White Collar by C. Wright Mills

The work examines the evolution of the middle class in America, particularly focusing on the small entrepreneur and the impact of industrialization and capitalism on their status and identity. Initially, the American middle class was characterized by a broad stratum of small enterprisers, primarily farmers and independent businessmen, who thrived in a decentralized economy. This class was marked by individualism and a strong connection to property ownership, which provided economic security and political freedom. As industrialization progressed, the landscape shifted dramatically. The rise of large corporations and bureaucratic management structures began to overshadow the small entrepreneur. The traditional roles of independent farmers and small business owners diminished as they faced competition from larger entities that could leverage economies of scale and technological advancements. The small entrepreneur, once a symbol of American success, became increasingly marginalized, losing both economic power and social prestige. The work highlights the transformation of property relations, where ownership shifted from individual entrepreneurs to corporate entities, leading to a new class of salaried employees and managers. This new middle class, while growing in number, lacked the independence and entrepreneurial spirit of their predecessors. The bureaucratization of business meant that many who once operated independently became cogs in a larger machine, with their roles defined by corporate hierarchies rather than personal initiative. The text also discusses the psychological and social implications of this shift. The small entrepreneur's identity, once tied to property and independence, became intertwined with the bureaucratic structures that dominated the economy. The rise of the new entrepreneur, characterized by adaptability and a focus on navigating corporate environments, reflects the changing nature of success in a modern capitalist society. Overall, the work presents a critical analysis of how the dynamics of capitalism and industrialization have reshaped the American middle class, leading to the decline of the small entrepreneur and the emergence of a new, more dependent middle class. The implications of these changes extend beyond economics, affecting social structures, political power, and individual identities within the broader context of American society.

By C. Wright Mills · First published 1945 · Genre: Sociology, Non-fiction, Political Science · 60 chapters

Contents

• The Managerial Demiurge
• Old Professions and New Skills
• Brains, Inc
• The Great Salesroom
• The Enormous File
• The Status Panic
• Success
• White-Collar Unionism
• The Politics of the Rearguard
• Introduction
• The Old Middle Classes
• Property, Freedom and Security
• The Self-Balancing Society
• Introduction
• The Rural Debacle
• Business Dynamics
• The Lumpen-Bourgeoisie
• Introduction
• The Competitive Way of Life
• The Independent Farmer
• The Small Business Front
• Political Persistence
• Introduction
• Occupational Change
• Industrial Mechanics
• White-Collar Pyramids
• The Bureaucracies
• From the Top to the Bottom
• The Case of the Foreman
• The New Entrepreneur
• The Power of the Managers
• Three Trends
• The Professions and Bureaucracy
• The Medical World
• Lawyers
• The Professors
• Business and the Professions
• Four Phases
• The Bureaucratic Context
• The Ideological Demand
• The Rise of the Technician
• Types of Salesmen
• The Biggest Bazaar in the World
• Buyers and Floorwalkers
• The Salesgirls
• The Centralization of Salesmanship
• The Personality Market
• The Old Office
• Forces and Developments
• The White-Collar Girl
• The New Office
• The White-Collar Hierarchy
• Introduction
• Meanings of Work
• The Ideal of Craftsmanship
• The Conditions of Modern Work
• Frames of Acceptance
• The Morale of the Cheerful Robots
• The Big Split
• White-Collar Prestige

More by C. Wright Mills

• La imaginación sociológica (1959)
• The Sociological Imagination (1959)
• All works by C. Wright Mills