目前社会成层的概念发生了混乱。辨别阶级结构概念上的最重要的区别是社会差别同社会成层之间的区别。社会差别是指地位等级的排列;社会成层是指某些集体的人世袭地和永久不变地占有某些等级地位。没有阶级的社会只能在相对小而没有文化的社会中找得到;要了解现代社会的性质,我们必须区别三种不同的地位等级次序:经济等级、名望等级和权力等级。由于财富、名誉、名望和政治权力的明显差別,每个阶级都表征着特殊的行为模式、社会距离和生活方式。美国社会的地位等级在近二十五年里发生了动人的变化。经济等级次序已经从金字塔形变成中间大下面平坦的金刚钻形。职业和体力劳动者之间的生活方式的区别已经变得不明显;中产阶级的生活标准不断地提高;教育上的距离大大地缩小;衣着方面的区别日益缩小。当然生活方式的同化并未消灭一切地位上的区别。但由于细微的名望差别正在加强,所以露骨而明显的地位差别也变得不显著了。等级次序的顶端是数目小而有势力的上层阶级;他们是商人、最高级公司职员和富翁。他们力图把自己的地位传下去。等级的另一端是低级的穷人;他们没有正当的权利。这些人是没有技术的工人、农业工人、失业工人和非白种人。在两个阶级之间的是所谓传统的工人阶级的核心;他们生活在单独的工人阶级的文化中,强调“勉强过下去”而不是“上进”的哲学。直接超过他们的则是由领取薪金的雇员、独立企业家和专家组成的所谓“中产阶级”。 The current concept of social stratification has been chaos. The most important difference in concept that distinguishes class structure is the distinction between social and social stratification. Social differences refer to the rankings of the status hierarchy; social stratification refers to the fact that certain groups of people occupy certain hierarchical positions, hereditary and permanent. A classless society can only be found in a relatively small, non-cultural society. To understand the nature of modern society, we must distinguish between three different rankings of hierarchy: the economic class, the fame class, and the power class. Because of the apparent differences in wealth, reputation, fame and political power, each class represents a particular pattern of behavior, social distance, and lifestyle. The rank of American society has undergone dramatic changes in the past twenty-five years. The economic order has changed from a pyramid to a flat, diamond-shaped one below the middle. The difference in the way of life between occupational and manual workers has become less pronounced; the standard of living of the middle class continues to rise; the distance in education has narrowed considerably; and the distinction in dress has been diminishing. Of course, the assimilation of life style does not eliminate the difference in all status. However, the distinction between explicit and apparent status has also become insignificant as the subtle difference in fame and fortune is strengthening. At the top of the rank order are the small but powerful upper classes; they are businessmen, the highest-ranking company staff, and the rich. They try to pass on their status. The other end of the hierarchy is the inferior poor; they have no legitimate right. These people are unskilled workers, agricultural workers, unemployed workers and non-white people. Between the two classes is the heart of the so-called traditional working class; they live in a separate working-class culture, emphasizing the philosophy of “barely going” rather than “progressive”. Directly above them is the so-called “middle class” of salaried employees, independent entrepreneurs and experts.