PAPER 2 Social Inequalities Flashcards
patterns+trends in social class inequality: life chances
What are life chances define by Max Weber?
He said that some members of society had much better oppurtunities than others and had the things most people saw as desirable such as:
- the chance to live a long and healthy life
- chance to get a good education
- chance to be in a well paid job
- enjoy holidys and leisure activities.
patterns+trends in social class inequality: income
What is income and some statistics?
Income affects a persons accessability to things. The main sources of incoe come from employment, pensions and savings.
- In 1950-70 there was a slight narrowing of income inequalities but during the 80’s inequalities increased, slowed down in the 90’s but has risen again in recent years.
- In 2013 the poorest 1/5 paid 37.4% of their incomes compared to the rich who paid 35.1% of theirs.
patterns+trends in social class inequality: income
What are some debates about income inequality?
Fucntionalist and new right thinkers say that unequal rewards are beneficial for society.
Weberian and Marxist thinkers say that senior managers are in a position to determine their own salaries whereas ordinary workers have to bargain for rewards.
patterns+trends in social class inequality: wealth
What is wealth and some statistics?
Wealth is seen as the economic respurces or possessions one has.
- The poorest 50% of the popultion have only 10% wealth between them whereas the poorest 10% have virtually no wealth.
- those aged 55-64 have highest wealth, the poorest 1/10 have £28,000 but the top tenth have £1.3 million.
patterns+trends in social class inequality: work and employment
What is work and employment and some statistics?
Weber and Marx both argue that the most privilidged workers are in the highest paying jobs whereas the the less priviledged workers are in the less rewarded.
- in total 20 percent of employees were paid at a rate deemed as below necessary for a basic standard ofliving.
- 77% workers below 20 earned less than the living wage.
patterns+trends in social class inequality: poverty
What is poverty and some statistics?
Those in poverty are at the lower end of the povery scale. Absolute poverty is a lackof basic essentials needed to survive physically. Relative poverty is when a persons income is far below that expected by majority population.
- There is now 1.4 million children in relative poverty
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Functionalism
What does Parsons say about value consensus and stratification?
Parsons argued that in all societies some individuals are better than others at achieving things. He says that entreupreneurs who run businesses creating wealth and jobs deserve the highest rewards as they contribute to the smooth running of society.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Functionalism
What do Davis and Moore say about social stratification?
They say the main function of social stratification is to ensure effective role allocation and performance.
1) It allocates the right people to the most important roles.
2) It ensures people in these roles perform to the highest standards
They argued we can tell which positions were most important by two factors:
1) functional uniqueness
2) The degree of dependence of others.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Functionalism
How does Tumin criticise Davis and Moore?
Two of Tumins criticisms of Davis and Moore are:
- Is it possible to determine the functional importance of a position. For example a cleaner and a brain surgeon are of same importance in a hospital.
- The pool of talent, many people may have talent but only some are given the oppurtunity to pursue it.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? New Right
What does Saunders argue?
He does not see stratification as an inevitable part of society. He sees social equality would only be possible if considerble force was used. For example the threat of death or imprisonment so that everyone does their job properly. He is critical of left wing governments, suchas the labour party that try and equalise society.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? New Right
How can Saunders be criticised?
- Many of the criticisms made my Tumin can be applied to Saunders and the New Right.
- Critics argue that it is mistaken to assume capitalist societies offer more freedom than socialist and communist societies which make people equal.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? New Right
What does Murray say?
He says that providing welfare benefits for groups such as the unemployed and lone-parent families were creating a dependency culture. He said in the UK he found rising birth rates outside of marriage, crime and youth unemployment were infecting neighbourhoods. He called for a reduction in welfare benefits and argued that groups such as lone parents should be encouraged to stand on their two feet.
How can Murray be criticised?
- Victim blaming
- Marxist and Weberian sociologists argue that capitalist societies leads to poverty and inequality.
- Most people on benefits want a job and to earn a decent living.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Marxism
What does Karl Marx say?
he said there are two classes, the bourgeoisie and the prolatariat. The bourgeoisie is the ruling class beacuse they owned the means of production which meant they controlled political systems.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Marxism
What is class conflict?
Marxist argue that the bourgeiosie and prolatariet rely on eachother throigh class struggle. Marx said that three things could lead to capitalisms downfall:
polarisation of social classes: The divide between the working and the ruling class would grow bigger and smaller classes would be driven out.
alienation: workers are used as commodities to increase production and have no control over their own work. Outside of work people are encouraged to find satisfaction in consumer goods rather than human relationships.
economic crisis: capitalism creates boom and bust periods which could lead to a crisis and collapse the whole of capitalism.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Marxism
What is the overthrow of capitalism?
Marx argued that the working class could overthrow the ruling class as it was a far larger group. But they were unable to do so due to ‘false class consciousness’. These are ideological ideas perpetuated through the media, education system and law. Marx was convinced communis would arise where people would work together and society would become classless.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Marxism
How can Marxism be evaluated?
- Marxism ignores the middle class, middle class have grown in size meaning we should be talking about the middle class.
- Ignores the success of capitalism- capitalist societies have flourished. A cycle of boom and bust is good and individuals can enjoy consumer goods and liberal democracy.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? marxism
What is neo marxism?
Gramsci used the ideo of hegemomy to explain why classes have not risen up to revolution. He said that ruling classes rarely exerted power and ruled through persuasion. This was done through media and education to control peoples minds.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? weberian theory
What is Weber’s view on stratification?
He suggested there were three dimensions to social stratification which are status, social class and party.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Weberian theory
What is social class according to Weberian theory?
He said those in the same social class often shared the same market situation. For example owners of big businesses made bigger proffits so had a high market situation. He suggested that in capitalist societies there are four classes:
1) propertied upper class
2) the property-less white collar workers
3) the petty bourgouise
4) the manual working class
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Weberian theory
What is status according to weberian theory?
Status refers to the distribution of social honour. It may be linked to economic or class positions but may also be linked to ethnicity, religion or life style. Those from ethnic minorities may have a low status due to prejudice they face. Someone may have low class but due to sporting achievement or charity they may gain status. Also Caste system in Hindu religion shows how wealth is not important but status is gained through purity.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Weberian theory
What is party according to Weberian theory?
Parties are groups who are concerned with exerting power or influencing decision making. Some are related to class e.g trade unions. Some represent specific status groups e.g the rights of the LGBT.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Weberian theory
How can Weberian theory be evaluated?
Marxists are the main critiques of Weberian theory. They say that focusing on multiple social classes and different dimensions of inequality obscures the fundamental importance of class divisions in capitalist societies.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Feminism
What does Abbot say about social class inequality for women?
Abbott criticises the Goldthorpe scale for completely neglecting women. She says women are important to study as they have different experiences from men in work. They also have lower rates of mobility as they have less chances of reaching the top jobs.
patterns+trends in social class inequality be explained? Postmodernism
What do Postmodernists say about class inequality?
They say that class is losing its significance in society today. Pakulski and Waters say that society is stratified by cultural difference rather than economic difference. Beck said that people have become more individualised and have become more concerned with personal interest
Patterns and trends in gender inequality: work and employment women
What are some statistics for gender inequalities in work and employment?
- men with children are more likely to work than those without which is opposite of the picture for women.
- Women make up 20.4% of directors and just 11.1% of UK bank CEO’s are women.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality: income and wealth women
What are some statistics of gender inequality in income and wealth?
- 22% of women compared to 14% of men have persistent low income
- approx 70% of people in minimum wage jobs are women.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality: poverty women
What are some statistics of gender inequality and poverty?
- In a survey of 10,000 adults, 1 in 4 women live below the poverty line in retirement compared to 12% of men.
- women make up half the population yet 70% of the world’s poor.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality: social mobility- women
What are some statistics on gender inequality and social mobility?
- Savage studied social mobility in 2000’s and found men were 40% likely to climb the career ladder than women.
- African Caribbean women have experienced a 15-20% fall in full time unemployment while white womens remained stable.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality: education males
What statistics show gender inequalities for males in education?
- GCSE results show girls in the UK gain more A-C GCSE’S compared to boys
Patterns and trends in gender inequality: health men
What statistics show gender inequalities for men in health?
- on average, females are likely to live four years longer than men.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality: work and income men
What statistics show gender inequality for men in work and employment?
- 95% of the 200 men people killed in the workplace are men
Patterns and trends in gender inequality: family life men
What statistics show gender inequality for males in family life?
- Fathers working more than 50 hours a week spend less time looking after childen than those working shorter hours.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality explained: liberal feminism
What is liberal feminism?
They are focused on obtaining equal oppurtunities and equal rights for males and females.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality explained: liberal feminism
What does Oakley say?
She says that gender role socialisation is were gender inequality roots from. She says this happens through manipulation and canalisation. Manipulation is encouragement of gender appropriate behaviour and canalisation is the channelling of children towards toys seen as appropriate for their gender. Children learn their gender through internalising behaviour seen in the family e.g imitation of parents.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality explained: liberal feminism
How can liberal feminism be evaluated?
- critics argue that liberal feminista represent middle class women and fail to address the wider range of women such as those from ethnic minorities or working class.
- liberal feminists are often seen as overly optimistic about their achievements.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality explained: marxist feminism
What is marxist feminism?
They argue that social class effects life chances of women. They also argue that the family is a patriarchal institution and that women’s position in the family results them in being exploited by capitalism.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality explained: marxist feminism
What does Feeley speak about?
She says that the family teaches children to submit to a form of parental authority which is patriarchal. She believes the family is ‘designed to teach passivity not rebellion’. The family socialises its members to accept trad gender role. Such ideology supports patriarchy as it suggests that men and women should have different roles.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality explained: marxist feminism
What does Benston say?
She says that a wife keeping her husband in good running order by feeding and caring for him is essential for the smooth running of capitalism. Also, a man providing for his wife and children is less likely to challenge the the capitalist system. She is also highly critical of the nuclear family and sees it as a stabilising force in capitalist society.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality explained: marxist feminism
What does Ansley say?
She says that women act as a ‘safety valve’ and talks about women being the ‘takers of shit’. Men take their frustrations out on their wives so this demonstrates the important role women have in maintaining capitalism.
Patterns and trends in gender inequality explained: marxist feminism
How can marxist feminism be evaluated?
- They are criticised for placing too much emphasis on class and ignore ethnicity and age
- Postmodernists are critical as they argue that class is no longer significant in society today
Patterns and trends in gender inequality explained: radical feminism
What is radical feminism?
They say patriarchy is the main oppresser of women. They say society is ran by men in the interest of men and gender inequality is the outcome of men trying to control and dominate women.
