Class Analysis and COIN

[AmericanPride]

Ken,

Thanks for your comments. I would argue that education is a reflection of a class's status rather than a determinant because it reflects that class' access to knowledge, which itself is a commodity. What I think is interesting to note is that a significant number of insurgencies and revolutions are led by a vanguard of professionally educated cadre who were at some point alienated from the system's (local/national/international) distribution of power. IMO, this reveals that access to knowledge is an indicator of a class' status but not necessarily its position, and sometimes that access has unintended consequences.

As for skin color, I would include that in a broad definition of 'race' (where I would also include ethnicity, tribal identity, and other such relationships).

You make a good point on wealth and that is something I will integrate into my analysis.

[Ken White]

Re: Education, we can disagree on that. I think you'll find the in many nations it is difficult to pin down the role education plays. Take the US as an example, consider hiring practices and ponder Richard Florida's thesis just as two quick examples. You may or may not know a family where a son was expected to go to college and do great things and elected not to go. Is he still a member of his parent's 'class' -- I suggest most may be, some will be -- and some will not be. For that matter, look at the Army...

As for skin color, I would include that in a broad definition of 'race' (where I would also include ethnicity, tribal identity, and other such relationships).

You could but you'll also find that skin color within races, ethnicity, tribes and even families can make a significant difference in the class to which a person might aspire, might reach and/ or from which one might be excluded. Thus my comment was worded as it was: "Skin color is not purely racial difference, it applies as well, perhaps more pointedly from your analytical standpoint, to stratification within groups."(emphasis added / kw) That applies to an extent in this country but that issue is quite significant in some others. Check out Brazil -- or Panama.