The exact question wording is, “Some people think of American society as divided into two groups, the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots,’ while others think it’s incorrect to think of America that way. Do you, yourself, think of America as divided into haves and have-nots, or don’t you think of America that way?”  Answer choices are “yes, divided” and “no.”

This question is included in more than one poll in some years, but the data are based on only one poll per year. The polls used were conducted in June 2001, February 2004, March 2005, September 2006, July 2007, January 2008, March 2009, April 2010, and December 2011.