Segregation and the Making of the Underclass in United States

In this paper, I will discuss C. Wright Mills’ work, “The Power Elite,” which highlights the power structure in the United States. The second work I will examine is Barbara Ehrenreich’s’ “Nickel &Dimed” which took place during the welfare reform and was a portrayal about how she attempted to survive with low wage rates for a period of time. The last work I will discuss is Massey & Dentons’ “American Apartheid” which entails the segregation and the making of the underclass. All of these works tie into one another and affect the political, social and economic structures in society today.

The main premise of Mills’ work examined the power elite, which is a small group of people who rule policy making in America. This group are politically, militarily or economically dominant and protect their own power even if the decisions may not be good for everyone in society. Although this was written in 1956, it is still as relevant today as it was then due to the power elite withholding its power. Mills addresses that the National Upper class own most of Americas wealth, own majority of the banks and corporations, and are in high positions within the government and court systems. It is so powerful that there is little to no competition therefore usually receiving what they want. Mills argues:

“People with advantages are loathe to believe that they just happen to be people with advantages. They come readily to define themselves as inherently worthy of what they possess; they come to believe themselves 'naturally' elite; and, in fact, to imagine their possessions and their privileges as natural extensions of their own elite selves.”

I agree with Mill’s statement regarding those who already have advantages feel worthy of them. Furthermore, I believe that since there are numerous people born into wealth, they automatically feel that they are entitled to have more power or authority over someone else. For example, if someone who was in the upper class got in trouble with the law and had to go to court it could potentially be taken care of. Most of those who are in the court systems are in the upper class and would be able to help this person out through connections. Whereas if someone from the lower class were to be in trouble with the law this would not happen and they would have to go through the normal process of the court system. Being, that this happens it portrays the idea that Mills is explaining in his work due to the fact that the power resides in the structures of our society to this day. This ideology that was written about almost sixty years ago seems to be true in our society to this day. Another statement that Mills argues is:

“If we took one hundred most powerful men in America, the one hundred wealthiest, and the one hundred most celebrated away from the institutional positions they now occupy, away from their resources of men and women and money, away from the media of mass communication that are now focused upon them- then they would be powerless and poor and uncelebrated.”

I think that this statement brings about a better understanding as to how our country is ruled by such a small amount of people being the political leaders, major corporate owners and high-ranking military officers. Mill’s statement amplifies the fact that by containing wealth and power it is much easier to be part of institutions and obtain these experiences. If national issues were not only decided by those in power and instead equally, then the power elite would be nonexistent. This could potentially lead to the idea that the decisions made would be that of which we agree upon.

In Ehrenreich’s work, she reflects the power structure in society, being that she explains firsthand her experiences and hardships from the change from originally being a middle-class journalist to becoming a lower-class low wage worker. She experiments whether the welfare reform programs are aiding women in poverty properly by carrying out the experience as a low wage worker in America. Ehrenreich states “I’d been feeling pretty smug by my 500$ efficiency, but of course it was made possible only by the 1300 I had allotted myself for start-up costs when I began my low wage life.” If Ehrenreich had not had this start-up money, she would most likely be homeless since it had paid for her first month’s rent. This makes it clearer that those in poverty are more likely to stay in it and struggle working jobs day in and day out and are maybe just getting by.

I feel that the power structure of the united states has a major role as to why there is poverty. It is an endless cycle because of the fact that low income families are controlled by the numerous obstacles that society brings. It is immensely difficult for lower class people to obtain skilled jobs therefore they resort to unskilled jobs with lower pay because they may not have the correct education that may require too much money. Even if they have multiple jobs it is hard even then to support their families and even themselves. Although we are a democracy after reading Ehrenreich’s work it made it much more apparent that we are not. There are many people suffering in the working class just trying to get by and still struggling to do so. If we were a true democracy, these people would be receiving the medical aid deemed necessary as well as housing if need be. This goes back to the power structure of the united states.

Massey and Dentons’ work also outline the effect of the power structure of the United States. They do this by explaining how the whites formed the black ghetto in order to isolate the growing black populations therefore creating residential segregation. Massey and Denton state

“Because of racial segregation a significant amount of black America is condemned to experience a social environment where poverty and joblessness are the norm, where a majority of children are born out of wedlock, where most families are on welfare, where educational failure prevails and where social and physical deterioration abound".

Due to being in this environment, the structure and conditions create a reduction in black chances for economic and social success. Therefore, I think that it is immensely hard to be surrounded by poverty and become successful. It does occur but it is far easier to become successful if you are born into it. Economic disadvantages already alter your ability to obtain a better education which then can lead to a better paying job. This becomes almost impossible to achieve. Massey and Denton argue that “Until policymakers, social scientists, and private citizens recognize the crucial role of Americas own apartheid in perpetuating urban poverty and racial injustice, the United States will remain a deeply divided and very troubled society.”

I could not agree more with this statement, I believe that until policies are put into action and someone stands up for this endless cycle than it will continue for a long period of time. Even though we have come a long way from segregation in the past, residential segregation is also an issue that should be stopped entirely.

In conclusion, I have summarized the ideas of the power structure of the United States and its dominance in the issues of those in the working class as well as those who are racially segregated. There should be policies created in order to change the power structure in society so that citizens have more of a say in what should be done which could potentially create more of a democratic relationship between the upper class, the middles class and the working class.

Cite this page