New LOWER Class

This book, Coming Apart, says that there is a New Lower Class (NLC) in America at the same time as the New Upper Class described in my earlier posts.  This is the reason that America is "coming apart" - greatly  increasing distance between the two new classes is pulling our country apart in a number of ways according to this author.

How are they different?  In education and affluence of course.  But in addition to that, there are some differences that you might not expect.   Sociologist and author of Coming Apart, Charles Murray, references studies to show the following:

• The core of religious believers is less influential in the NLC
• Marriages overall are fewer in number and less happy in the NLC
• People generally, but especially men, are less industrious in the NLC 

And in the New Upper Class?

• Religion is still important
• Marriage is more common and happier 
• Men in particular as well as women work longer hours