The distinction that is made in reading 4.3 between owners and employees is the capital and labor. According to the text, “the owning class live mostly off investments, which include stocks, bonds, rents, mineral royalties, and other property income” meanwhile “employees live mostly off wages, salaries, and fees.” The authority and advantage to make impacting decisions for the economy and lives of employees are usually held by Owners. It is unfortunate that employees do not hold this authority and have to depend on their jobs to earn a living, with no ability to make decisions at work.
The way I decipher the quote by Adam Smith on pg. 28 is the value of labor is worth more than money. Yes, money is the end all be all. However, labor is what is stimulating the economy. Wealth is a byproduct from the labor of the people working in different industries who are contributing to productivity.
My thoughts on the main argument of Reading 4.4 that class is not an identity, class is not about being labeled or seen as a gender or race but more about structural position because things like race and gender are important parts of who we are and can influence the way we experience life. Structural position refers to where a person fits in society based on parts of their identity and social background.
Close form of dependency is when workers and owners rely on each other, but owners maintain more power. Workers depend on owners for wages, while owners depend on workers to generate profits. For example, For example, tenants depend on property owners for housing, while property owners depend on tenants for rent.