The Power of the Past: Understanding Cross-Class Marriages is a book by American writer Jessi Streib. It was published in 2015 by Oxford University Press. Touching on sociology, psychology, and social science, Streib explores marriage across social class. She examines a number of couples from blue and white collar households.
Through expansive interviews with married individuals, Streib uncovers the inner workings of the these relationships. Cross class relationships are far from easy and despite living in the same household with the same amenities and responsibilities, their past social class never ceases to be a determining factor in the health of their relationship.
The couple's outlook on life differed greatly and no matter how in sync their lives might be now, they can't seem to outgrow their past upbringing. One person in the marriage might be from a blue collar background, and his perspective on life mirrors that of his upbringing. He/she lives freely without constraints and often goes with the flow. On the other hand, a spouse from a white collar background sticks to strict rules of conduct where they control everything around them. Their professionalism is unmatched and their organizational and planning skills is effective.
The Power of the Past showcases that just because two people are married doesn't mean their differences disappear and become a single unit. People from different social classes can marry and stay together, but their past lives always have an effect on their present life. Despite the many differences, such a couple must work on navigating through these stark differences and find common ground.
