1.What is the distinction that Reading 4.3 makes between owners and employees? Give an example of each. 

From reading 4.3, the distinction between business owners and employees have how the employees are utilized and are working harder. In contrast, business owners don’t work as hard as they make their employers work. For example, in reading 4.2, “Workers endure exploitation of their labor as certainly as do slaves and serfs. The slave obviously toils for the enrichment of the master and receives only a bare subsistence in return.” This demonstrates how the workers kill themselves working for the companies, while the companies make more money than the employees

2.How do you understand the quote by Adam Smith on pg? 28? What is it saying about labor?

In reading 4.3, Adam Smith states, “labor … is alone the ultimate and real standard by which the value of all commodities can at all times and places be estimated and compared. It is their real price; money is their nominal price only.”1n my understanding, I think Adam Smith is trying to say that the way people work makes the company better and more successfull

3.What are your thoughts on the main argument of Reading 4.4 that class is NOT an identity?

I do not think the class is an identity. Class is the system of dividing people into groups depending on their perceived social or economic status in society. And identity is the identity of a person or object.

4.How do you understand the argument Reading 4.4? Makes when stating that “class structures are built around a close form of dependency”? What is this close form of dependency, and can you think of an example?

This close form of dependence is the relationship between society, capitalists, and workers are how companies and workers rely on each other. But also, companies take advantage of the workers since companies gain more money than the workers.

Do you notice any similarities in the way the social class is discussed in readings 4.1 and 4.2? Do you notice any differences in the way these two readings DIFFERENTIATE between social classes?

The similarity in how the social class is discussed between readings 4.1 and 4.2 is how the income is used to separate communities in different categories such as low, middle, and upper class. And a difference from readings 4.1 and 4.2 is how reading 4.1 goes more in detail about how wealth, power, culture, conduct, heritage, and prestige are all aspects of a person’s life.

Pick the station closest to where you live. Using the concepts from Reading 4.1, what social class tends to live in your neighborhood? Are you surprised (or not) by the answer? Do you feel it is an accurate representation of the people living in your neighborhood?

From reading 4.2, I picked the one train since this is close to where I live. According to reading 4.2, the social class that tends to live in my neighborhood is the working class. I’m not surprised by this. I feel like this is an accurate representation of the people living in my community.

Based on Reading 4.2, do you notice a general pattern about social classes in NYC?

Based on reading 4.2, I notice that Manhattan’s average income is higher than the other ones. I feel like it also has to do with tourists, that most people that come to NYC stay in Manhattan.

1. Keeping in mind the material covered in this lesson, describe how you understand ideology in YOUR OWN WORDS.

My understanding of what ideology is that it is a representation of a person’s or people’s beliefs specially surrounding politics, economy, and policies. An ideology can be an opinion about how these systems should work and there are also different ideologies. There are three main ideologies, rightist, centrist, and leftist, according to the article. These categories however are very broad and have specific details that differentiate them from each other.

2. How do you understand the difference between conservative and liberal ideology in US politics? What seem to be the big differences, the dividing line? Given an example to back up your arguments.

Conservative ideologies according to the article consist of, “conservatives, corporate elites, and many other affluent persons who advocate free-market capitalism and defend big business as the mainstay of the good society. Free-market capitalism is essentially the unregulated laissez-faire variety in which private-profit investments have priority over almost all other social considerations.” o the other hand the liberals “see a need for improving public services and environmental protections; they support minimum-wage laws, unemployment insurance, and other wage supports, along with Social Security, nutritional aid for needy children, occupational safety, and the like.” The main difference in my opinion is that the liberals want government regulations while the conservatives want businesses to have all the power.

3. How do you understand Althusser’s definition of ideology? Paraphrase it in your own words. Given an example. Hint: you may have to watch the second video again and find the few places where Althusser’s position is presented.

I feel that Althusser’s definitely does not support the conservatives’ ideologies but I also feel that he does not fully accept the liberals. In. my opinion he favors the socialists.

1. Why do think Southern racist politicians chose to frame their defense of racial segregation through the language of “law and order”? What special advantages was this choice of words going to give them?

Southern racist politicians chose to frame their defense of racial segregation through the language of “law and order” to manipulate people into thinking that the civil rights movement would affect the people and consider a crime. For example, Southern racist politicians, “Southern governors and law enforcement officials often characterized these tactics as criminal and argued that the rise of the Civil Rights Movement was indicative of a breakdown of law and order.” (Pg.40) This demonstrates how southern racist politicians used the terms “law and order” to unfairly frame the civil rights movement so they can still be in control.

2. Do you think the Southern Strategy is still influencing American politics? Give an example supporting your answer.

I believe the Southern strategy is still influencing American politics, for example when Trump was running for president he made a lot of racists statements, and how he wanted to make America “great” again. Donald Trump uses more strategies of racially coded language.

1. M. Alexander claims that the main explanation of why so many people are sent to jail in the U.S. today is deeply wrong. Explain her argument by referring to the various examples she mentions to back up her point. (See p. 1-2)

Most people believe the War on Drugs was started in response to the crack cocaine issue in inner-city areas, and minorities being incarcerated is nothing but the government plan. M. Alexander claims that the main explanation of why so many people are sent to jail in the U.S. today is deeply wrong because the government targets poor, minority neighborhoods and people of color. I believe that Michelle Alexander claims that the government racially discriminates against black or poor, minority neighborhoods to have control over them, and that’s why they are being charged with drug crimes. You can see this when Michelle Alexander states “This view holds that the racial disparities in drug convictions and sentences, as well as the rapid explosion of the prison population, reflect nothing more than the government’s zealous—but benign—efforts to address rampant drug crime in poor, minority neighborhoods.”

2. Why is it that racial disparities in the rates of incarceration “cannot be explained by rates of drug crimes”?

The criminal justice system purposely attacks communities of color. The rater of drug crimes cannot explain it because even if a white person were being charged with the same crime as a black person, the white person has the privilege to get fewer years in prison than a black person would receive. For example, “In some states, black men have been admitted to prison on drug charges at rates twenty to fifty times greater than those of white men.” This demonstrates how racial disparities in incarceration rates “cannot be explained by rates of drug crimes” because of the discrimination against black people.

3. How do you understand the phrase: “the American penal system has emerged as a system of social control unparalleled in world history.”?

The phrase “the American penal system has emerged as a system of social control unparalleled in world history.”? Translates to in world history, the American prison system has developed as a mechanism of social control unequaled.