This review assesses sociological and historical research relevant to the emergence and consolidation of the American middle class in the nineteenth century. On the one hand, macrosociological theories have relied on a two-class model which renders the middle class a residual social category. Yet, on the other hand, community studies of the “new” social history—while they have opened up new avenues of inquiry into the complex social processes underlying middle class formation—have tended to focus on particular decades of the nineteenth century, leading to a fragmented view of the occupational composition of the middle class. Distinct literatures have developed around the study of particular occupational strata: artisans, small capitalists, white-collar wage earners, and the petite bourgeoisie. We argue here that different occupational groups overlap in time and represent a heterogeneous and historically shifting middle class rather than distinct entities. The argument for the integrity of a distinct middle class also rests on an understanding of the development of urban institutions and the cultural expressions of middle class lifestyles and behavior. The expansion of this middle class, however, was closely linked to a growing economy and increasing equality of opportunity. We speculate that the reversal of these conditions, evident from the 1970s, may undermine the well-being of the middle class and its correlative social values, notably tolerance and civility.
The authors assess the impact of training school versus alternative program placements for a 12-year period on 266 youths remanded to the Texas Youth Commission in 1983. A proportional-hazards model is used to predict time until recidivism as a function of individual characteristics, criminal history, family environment, program placement, and delinquency risk. Being male, of younger age at the time of commitment, and in an institutional program prior to parole are found to significantly increase the hazard of recidivism. Although program experience does not affect the overall incidence of recidivism, it does affect the timing of subsequent criminal acts. Youth placed in alternative programs have significantly longer survival time until recidivism compared to youth who have been in institutions. In addition, these effects are greatest for the youngest offenders. An important benefit of alternative programs may be to lengthen a window of opportunity for additional rehabilitative efforts and interventions during parole.
Using data from the 1880 manuscript census, city directories, and R. G. Dun and Company credit reports for Detroit, Michigan, this study examines the family economy of entrepreneurial households. Two family work strategies are examined for a sample of 1,881 male self-employed and wage-earning household heads: family enterprise, and the joint labor force participation of family members. The family organization of business is related to high occupational status and wealth among the self-employed. The joint labor force participation of multiple family members is most characteristic of unskilled wage earners in comparison to other occupational strata. Modes of entrepreneurial family economy reflect the middle-class status of the self-employed and their social and economic homogeneity relative to wage earners.
Using data from the 1880 manuscript census, city directories, and R. G. Dun and Company credit reports for Detroit, Michigan, this study examines the family economy of entrepreneurial households. Two family work strategies are examined for a sample of 1,881 male self-employed and wage-earning household heads: family enterprise, and the joint labor force participation of family members. The family organization of business is related to high occupational status and wealth among the self-employed. The joint labor force participation of multiple family members is most characteristic of unskilled wage earners in comparison to other occupational strata. Modes of entrepreneurial family economy reflect the middle-class status of the self-employed and their social and economic homogeneity relative to wage earners.
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