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A Marxist Analysis Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Dissertations Graduate College 8-1976 Political and Social Attitudes among the Unemployed: A Marxist Analysis Richard Henry Ropers Western Michigan University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations Part of the Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Ropers, Richard Henry, "Political and Social Attitudes among the Unemployed: A Marxist Analysis" (1976). Dissertations. 2828. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/2828 This Dissertation-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ATTITUDES AMONG THE UNEMPLOYED: A MARXIST ANALYSIS by Richard Henry Ropers A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate College in partial fulfillment of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan August 1976 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The way in which I have interpreted and utilized the Marxian paradigm undoubtedly reflects my own interests and biases. When others found my ideas too difficult to deal with, Dr. Paul Friday was tolerant, open-minded, and interested enough to sponsor me. The dissertation benefited from his cosmopolitan intellect and experience. Dr. Subhash Sonnad provided immeasur­ able support and encouragement both for the writing of this dissertation and for other aspects of my career. Dr. William Ritchie provided me with an intellectual and political foil by which I tested the strength of my ideas. Without the assistance of the Center for Sociological Research and its Director, Dr. Stanley Robin, permission to collect the data from the Michigan Employment Security Commission would have been im­ possible. Special thanks to Walter Groves and the many other students without whose help the data would not have been collected. Steve Koning was more than patient in pro­ viding me with computer assistance, and for this I thank him. Ryna Ropers not only suffered the agony of typing ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. and editing the dissertation, but more importantly she gave me a new life. And lastly, thanks to the unemployed working class men and women who were anxious to express their opinions regarding American society. Richard Henry Ropers iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 46106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 76-28,096 ROPERS, Richard Henry, 1947- POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ATTITUDES AMONG THE UNEMPLOYED: A MARXIST ANALYSIS. Western Michigan University, Ph.D., 1976 Sociology, social problems Xerox University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan48ioe Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE List of Tables .................................. viii List of Figures ................................. ix CHAPTER I THEORETICAL OBJECTIVES ................ 1 Statement of the P r oblem............ 1 Significance ......................... 5 Previous Research .................... 6 Class consciousness and radicalism.. 6 Self-esteem........................ 9 The Problems of Previous Research .... 12 Objectives of this Study ........ 14 II THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE ............... 17 Marxian Methodology ................. 21 Marxian Image of Man and Society .... 24 Social Class ......................... 29 Sociology of Knowledge .............. 39 Substructure and Superstructure ..... 42 Ideology ............................. 45 Alienation........................... 47 III CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS .................... 56 The Classical Position .............. 56 The Leninist Contribution.... ........ 64 Class Consciousness and the American Worker ............................. 71 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER PAGE Empirical Studies .................... 77 IV MARXISM AND THE UNEMPLOYED........... 82 Alienation and Unemployment......... 88 Authoritarianism..................... 94 Social Integration .................. 97 Economic Insecurity ................. 98 V FORMALIZATION OF HYPOTHESES ........... 103 Class Consciousness ................. 103 Political class consciousness ..... Ill Political Alienation ................ 116 Authoritarianism.................... 120 Political Party Preference .......... 123 Self-Esteem.......................... 128 VI RESEARCH DESIGN ........................ 132 Sample ............................... 132 Selected Characteristics of the Sample ............................. 135 Measurement .......................... 140 Length of unemployment............ 140 Class consciousness ............... 140 Political preference .............. 143 Political alienation .............. 143 Authoritarianism.................. 144 Self-esteem........................ 145 Statistics ........................... 146 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER PAGE Qualifications ....................... 150 VII FINDINGS ............................... 153 Trade Union Consciousness ........... 159 Political Class Consciousness ....... 168 Political Alienation ................ 180 Authoritarianism..................... 185 Political Party Preference .......... 190 Self-Esteem.......................... 196 Summary of Major Findings ........... 204 VIII INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION ......... 207 Introduction ......................... 207 Unemployment ......................... 208 Trade Union Consciousness ........... 214 Political Class Consciousness ....... 226 Political Alienation ................ 238 Authoritarianism..................... 242 Political Party Preference .......... 245 Self-Esteem.......................... 251 Summary .............................. 254 IX SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ............... 258 Summary of Major Findings ........... 259 Conclusions .......................... 264 Future Research ...................... 270 Final Note ........................... 273 vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PAGE APPENDIX........................................ 274 Cover letters .............................. 275 Questionnaire .............................. 279 REFERENCES ...................................... 293 vii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 6.1 Employment and Unemployment Kalamazoo Portage SMSA 1970-1975 ...................... 138 7.1 Rotated Factor Matrix: Class Consciousness Items ....................................... 155 7.2 Mean Scale Scores and Standard Deviations for Working Class Consciousness Scales ....... 157 7.3 Cross Tabulation of Individuals on the Basis of Scores on Trade Union and Political Class Consciousness .............................. 157 7.4 Trade Union Consciousness as Related to Selected Variables ......................... 160 7.5 Trade Union Consciousness Scores by Union Membership and Race ........................ 169 7.6 Political Class Consciousness as Related to Selected Variables
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