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E. Digby Baltzell's most important thesis in his PHILADEL- PHIA GENTLEMEN is that the US is developing an Uc comparable in many ways to the aristocracies of the old world. Characterized by descent from old wealth, an Anglo-Saxon ethnic background, membership in the Episcopalian church, educ at a private boarding Sch & then at Princeton, Yale or Harvard U's, membership in the Somerset, Knickerbocker, or Philadelphia clubs-it is this class which also, in Philadelphia at least, controls the major sectors of the economy. By its combination of high SS & econ wealth it possesses tremendous community power. The creation of one Uc whose members share a common background & values also serves to create a class of power holders who can be disciplined for violation of the code by their status peers. Baltzell's one major deficiency is his failure to deal with the continued vitality of the value of egalitarianism in America & its effect on US Uc life. The constant tendency toward aristocracy has always been countered by egalitarianism & by large-scale SM. J. A. Fishman.

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