greed of the corporation" (Zinn, 278). It's heart-breaking to read about the harsh reality that the needs of low-income earners have been put on the backburner for such a long time.

Another issue prevalent throughout both Zinn's and Adams' readings is the link between racism and classim in America. During the time of farmers alliances in the 1890s, blacks hoped to share the benefits of reconstruction and achieve economic success. However, this was very difficult due to the barriers of prejudice and racism, especially in the South. In Zinn's book, the historian Goodwyn describes the apprehension felt by blacks when others encouraged them to join the Colored Farmers National Alliance. Although this organization brought many different races of people together, many blacks were skeptical that they would benefit from the economic reforms proposed by this party. Goodwyn describes how the curbing of "vicious corporate monopoly" didn't carry the "ring of salvation it did for white agrarians" (Zinn, 289).

In the present day, institutionalized racism continues to keep many minorities in low socioeconomic stratas. A study by the Federal Reserve shows that for mortgage applications, the poorest white applicant is more likely to get a mortgage loan approved than a black in the highest socioeconomic group (Adams, 165). If blacks of the highest income bracket continue to struggle, imagine the plight of poor blacks. It blows my mind how discrimination continues to impede the success of many individuals. It infuriates me when I hear people discussing how poverty is a choice and that if people worked hard they wouldn't be poor. Obviously, these people haven't examined the classism and racism that creates obstacles for so many hard-working people.

I also found the statistics on admissions to elite colleges to be eye-opening. While I have heard stories about connections and wealth playing a role in some students' admissions, I didn't know it took place at such a great extent. It's shocking that so many students who failed to meet the advertised requirements of the university got in due to these external factors. It's even more mind-boggling that white students of this category are twice as prevalent on campuses as minority students who recieve admissions breaks based on their ethnicity. What good does it do for our society if so many students are turned down in favor of half-qualified children of donors and alumni?

This weeks readings have really shown me how connected socioeconomic status is to one's background and the institutions around them. I've always been a firm believer that poverty is not a choice but rather the effect of society's apathy and generational cycles. The readings confirmed my belief that sometimes hard work isn't enough to alleviate someone's financial struggles. Hard work is oftentimes in vain because of biased economic policies and systems designed in favor of the elite. As a future social worker, I hope to make changes in public policies that promote racism and classism. It's my goal to help design policies that eliminate institutionalized racism and provide resources that empower families economically.