From Clinton to Bush

Distributive Justice and Social Change

At American Social Indicators, we have developed a variety of theoretically grounded descriptive indicators in major institutional domains - family, cultural, economic, and political.  They include, among others, achieved status, basic lifestyle, volatile orientation, and early socialization.  Differentiated by region, residential area, employment, and occupation, these indicators represent central values circulating in social distribution and exchange.  Every social indicator is measured by an index incorporating two or more variables from General Social Survey.  It is estimated on a 10-point scale with multinomial ordinal probit analysis based on generalized (skewed) distributive normality interpreted in this context as life chances.  These measures can also show levels of distributive justice underlying American social-structural integrity and their significant changes over time.  Taken together, these social indicators give a faithful picture of changes in American social structures showing areas of progress, decline, or stagnation.  Follow top and left margin links to graphic snapshots of our summary report about these changes in deep American social structures between second Clinton's (1997-2000) and first Bush's (2001-2004) presidencies. The underlying social theory and methodology can also be found here.  Operational definitions of all indicators are available on CD where they are presented with numeric data and graphic charts across all American presidencies since the 1970's.   Besides educational applications, these social indicators will be indispensable in all program evaluations as well as in political campaigns and market research.