Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 July 2006
Political divisions based on class would seem to be central to contemporary American politics. Inequalities in the distribution of income and wealth have grown steadily over the last 30 years, creating greater differences in opportunity and challenging the longstanding American belief in equality of opportunity (Hochschild 1995). The two major parties differ sharply in their concern for class issues, making class political divisions all the more likely.