Why Do Some Occupations Pay More than Others? Social Closure and Earnings Inequality in the United States1

@article{Weeden2002WhyDS,
  title={Why Do Some Occupations Pay More than Others? Social Closure and Earnings Inequality in the United States1},
  author={Kim A. Weeden},
  journal={American Journal of Sociology},
  year={2002},
  volume={108},
  pages={55 - 101}
}
  • Kim A. Weeden
  • Published 1 July 2002
  • Economics
  • American Journal of Sociology
This article elaborates and evaluates the neo‐Weberian notion of social closure to investigate positional inequality in the United States. It argues that social and legal barriers around occupations raise the rewards of their members by restricting the labor supply, enhancing diffuse demand, channeling demand, or signaling a particular quality of service. Hypotheses derived from the closure perspective are evaluated using new data that map five institutionalized closure devices—licensing… 
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