Harley Davidson Class Structure

The social class structure varies widely among the population of Davidson County, located in the piedmont region of North Carolina. The community like many in the area, originally was dependent on the furniture industry as its main source of funding. Over the years this source of revenue has shifted considerably, leaving behind large fissures in the social fabric. Reflecting upon the area, Lexington and Thomasville, the two incorporated areas of the county, were once the locations of large industrial mills. Now the shells of dilapidated buildings remain as symbols of what once was a thriving industry. Surrounding the mills are areas over run with low income housing in what were once mill homes. These areas represent the primary housing …show more content…
Wrights class typologies and distributions, the social complexity appears to overlay the overall stratification of the community. The polarization between various classes will cause them to group together with those who occupy the same location within the class structure. This in many ways will return to the availability of financial assets, the common worker possesses limited expendable resources. These individuals at the lowest point in the stratification system are in a position where they must live close to the infrastructure necessary to survive. Critical choices must be made between expenses for food and housing versus transportation. This leaves them subject to the mercy of those higher within the class system who control the cost of the necessities. As individuals are positioned higher within the stratification system, they gain the resources necessary to transition away from the areas directly adjacent to the industrial center. The greater the resources/class, often the further the individual will move from the center. The property dimension of the class structure provides a unique, and sometimes shocking view of our society. Through my career in law enforcement, I am familiar with the Chicago School and the Concentric Zone Theory. Wright’s work appears to add another dimension to the stratification of the population and is extremely useful in understanding the relationships that are