LU 4: Social Inequality Flashcards
What is social inequality?
- Refers to the unequal distribution of resources, opportunities, & privileges among individuals or groups within a society.
- It occurs when some people or groups have more advantages, such as wealth, education, access to healthcare, & political power, while others have fewer opportunities and face disadvantages.
What forms can social inequalities manifest itself?
- economic
- education
- disparities in healthcare
- housing
- employment opportunities
What do social inequalities lead to?
Social stratification, where individuals or groups are categorized into different social classes or ranks based on their access to resources & opportunities.
What are the 4 stratification systems?
- Slavery
- Caste systems
- Estate systems
- Class
Describe slavery as a social stratification?
Status of master and slavery ascribed by race.
Describe the caste system as a social stratification system?
- A hierarchy of ascribed social statuses.
- Social mobility near impossible.
Describe estate system as a social stratification system?
It involved royalty and the exchange of land to nobles for loyalty and military service.
Describe class as a social stratification system:
Social classes are a way of categorizing & understanding the hierarchical structure of society based on the distribution of resources & opportunities.
Describe social inequality under apartheid:
Apartheid was a system of industrialized racial segregation and discrimination that was enforced in SA from 1948 to the early 1990s.
It was a deeply entrenched system of social inequality that systematically oppressed and marginalized non- white racial groups, primarily black SA’s, coloured’s & Indians.
Describe a egalitarian society:
A society in which all members are equal.
What are the 3 indicators of inequality?
- Power
- Prestige
- Wealth.
What was said about inequality & social stratification before 1994?
Read through page 298 and 299 and develop an understanding of the 3 sociological insights captured.
What is Karl Marx’s perspective on class inequality?
- In industrialized societies is foundational to the theory of Marxism.
- Marx analyzed the dynamics of class struggle & social inequality within the context of industrial capitalism.
Describe Weber’s perspectives on class inequality:
- Weber’s approach to understanding social stratification, known as the Weberian perspective, complemented & expanded upon Marx’s ideas.
What are the 6 aspects of Karl Marx’s perspective:
- Class structure
- Exploitation
- Alienation
- Historical materialism
- Class struggle
- Transition to communism.
Describe class structure in the context of Marx:
Marx believed that society was divided into 2 primary classes:
1. The bourgeoisie (capitalist class)- owned means of production such as factories & businesses.
2. The proletariat (working class)- laborers who sold their labour to the bourgeoisie in exchange for wages.
Describe exploitation in the context of Marx:
- Marx argued that the capitalist system was inherently exploitative.
- He believed that capitalists profited by paying workers less than the value of the goods & services they produced.
- This surplus value, extracted from the labour of workers, constituted the source of capitalist profit.
Describe alienation in the context of Marx:
- Workers in industrialized societies became disconnected from the products of the labour and the process of production.
- He saw this as a dehumanizing aspect of capitalism —> powerlessness and alienation among workers.
Describe historical materialism in the context of Marx:
- Suggests that the economic base of society (mode of production) shapes its social & political superstructure.
- He argued that changes in the mode of production would drive historical development, including class struggles and revolutions.
Describe class struggle in the context of Marx:
- He believed that class struggle was inevitable under capitalism.
- He saw it as a neutral response to the exploitation & inequality inherent in the system.
- He predicted that the proletariat would eventually rise against the bourgeoisie in a proletarian Revolution, leading to the establishment of a classless society.
Describe transition to communism in the context of Marx:
- He envisioned communism as the ultimate goal of this evolutionary process.
- In a communist society, there would be no private ownership of the means of production, and wealth would be collectively owned and distributed based on need, not profit.
- This would eliminate class distinctions and social inequality.
What are the 8 aspects of the Weberian perspective of social inequality:
- Multiple dimensions of stratification
- Class
- Status
- Power
- Life chances
- Intersectionality
- Class mobility
- Critique of determinism
Describe the multiple dimensions of stratification in the context of Weber:
Weber argued that social stratification wasn’t solely determined by economic factors, as Marx emphasized, but also by multiple dimensions, including class, status, and power. These 3 dimensions were interrelated but distinct.
Describe class in the context of Weber:
- Weber defined class primarily in terms of an individual’s economic position, including their ownership of property & control over means of production.
- Unlike Marx’s binary division of bourgeoisie & proletariat, Weber recognized a more complex class structure within multiple class groups based on various economic interests & positions.
Describe status in the context of Weber:
- Weber introduced the concept of status groups, which are based on social prestige, honour and lifestyle.
- Status groups can be linked to occupations, educational backgrounds, or cultural attributes.
- Status often influences a persons social standing & opportunities in society.
Describe power in the context of Weber:
- Weber also emphasized the importance of power as a dimension of social stratification.
- Power also refers to an individual’s ability to influence decisions, shape outcomes, & exert control over others.
- It’s not solely tied to economic wealth but can be derived from various sources including political, bureaucratic, and social influence.
Describe life chances in the context of Weber:
Highlighted that individuals social position in terms of class, status and power would be significantly impact their life opportunities, including access ti education, healthcare & overall quality of life.
Describe intersectionality in the context of Weber:
- Webers perspective recognized that individuals can occupy different positions within each dimension of stratification simultaneously.
- This concept of intersectionality acknowledges the complexity of social identities and how they intersect to create unique experiences of inequality.
Describe class mobility in the context of Weber:
While Weber recognized the persistence of class- based inequality, he also noted that individuals could experience mobility between class positions through factors like education, career success & social connections.
Describe the critique of determinism in the context of Weber:
- Unlike Marx, Weber didn’t belief in historical determinism, where a revolution would inevitably lead to communism.
- He viewed social change as influenced by multiple factors, including economic, cultural & political forces.
Describe social inequality in SA today:
- employment equities policies have contributed to a changed race profile in the hierarchy of professions.
- with regards to the 3 back groups (black, colored, Indian), a small elite group has emerged causing a shift away from racially skewed distribution of income to a class- based one.
- ANC closely aligned with an emergent black capitalist class & committed themselves to a BEE policy aimed at acquiring black ownership & control of productive property through privatization of state assets & selling shares in historic white companies to black investors at discounted rates.
What is the impact of the “black middle class?”
- It has however created a larger divide of the black poorer classes with the exception of the “poorest of the poor” who have benefited from social grants.
- Policies favour the black economic elite to fast track their wealth which places their interests above those of the black majority.
- The black elite has steadily risen into ranks of directorships however, upward mobility still needs to be facilitated- AFFIRMATIVE ACTION MEASURES: EMPLOYMENT EQUITY ACT (EEA).
