The Perception of Class

Abstract

This research examines the extent to which the social relations of production are perceived as important components of class position. Following Poulantzas, we investigate economic (ownership-self-employment) political (work authority), and ideological (the mental-manual division) relations of production. The effects of these three dimensions on class perceptions are examined by an analysis of the determinants of class self-placements. Using two different national samples we find good support that each dimension is related to class placements in the working or middle class, even after controlling for the usual status measures of occupational prestige, education, and income. On the other hand, measures of job complexity (the technical rather than the social relations of production), based on the DOT Data and Things codes, are not related to class placements; nor is occupational prestige strongly related to these class placements. For class perceptions at least, the social relations of production appear more important than the technical relations. These results suggest that true class divisions are part of the popular usage of middle- and working-class labels.