New right theory of inequality

Question 1

1. class inequality saunders

Answer 1

Inequality must occur to encourage competition
-supports principle of equality of opportunity and legal equality
-rejects equality of outcomes and argues a degree of inequality is desirable to motivate people to compete
-critical of left wing governments with interfere with market forces by taxing the rich more
-argues that middle class children do better in education as they are more able+intelligent so deserve to do better than working class children

Question 2

2. social class inequality murray

Answer 2

if work is done to try and equalise society, individuals become complacent
-underclass in uk arising consisting of increased births before marriage, crime+unemployment
-creates dependency culture where poor people have no motivation to work and stay dependant on state benefits

Question 3

social class inequality marsland

Answer 3

there is no incentive to work hard without inequality in society due to the welfare state
-cycle of dependency+ dependency culture
-welfare systems incentivise reliance on state support so traps people in poverty and prevents social mobility
- culture of dependency erodes traditional self reliance and ambition values
-leads to decline in moral standards, weakens the family structure and contributes to social problem so

Question 4

social class herrnstein and murray

Answer 4

those from higher social class groups are part of the cognitive elite so do better than those from lower classes
-intelligence plays a big role in determining social status
-this divide can make it harder for people from lower classes to improve their situations
-higher intelligence is more common among those in upper socioeconomic classes

Question 5

gender murray

Answer 5

single mothers are unable to socialise their children into shared values
-rising birth rates outside of marriage, crime, unemployment are all signs that irresponsible attitudes in the underclass were affecting certain neighbourhoods
-advocates the nuclear family, functional for women to fulfill housewife role, blames single parent mothers

Question 6

Gender dennis and erdos

Answer 6

Matriarchal households encourage criminal behaviour
-matriarchal backgrounds undermine traditional family structures
-such structures prioritise male authority and stable 2 parent families which they see as the foundation of social order and the proper upbringing of children
-focus on fatherlessness and the decline of paternal involvement in child rearing negatively impacting boys development and social cohesion
-matriarchal households lead to social problems including weakened role of men, impact on children, social and moral decline

Question 7

Gender Schlafly

Answer 7

women are genetically designed to be caregivers and should feel priveledge to have this role
-criticism to gender movement by arguing that women should not be fighting to go to work
-mother and wife role should be seen as most fulfilling role in lifetime for women
-“the flight from home is a flight from self, from responsibility, from nature in pursuit of false hopes”

Question 8

gender Margaret Thatcher

Answer 8

A women’s role in the family is vital to a smooth running society
-her policies generally upheld traditional values including gender roles inside the family
-often spoke about the importance of the family as the bedrock of society and thought a stable family was vital to a healthy functioning society
-support for domestic roles of women as wives and mothers caring for children
-policies did not focus on advancing gender equality and had no gender based reforms whilst economic policies had a negative impact on women

Question 9

ethnicity modood

Answer 9

cultural differences contribute to ethnic inequalities
-some ethnic groups face language barriers which reduce their employment chances:
-3/5 bangladeshi women did not speak english
-1/2 pakistani women did not speak english
-1/5 pakistani and bangladeshi men did not speak english
-pakistani and bangladeshi women have the lowest economic activity
-south asian women are frequently portrayed as passive victims and tend to have poorer educational qualifications than men

Question 10

ethnicity murray

Answer 10

inequalities faced by ethnic minorities are due to rising rates of unemployment
-underclass is growing and black youths are less likely to gain employment due to a change in the welfare reform
-benefits discourage these black youths from working
-the homes of these people were littered and unkempt
-children grew up ill schooled

Question 11

ethnicity sewell

Answer 11

lone parenting results in ethnic minority children becoming more likely to partake in criminal activities
-argues that a high proportion of black boys are raised in lone parent families in the uk
-57% of black families with dependant children were headed by lone parents vs 25% white families
-many black boys lacked a male role models and discipline provided by them as a result

Question 12

ethnicity Sowell

Answer 12

inequalities are not a result of structural racism but rather the result of cultural values, personal responsibility and economic freedom
-acknowledges racism but downplays its significance relate to what he sees as more critical factors like cultural values, personal responsibility and economic freedom
-4 areas that cause ethnic inequalities:
1. cultural factors 2. gov intervention 3. inaccurate comparisons of diff ethnic groups successes 4. victim hood mentalities