New Right Theories Of Inequality Flashcards
What to the new right believe
That inequality is inevitable and useful for society. They feel society should be run by the needs of business and commerce because market forces will ensure maximum efficiency in governing society. NR suggests the government should not interfere with society. The new right believes in a free market. Choice is a good thing as it encourages competition and increases standards so anything that is seen as restricting choice is bad. They are critical of the welfare state
Trickle down theory
If the wealthy pay less tax and make more profit the money they spend will stimulate the economy create more jobs and jobs everyone will benefit. US president Ronald Reagan and Margaret thatcher agreed that the rich should pay less tax so cut the top rate from 83% to 60% in 1979. By 1988 the top rate tax was 40%. The wealthy go to keep more profits and industries opened by the government were privatised to help fund tax cuts.
The underclass theory
How the poor stay poor and they do not want to help themselves.
. Cultural dep theories - poor have a culture that keeps them from success
. Cycle of dep theories - the poor transmit poverty to there children through poor socialisation
. Underclass theory - combines these two approaches to understanding inequality.
Murray
Claimed the uk had a culture of welfare dependence. He believed people had become dependant on state benefits and were unwilling to work as they felt ones to. A vicious cycle exists as illegitimate children with no role models are badly socialised and educated by single others leads to an increase in crime and deviance. Dennis and erdos - families with ought fathers
Dependency culture
. Saunders
. Suggests that the welfare stare and benefits may support poor people but creates inequality by trapping these people in poverty in what is known as dependency culture.
. As benefits are generous they feel no need to work
. Benefits mean the poor do not need to work they can do tax fr cash in hand jobs and commit to a life of crime
. Underclass members have few skills, badly educated and if they do get work it’s badly paid because of this.
Assessment one new right theories
. NR blame victims of social deprivation for there own misfortunes
. Little to no evidence for trickle down theories
. Claim nuclear family is the best but overlook contrary evidence by feminists
. The policies of the NR in the last 30 yrs have not improved the lives of the poor and in fact hostility on those with benefits has resulted in the sick and disabled bi g penalised and increasingly victimised
. Popular with governments as the gov no longer has to look after the poor or deprived
. Welfare policies Klimt people responsible for themselves and of cutting benefits and services to the sick and disabled have created inequality because families have to take on more. Wallace- burden falls on women.
Zhang
In. 2002 Found a link between school attendance and poverty. Using stats he found children from poorer families were more likely to be absent from school. In 2006 using the same methods he found the poor were more likely to ,is school due to ill health caused by poor housing and unhealthy lifestyles. Concluded frequent illness of children from disadvantaged homes results in poor educational attainment.
