THIS REPORT PROVIDES AN EMPIRICAL AND THEORETICAL REVIEW OF HOW THE POOR DIFFER FROM THE REST OF SOCIETY, HOW THESE DIFFERENCES ARISE, AND HOW THEY ARE MAINTAINED. SINCE THE POOR DIFFER FROM THE REST OF THE WORKING CLASS ONLY IN LEVEL OF EDUCATION, OCCUPATION, AND INCOME, IT WOULD SEEM THAT THEIR DIFFERENCES ARE QUANTITATIVE RATHER THAN QUALITATIVE. THUS, THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POOR ARISE FROM THE EXIGENCIES OF BEING RELATIVELY WITHOUT RESOURCES AND OF BEING NEGATIVELY EVALUATED BY THE LARGER SOCIETY. THE POOR MAINTAIN THEIR CHARACTERISTIC DIFFERENCES BECAUSE THEY EXIST AT THE BOTTOM OF AN "IMMUTABLE" SOCIAL STRATIFICATION SYSTEM CREATED BY A SOCIETY WHICH STIGMATIZES ITS MEMBERS TO THE DEGREE THEY FAIL TO ACHIEVE. POLICY MAKERS SHOULD CONSIDER WAYS TO REMOVE STIGMATIZING PROCESSES IN THE OCCUPATIONAL SYSTEM AND IN THE DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES OF MAJOR INSTITUTIONS, AND TO PROVIDE A GUARANTEED MINIMUM INCOME AND SELF-RESPECT FOR EVERYONE IN THE SOCIETY. (LB)