Pew Report: Americans See Growing Class Conflict

The number of Americans who believe there is strong class conflict between the rich and the poor has risen significantly in recent years, according to a new report by the Pew Research Center.

Sixty-six percent of respondents told researchers that they see strong or very strong conflicts between the rich and the poor, up 19 percent since 2009. The perceived severity of class conflict has grown as well, with twice as many respondents telling researchers that class conflict was “very strong” as did in a similar survey in 2009.

In addition to a growing perception of conflict between the rich and the poor, the proportion of respondents who believe there to be conflict between immigrants and non-immigrants is on the rise, at 62 percent from 55 percent in 2009.

Democrats and individuals who identify as liberal are more likely to perceive class conflict than others.However, reports of class conflict grew among both Democrats and Republicans between 2009 and 2011, according to the report.

Respondents across all income groups have grown more likely to perceive class conflict, and women remain more likely to do so than men.

Attitudes about the wealthy, though, such as whether wealth is earned through effort or by having the right connections, are in stasis.

“While the survey results show a significant shift in public perceptions of class conflict in American life, they do not necessarily signal an increase in grievances toward the wealthy,” reads the report. “It is possible that individuals who see more conflict between the classes think that anger toward the rich is misdirected.”

Researchers polled 2,048 residents of the continental United States and weighted the data to reflect the general population.

A possible source of class conflict consciousness is the Occupy Wall Street movement, which has captured significant public attention this fall. Occupy Wall Street and related movements have emphasized income disparity and economic injustices at demonstrations across the country.

“These changes in attitudes over a relatively short period of time may reflect the income and wealth inequality message conveyed by Occupy Wall Street protesters across the country in late 2011 that led to a spike in media attention to the topic,” wrote Pew Research Center senior editor Rich Morin. “But the changes also may reflect a growing public awareness of underlying shifts in the distribution of wealth in American society.”

The growing perception of class conflict, he notes, has grown in tandem with the concentration of resources among the wealthiest individuals.

The Pew Research Center is a think tank funded by the Pew Charitable Trust that conducts social research in the United States. The organization is based in Washington, D.C.

Jon Christian is a staff writer with Campus Progress. Follow him on Twitter @Jon_Christian.

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