Class Inequalities Imperil 21st Century.

• Position: Increasing separation between the haves and have-nots in society - Brief Article

Forget the Y2K bug. The real pest of the new millennium will be the "double diamond" class structure, maintains Robert Perrucci, professor of sociology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., because it's a system that will make more Americans poor and powerless--and will keep them that way. "Over the past 25 years, the `American Dream' of rising to the top has taken a severe beating. Downsizing, technological advances, and globalization have taken their toll on the working class since the 1970s. Those not already in the upper privileged class find it very hard to get there."

The double diamond is a class structure with the top 20% of society enjoying the perks and security that come with access to stable financial and social resources. This group occupies the top diamond. Below it is a much larger diamond, connected by only a narrow opening, which represents the 80% of society that is characterized by job instability, limited financial resources, and little or no way to move to the top sector. Traditional views depict American society as a single diamond, with people rising or falling among the ranks according to personal achievements.

Perrucci says class position is determined largely by access to four critical...