Sociology 3945: Worksheet--"NOW with Bill Moyers(October 22, 2004): A working class majority?"

1. What are the economic trends in Jefferson, Wisconsin?

2. What were the issues in the strike against Tyson, after it took over the local sausage factory in 2001?

3. How is the town being affected by the coming of a Super Wal-Mart store? Do you think it's a net-gain for the people of Jeffereson?

4. What is the basis for Michael Zweig's argument that the working class still constitutes the majority group in the American class structure?

Sociology 3945: Groups--"NOW: A Working Class Majority?

1. Since about 1970, wages have been dropping for people with less than a college degree. Why has that been happening, and do you see anything on the horizon that will change that trend? Why do you suppose Tyson insisted on lower wages after taking over the poultry plant?

2. In their study of Muncie, Indiana, in the 1930s, Robert and Helen Lynd distinguished between a working class, which constituted a clear majority, and a business class, which constituted perhaps 25% of the population. One of the key differences had to do with job security; another was the basic blue collar/white collar divide. What would you see as the most basic difference between working class jobs and middle class jobs in the 21st century?

3. In the 1950s General Motors was the largest employer in the United States; now it's Wal-Mart. Why do Wal-Mart jobs pay so much less than General Motors jobs used to pay, and what implications does that have for the social class structure of the United States?