The Underclass in the United States: Some Correlates of Economic Change.

This paper analyzes the important manifestations of the underclass, outlines some differing positions on its origin and persistence, and lends further support to the argument of its link with the changing United States economy. The processes that produce and maintain the underclass are discussed along with their conflicting and converging interpretations. An analysis of the impact of industrial restructuring in the early 1980s shows that massive job losses affected blacks in the inner city areas much more severely than any other groups. The economic recovery that followed has not benefited this group and, as a consequence, many census tract areas that were predominantly poor have become designated underclass. Consequences of the polarization of the labor force that has contributed to the isolation of inner city blacks from the economy is discussed, and recommendations are offered for solving this national problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]