In the body of this report an attempt has been made to describe varia-
tions in the socialization process and outcome that can be attributed to
differences in point of origin in the stratification system. One of the issues
raised by that discussion is its implication for notions of "equality of oppor-
tunity" in the United States. Most discussions of equality of opportunity
are even more concerned with the significance of racial identity than of
class origin, and it can be argued that race is a much more important fac-
tor than class in limiting an individual's opportunities. This Appendix dis-
cusses briefly some of the factors that need to be taken into account if the
variable of race is to be viewed in the light of the earlier analysis of the
role of class in the socialization process.

The great majority (about 88 percent) of the American population is
classified as white, and the nonwhite population is very largely (about 92

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