Class and Social Structure

This week in class we dealt with the subject of varying types of social structures. To start there are open and closed systems. An open systems allows for an individual to move up or down in society where as the closed system allows for no mobility. The only closed system I am familiar with is the caste system in India. In a closed social system you are born into your class and that is the same one you will grow up in. While discussing this subject it would be helpful to define class in the manner we did as a group: class, in this context, is unequal access to economic resources, power, and prestige. In contrast to a class system an egalitarian system has equal access to these aspects of living. A rank system only has unequal access to prestige and, as discussed in class, is seen in Pacific Islanders, and some Native Americans in the North and Southwest. Although the US social system is open we tend to stay in the same class. It is said that the head of the household dictates the class. Many problems in this country circulate around the problem that there is very little mobility in class in the United States however, in Japan, Italy, and Germany there is even less mobility. At first one may feel it is less of a problem in the United States yet, I disagree. In the sense of social structure I do not think you