Paragraph 3 Flashcards
Intro
Finally, a lifestyle choice that can be blamed for income and wealth inequalities is gender and income inequality.
Explain 1
This is because statistically, women in the UK have lower pay than men, and therefore, can often be paid less than a man for doing the same job. Women are also more likely to work in the 5 C’s (cleaning, catering, clerical, cashiering, and childcare) which are the lowest paid sectors in the economy.
Example 1
For example, the gender pay gap in Scotland remans at around 10%, meaning that women will earn 90p for every £1 earned by men.
Analysis 1
This contributes to a higher likelihood of poverty for women, who often must manage low household budgets and go without essentials to survive.
Rebuttal
However, many argue that Racial Discrimination could be more significant than gender in causing income and wealth inequalities in Scotland.
Explain 2
This is because in Scotland, 1 in 3 Black and Asian individuals face discrimination, and the most reported type of crime being racial hate crimes. Data from the Labour market shows that people in minority ethnic groups are more likely to be underemployed, underpaid, and underrepresented in senior roles than their white counterparts. Racial discrimination even outweighs outperforming peers in school, university, etc.
Example 2
For example, the Equalities and Human Rights Committee (Scotland) found that in 2020, 72% of minority ethnic women experienced bias at work, 47% experienced bias during application process, and 41% were overlooked for progression.
Analysis 2
This means they are unfairly treated and are therefore, more likely to face income and wealth inequalities due to racial bias and discrimination.
Evaluation
Overall, due to nearly half of those in poverty were part of an ethnic minority, racial discrimination is more significant when explaining income and wealth inequalities.
