8 Politics of Inequality

Question 1

explanations for why class pressure isn’t central

Answer 1

• internalized oppression
• the American Dream’s decline

Question 2

immigrant states

Answer 2

able to bring in, integrate, and attract immigrants, and this is important to make the population younger and to increase birth rate

Question 3

illegal immigration

Answer 3

becoming increasingly politicized to the point where, on the Republican side mostly, passing legislation would hinder support

Question 4

glass ceiling

Answer 4

invisible barriers that prevent women from being promoted to top jobs

Question 5

why does the wage gap still exist?

Answer 5

• women tend to dominate fields that are chronically underpaid, whereas men tend to go into higher-paying jobs
• women tend to have less years of experience bc. of maternity leave

Question 6

why is there a glass ceiling?

Answer 6

• patriarchy
• women are making the right social decisions but are economically penalized

Question 7

patriarchy

Answer 7

since the system favours men and has internalized sexism, there are certain expectations of men and women that disadvantage the opportunities of the latter

Question 8

social decisions vs economic benefit

Answer 8

• work culture promotes those who are willing to sacrifice everything for work, which are predominantly male
• the skewed societal relationship to work means that those who engage in this mode of life also have the most power so they shape the system in their favour
• women are less likely to make this sacrifice

Question 9

partisan divide on same-sex marriage and trans rights

Answer 9

majority of Americans are neither pro-life nor pro-choice but to be Republican, you have to be the former and to be Democrat, you have to be the latter