Caste, Class, and Social Change: An Institutionalist Perspective

摘要: When Gunnar Myrdal visited the United States in 1929, he was struck by extremes of poverty and wealth that existed at onset Great Depression perplexed seeming lack "class struggle" or consciousness" [Jackson 1990, 6365]. Addressing an audience Geneva, later remarked "patriotic conservatism, capitalist Americanism, spiced with hate contempt for 'European' subversive dogmas, are not only Main Street's petit bourgeois froth triumph, but also slum's compensation a sad wretched daily life" [1931, 2056]. In this speech, identified almost "religious nature" which Americans held Constitution Declaration Independence viewed reverence as "conservative force" allowed system to grow "almost without any restraint" 205-6]. It until visit when began his research on American race relations more fully developed notion "the creed" turned it its head. Whereas once creed rationalizing myth, An Dilemma used "as dynamic force equality" 66]. However, Americans' acceptance "myth classlessness" led make appeals social justice through