Re: Inevitability Theses

-----Original Message-----
From: Austin, Andrew [mailto:austina@uwgb.edu]
Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2001 7:34 PM
To: 'Charles J. Reid '; 'Carl H.A. Dassbach '
Cc: 'wsn@csf.colorado.edu '
Subject: RE: Inevitability Theses

[Snip ...]

AA: Reid cannot reasonably claim that social class is inevitable based
on
his observation that social classes exist.

-- This is not what I claimed, Andrew. What I claimed is that social
classes exist, because luxury goods exist, that they require a method of
distribution that favors one (small) group over another (very large)
group. My theory is clear, and empirically based. So please don't
misrepresent my theoretical argument.

My major point, though, is that because of this fact, is cannot be a
rational object to seek to abolish social classes without first dealing
with the luxury good issue, and I think luxury good, which I
operationally defined in a prior post, are irremovable from mass
societies.

//CJR