Chapter 10 Flashcards
(48 cards)
What are anthropologists studying inequality interested in?
How existing patterns of inequality are maintained and reproduced, and the experience of inequality and its impact on peoples lives.
What is social inequality?
The differential or unequal access to the culturally valued resources of wealth, power, and prestige.
What are the definitions of wealth, prestige, and power?
Wealth: The extent to which one has accumulated economic resources
Power: Ability to achieve one’s goals and objectives by controlling or influencing the behaviour of others
Prestige: The social esteem, respect, or admiration that a society confers on people.
What 4 factors separate occupations at the top from the bottom?
Higher salaries, require more education, offer greater autonomy, require more abstract thinking and less physical labour.
What are egalitarian societies?
Equal access to wealth, prestige and power. Usually food collectors, economics based on reciprocity, little or no political role specialization.
Why is equal access a thing in these societies?
Inhibition of accumulating large quantities of personal possessions, no claims to territory, food is shared.
What are rank societies?
People have unequal access to prestige and status, but not unequal access to wealth and power. Chiefdoms, economies based on redistribution, limited political role specialization. Kinship plays important role. Chief maintains his spot through generosity.
What are stratified societies?
Greatest degree of social inequality. Market economies, large populations, state systems of government. Consist of strata-relatively permanent horizontal layers separating people.
How does social mobility work in a class system?
A certain amount of upward and downward social mobility exists.
What are class systems?
Associated with achieved status-status one has obtained as a result of personal efforts. Everyone has equal opportunity to be successful (open society).
What is a caste system?
Little or no social mobility, relies on ascribed status (what you are born into). Ascribed status prevents one from advancing or acquiring more wealth, prestige, and power (closed societies).
What were Karl Marx’s beliefs on class societies?
Class- groups of people who share common economic interests and perform the same function in relation to the organization of production. History is a result of class confrontation and struggles.
What is the upper class in Canadian society?
3-5% of the population. Send children to private schools, shop at high end stores, more likely to vote conservative.
What is the middle class in Canadian society?
40-50% of Canadians, earn between 50-100000 dollars. Ethnically diverse, influences Canadian culture as a whole. Politicians try to appeal to this class.
What is the working class in Canadian society?
1/3 of the population, unskilled labourers, lower levels of education. Little social mobility, vulnerable to downturns in the economy.
What is the lower class in Canadian society?
20% of Canadian population, barely earn a living at unskilled, low paying, unpleasant, temporary jobs. More visible minorities and first nations.
What percentage of Canadians live with food insecurity?
13%.
What is the basic needs poverty line for a household of 4 in 2009?
Around 24 300$.
What is wrong with using relative poverty as a measurement?
Measures inequality rather than poverty. Doesn’t take into account that there may be little difference between the rich and the poor in other countries. If the goal is to eradicate poverty, we should use absolute measures.
What are status symbols?
Cultural items that convey a persons status.
What are some characteristics that caste societies have in common?
1) Caste membership is directly related to economic issues, higher castes get higher status occupations an control the allocation of resources to favour themselves. 2) Members of the same caste share the same social status, residential and social segregation, and uniformity of lifestyles
3) Each caste has its own set of rituals, which tend to intensify group awareness and identity
4) Higher castes are generally most interested in maintaining the caste system, they benefit the most from it.
What are the four hindu varnas (caste system)
4 major ones originated from the body of Purusha. Highest caste (Brahmins, priests and scholars, rewarded with honour)-from the mouth. 2nd (The Kshatriyas, warriors, kings, governers, rewarded with power)-from his arms. 3rd (The Vaishyas, tradesmen, farmers, artisans, rewarded with wealth)- from the thighs. 4th (The Shudras, labourers and servants, rewarded with freedom from responsibilities)-from his feet.
Who are the dalit?
Another category outside the hindu caste system-meaning crushed or oppressed people. 20% of India’s population. Considered impure, contact with them by members of the higher castes is polluting. Untouchability practices separate the dalit from the rest of society.
What are jati groups?
Local subgroups, family groups that are strictly endogamous. Peron’s jati commands his or her strongest loyalties, serves as a source of social support, and provides the primary basis for social support.
