Dynamics of Class Identification in Postwar Japan

Abstract

     The theme of “class identification” has been theoretically discussed in the studies on social stratification in postwar Japan, and we consider the Fararo-Kosaka Model (FK Model) as characterizing such studies. However, the FK Model did not deal with the changes in the distribution of class identification brought about by changes in occupational structure. This article aims to clarify the mechanism underlying the changes in the distribution of class identification, in order to overcome the limitations of the FK Model. As a result, it is shown that the relation between changes in occupational structure and changes in the distribution of class identification can be rationally explained under the assumption that the individual that inherited status from his/her parent tends to strongly commit to his/her social class. At the same time, it is confirmed that the mechanism for class identification is empirically supported by the Social Stratification and Social Mobility Survey data.