Chapter 7 Flashcards
What is social inequality?
Social inequality is the long-term existence of significant differences in access to goods and services among social groups.
What factors contribute to social inequality?
Factors include ethnicity, “race,” gender, class, and stratification.
How is social inequality viewed in the sociological tradition?
The study of social inequality has long been a part of the sociological tradition, exploring its causes and implications.
What is the main term used to discuss social inequality?
Class, popularized by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, refers to the relational dynamics of individuals in society regarding their access to resources and opportunities.
How is class defined in relation to social structures?
Class is relational; it reflects individuals’ relationships to the means of production and their role within the economic system.
What are the means of production?
The means of production are the resources needed to produce goods, including factories, tools, and technology.
What is capital in the context of class and production?
Capital refers to the funds and properties necessary for large-scale manufacturing and trading, which significantly influence social class dynamics.
What are the two primary classes identified by Marx in relation to the means of production?
The bourgeoisie (owners) and the proletariat (workers).
Who are the bourgeoisie?
The collective of capitalists who own the means of production.
What is the proletariat?
The class of workers who succeeded the peasant class of the pre-industrial era.
What is the petty bourgeoisie?
Small-time owners with little capital.
What does the term lumpenproletariat refer to?
Small-time criminals, beggars, and the unemployed.
When did Marx write his theories?
At the height of the Industrial Revolution.
What economic practices were prevalent during Marx’s time?
Laissez-faire market practices.
What struggle was prominent during the Industrial Revolution according to Marx?
The struggle between capitalist interests and workers’ rights.
According to Marx, what type of identity does class have?
A corporate (or organic) identity as a real social group.
What is class consciousness?
An awareness of what is in the best interests of one’s class.
Which class always possesses class consciousness, according to Marx?
The owner class.
What is false consciousness in Marx’s theory?
A belief that something is in one’s best interests when it is not, often attributed to the workers.
What did Max Weber contribute to the study of social inequality?
Weber studied social inequality as divided into economic classes, but emphasized that it involves more than just ownership of the means of production.
What three elements did Weber identify as contributing to social inequality?
Wealth, Prestige, and Power.
How does Weber’s view of social inequality differ from Marx’s?
Weber includes factors beyond economic class and ownership, such as prestige and power.
What does Weber include in the concept of wealth?
Wealth encompasses factories, properties used to generate income, and those that are highly respected by society (e.g., flashy cars, expensive houses).
How does Weber define prestige?
Prestige is the degree of respect individuals and their socially valued possessions or statuses receive from the majority in society.
What is Weber’s definition of power?
Power is the ability of individuals or groups to achieve their goals despite opposition from others.
Give an example of power as defined by Weber.
Individuals like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronald Reagan, who achieved their goals despite opposition.
What does the term “precariat” refer to?
The “precariat” describes a new class of workers facing precarious employment and uncertain job security.
Who coined the term “precariat”?
The term was coined by British economist Guy Standing in 2011.
What two concepts does “precariat” combine?
It combines “precarious” (referring to precarious employment) with Marx’s term “proletariat.”
Why is the concept of the precariat relevant today?
It highlights the vulnerability and instability faced by today’s working class in the context of changing job markets.
What is the defining characteristic of the precariat, according to Guy Standing (2014)?
Distinctive relations of production, including “flexible” labor contracts, temporary jobs, and casual or part-time work.
What types of employment arrangements are common among the precariat?
Employment as casual workers, part-timers, or intermittently for labor brokers or employment agencies.
How does precarious employment affect workers’ occupational identity?
Workers in the precariat have no secure occupational identity or narrative to their lives.
What additional work challenges do those in precarious employment face?
They often engage in work preparation that does not count as work and is not remunerated.
What additional work challenges do those in precarious employment face?
They often engage in work preparation that does not count as work and is not remunerated.
What unique characteristic does the current working class, referred to as the precariat, have regarding education?
The precariat is expected to have a level of education greater than the labor they perform or expect to obtain.
How do members of the precariat typically utilize their educational qualifications in the workforce?
Few individuals in the precariat use their full educational qualifications in the jobs they hold.
Why is it difficult to apply a traditional Marxist class interpretation to contemporary societies like Canada?
Most people do not fit neatly into the capitalist–worker binary.
Give examples of workers with high incomes who challenge the capitalist–worker binary.
Bank presidents, corporate CEOs, and professional hockey players.
Provide examples of business owners with low incomes.
Farmers and small business owners.
What is a key feature of the middle class in contemporary society?
It has a powerful sense of itself as a distinct class.
What is a key feature of the middle class in contemporary society?
It has a powerful sense of itself as a distinct class.
What is the dominant capitalist class according to Curtis, Grabb, and Guppy (1999)?
Those who own or control large-scale production.
How do Curtis, Grabb, and Guppy (1999) define the middle class in Canada?
A mixed category of small business owners, educated professionals, technical or administrative personnel, and credentialed salaried employees or wage earners.
Who makes up the working class (proletariat) according to Curtis, Grabb, and Guppy (1999)?
People who lack resources or capacities beyond their own labour power.
How are class and sport connected?
Some sports, like golf and tennis, are associated with wealthy classes, while others provide opportunities for financial mobility for lower socio-economic groups.
What are mobility sports?
Sports that offer financial opportunities to people from poorer socio-economic backgrounds, such as basketball, soccer, boxing, and UFC.
When might a mobility sport become an elitist sport?
When the costs of participation increase due to expensive equipment, coaching, or access to facilities, limiting involvement to wealthier individuals.
What does social stratification describe?
It describes society as divided into a series of layers or strata based on factors like income, education, or occupation.
What is a stratum?
A group to which people belong based on income, education, or occupation, often used for statistical analysis.
What is stratified sampling?
A research method where equal samples are drawn from each stratum of a population for balanced analysis.
What is a quintile?
A segment or stratum representing one of five equal groups into which a population is divided.
What percentage of the population does each quintile represent?
Each quintile makes up 20% of the population.
How can income inequality be measured using quintiles?
By comparing the income levels of different quintiles.
Quintiles are useful for comparative purposes, both across time periods and across regions
What is ideology?
A set of beliefs about society and its people, often forming the basis of a particular economic or political theory.
How does ideology relate to social inequality?
It shapes the arguments and ideas used to explain or justify social inequality.
What is dominant ideology?
A set of beliefs promoted by and supportive of society’s dominant culture or classes.
What is an example of a dominant ideology?
Trickle-down theory – the idea that allowing the wealthy to generate more wealth will benefit others in society.
What is neoliberalism?
A dominant ideology that views individuals as independent players, emphasizing personal responsibility and social mobility.
How does neoliberalism explain success and failure?
Success or failure is attributed to an individual’s motivation and hard work, often ignoring broader social causes.
What is a potential negative outcome of neoliberal ideology?
Blaming the victim – holding individuals responsible for their failures rather than considering structural inequalities beyond their control.
What is counter-ideology?
A critique of dominant ideology that challenges its fairness and universal applicability.
What is the goal of counter-ideologies?
To promote significant social change.
Can you name examples of counter-ideologies?
Classical Marxism, the Occupy movement, Idle No More.
Who introduced the concept of hegemony?
Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937).
Who was Antonio Gramsci?
Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937) was a critic of the dominant ideology and a political theorist known for his ideas on hegemony.
Who was Antonio Gramsci?
Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937) was a critic of the dominant ideology and a political theorist known for his ideas on hegemony.
What is the definition of hegemony according to Gramsci?
Hegemony is a set of non-coercive methods used by the dominant class to maintain power, often through institutions like the media and educational systems.
How does hegemony function in society?
Hegemony functions by promoting the interests of the dominant class while persuading subordinate classes to accept these interests as their own, often without the use of force.
Provide an example of hegemony in action.
An example of hegemony is when the federal government places blame for the Attawapiskat housing crisis onto the community, framing the narrative in a way that deflects responsibility from the government.
What is one indicator of inequality in Canada?
The existence and use of food banks is a key indicator of inequality in Canada.
What are food banks?
Food banks are non-profit organizations that collect, store, and distribute food free of charge, either directly to individuals or through frontline agencies.
How do food banks contribute to the understanding of social inequality?
The reliance on food banks highlights issues related to poverty, access to resources, and systemic inequalities within society.
What role do frontline agencies play in the food bank system?
Frontline agencies distribute food collected by food banks to individuals and families in need, serving as an essential link in addressing food insecurity
What was the initial response to food bank reliance during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada?
The initial response was hopeful due to the Canada Employment Relief Benefit (CERB), which provided financial support to those affected.
What was the amount and duration of the Canada Employment Relief Benefit (CERB)?
CERB provided $500 per week from March to September 2020.
How many Canadians received CERB during the pandemic?
Approximately nine million Canadians received CERB as their employment and income were affected by COVID-19.
What was the impact of CERB on food bank usage in Canada?
Initially, food bank use appeared to decrease, but by March 2021, there were over 1.3 million food bank visits, marking a 20.3% increase from 2019.
What statistics highlight the increase in food bank visits in Canada by March 2021?
By March 2021, there were over 1.3 million food bank visits, representing a 20.3% increase compared to 2019, according to Food Banks Canada (2021).
What is food insecurity?
Food insecurity refers to inadequate or unreliable access to food in terms of amount, variety, quality, and general desirability.
How does food insecurity affect health?
Food insecurity has a negative impact on both physical and mental health.
What major stressor contributes to seeking assistance from food banks?
Housing costs stand out as a significant stressor for individuals and families seeking assistance from food banks.
What is the minimum wage?
The minimum wage is the lowest hourly rate that a person can be paid for their work.
Why are minimum-wage jobs significant in discussions about automation?
Minimum-wage jobs are often the easiest ones to replace with automation, leading to concerns about job security for low-wage workers.
What does living wage represent?
The living wage generally represents a target above the existing minimum wage, considered necessary for individuals to meet their basic needs.
Why is the minimum wage considered insufficient for the “working poor”?
The minimum wage is often too low for the “working poor” to live on, forcing many to rely on food banks for support.
What did the 2011 Occupy movement highlight regarding global wealth distribution?
The movement raised awareness that 1% of the world’s population controlled 99% of the world’s wealth.
How does income disparity in Canada compare to the global trend highlighted by the Occupy movement?
Income disparities in Canada mirror this trend, with significant wealth concentrated among a small percentage of the population.
How quickly do Canada’s top 100 CEOs earn compared to the average Canadian?
In just three days, Canada’s top 100 CEOs earn as much as the average Canadian does in a year.
What was the salary ratio between the highest-paid CEO and the average Canadian in 2010?
In 2010, the highest-paid CEO’s salary was 189 times that of the average Canadian.
How has the salary ratio changed from 1995 to 2010?
In 1995, the best-paid CEO’s salary was 85 times that of the average Canadian, indicating that inequality in Canada is increasing over time.
What have popular movements aimed to challenge in society?
Popular movements have sought to challenge a system organized around class divisions and social inequality.
What ideology prevails in the West regarding wealth generation?
The prevailing ideology suggests that allowing a small percentage of the population to generate enormous wealth will ultimately benefit everyone else.
How do food bank user statistics contribute to our understanding of poverty in Canada?
Food bank user statistics provide insight into who is poor in Canada and indicate that social inequality is likely to persist.
What do food bank statistics imply about the future of social inequality in Canada?
The statistics suggest that social inequality in Canada isn’t going away any time soon.
