Classism and Family
The term classism refers to the disparity in the treatment accorded whose basis is founded on social class or apparent societal class. Classism can be further described as an organized oppression of subordinated category cluster which is done with an intention of reinforcing the overriding social classes. This system comprises of certain characteristics that have values and capability which are based on social class.
These characteristics include a person’s attitude, the kind of strategies and practices that have been established for the purpose of benefiting the higher classes at the cost of the people in the lower social status. This results to dramatic inequality in the distribution of wealth and income. The other aspect includes the underlying principles used in facilitating these organizations, the uneven valuing and the cultural basis that complete such systems (Ming, 2010).
Classism has had a great impact on the black American families. This is a clear indication that classism in American is based on racial grounds. The black person in America also referred to as the Negro has been sidelined and oppressed. This people have also suffered inequality in distribution of resources, allocation of job opportunities and social injustices. All these have been done primarily to benefit the highly ranked class of individuals who mainly comprises of the whites (Robert, 1993).
However, reliable sources indicate that America has moved from one form of classism system to a whole new kind. The present America has a society that has been divided into two classes that are almost equal. One of the classes comprises of the employed who are entitled to paying taxes while the other group consists of the people who have no jobs and therefore rely on cash provided by the government which is actually sourced from the first kind of class who are taxed. This is a clear indication that there is one class in the society that lives at the expense of others and this brings out a new version of classism.
References
Robert, B. (1993). Research on the African-American family: A holistic perspective. New York:
Greenwood Publishing Group.
Ming, W. (2010). Social Class and Classism in the Helping Professions: Research, Theory, and
Practice. Chicago: Corwin Press.
