class in America: Qualitative distinctions and quantitative data

Recognizing the need for an objective basis for choosing political strategies within the context of the debates concerning the intermediary strata in modern capitalistic societies, this article examines both qualitative theoretical distinctions and quantitative data as a means to clarify issues and to defend alternative positions. Noting that the question of class is essentially qualitative, but that attempts to delineate classes in societies are based on quantitative dimensions (i.e. numbers of people in each class, political attitudes, etc.) the article seeks to test qualitative definitions of class in terms of these quantitative dimensions.