Final answer:
Sam, the factory foreman, would likely fall into a contradictory class location according to Erik Wright's model of social class, exercising supervisory control over workers but also being controlled by higher management.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Erik Wright's model of social class, Sam, as a factory foreman who directs the work of seven machinists, would likely be classified within a contradictory class location. Wright's model acknowledges that some individuals have roles that provide them with certain managerial powers, yet they do not have full control over the means of production. As a foreman, Sam holds a supervisory position that includes overseeing workers, but he does not own the factory and is subject to the directives of higher management and ownership.
Wright’s model expands upon traditional Marxist views by adding this dimension of contradictory class locations, which recognizes the nuances of social stratification within modern capitalist societies. Sam's role exemplifies such a contradictory class location, as he has authority over the machinists but is also controlled by the company's higher management. This categorization underlines the complex layering within social classes that emerged as a result of industrialization. The factory workers he supervises execute repetitive tasks, which can be seen as an outcome of Taylorism and its principles of scientific management that strive for efficiency at the cost of personal interaction and worker autonomy, thus placing Sam at a position of control yet simultaneously under control.