Slide 2 - Social Inequality Flashcards
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs (Pyramids)
PSLES - find examples of each
From Bottom to top
1. Physiological
2. Safety
3. Love/belonging
4. Esteem
5. Self-actualization
Without the bottom, an individual would
not be able to attain the ones on top.
You cannot reach self actual i action without psychological needs
What are the 5 measures of poverty
- Absolute Poverty: Lack of necessities
- Relative Poverty: Inadequacy compared to average living standards
- Low-Income Measure: Represents people making less than half the median income
- Low-Income Cut-Off [ LICO]
Spending more than 20% more than average Canadians - LI people spend more on necessities - Market Basket Measure [MBM]
estimate of basic goof of a family [ two parents/2 children]
What does “LICO” stand for
Low-Income Cut-Off
People in poverty spend more money than average Canadians on basic needs
Ex. Food, shelter, clothing
What does “MBM” mean
Market Basket Measure
Estimate cost of basic goods, representing modest basic standard of living for a “family”
Two children, one male, one female
What are the 5 measures of poverty
- Absolute Poverty: Lack of necessities
- Relative Poverty: Inadequacy compared to average living standards
- Low-Income Measure [LIM]: Represents people making less than half the median income
- Low-Income Cut-Off [ LICO]
Spending more than 20% more than average Canadians - LI people spend more on necessities - Market Basket Measure [MBM]
estimate of the basic good of a family [ two parents/2 children]
What are the 5 measures of poverty?
- Absolute Poverty: Lack of necessities
- Relative Poverty: Inadequacy compared to average living standards
- Low-Income Measure: Represents people making less than half the median income
- Low-Income Cut-Off [ LICO]
Spending more than 20% more than average Canadians - LI people spend more on necessities - Market Basket Measure [MBM]
estimate of the basic good of a family [ two parents/2 children]
How many people report Canadians being limited in their daily activities due to a disability
14% of adult
Most common disabilities
- Plain
- Flexibility
- Mobility
- Mental/Psychological
What are reasons why immigrants experience higher rates of poverty even if they hold university degrees/skills
foreign education/ work experience is less valued
Racism
Language difficulties
Poor social capital:
The networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively.
What is social stratification
society’s categorization of people into groups based on wealth/income, race, ethnicity, gender, age
4 systems of social stratification
SCES
Slavery
Castes
Estates
Social Classes
Social stratification refers to a society’s categorization of its people into groups based on socioeconomic factors like wealth, income, race, education, ethnicity, gender, occupation, social status, or derived power.
What is social inequality
Unequal distribution of resources
Which country has one of the highest standard of living in the world but still characterized by social inequality
Canada
Which country has one of the highest standard of living in the world but still characterized by social inequality
Canada
What is Social Class - What are the levels
Refers to one’s position in the economic
socio-economic hierarchy
Ex. Upper, Middle, lower designations
How is social status categorized
Can be achieved [ earn it] or ascribed [born with it]
Our social class is generally that of our parents - what type of social status is this?
ascribed statues
What is Meritocracy
demonstrates that anyone can make it through hard work
social mobility
movement within and between classes
Vertical Mobility
Movement between classes
Difference of social/vertical mobility
Social Mobility: moving within the same status category
Ex. Nurse transferring from one hospital to another
Vertical Mobility: Transfer between classes
If a Mcdonald’s worker was to go to college he move up a social ranking into a businessman or whatever
INTRAgenerational vs. INTERgenrational
- Social Mobility can either be one of these
Intergenerational: change in the position of a person or a household as compared with previous generations
Ex. Your grandparents were poor but you are now rich, that in intergenerational
Intragenerational: occurring or existing between members of one generation intragenerational spite also
Ex. Change from being poor [due to parents stability] to being rich after university
INTRAgenerational vs. INTERgenrational
- Social Mobility can either be one of these
Intergenerational: change in the position of a person or a household as compared with previous generations
Ex. Your grandparents were poor but you are now rich, that in intergenerational
Intragenerational: relating to, involving, or affecting several generations.
Ex. No wealth from parents is hard to leave.
Functionalist Theory on Social Inequality
What is Davis Moore Thesis
Inequalities exist in all societies, and as such, they must be necessary
What is functionalist theory
, theory based on the premise that all aspects of a society—institutions, roles, norms, etc. —serve a purpose and that all are indispensable for the long-term survival of the society
How is society suppose to function properly in the eyes of a functionalist theorist
A society must distribute its members into various social positions and persuade them to perform the duties of those positions
We need workers and we need CEO’s
According to Davis and Moore how do we receive the highest economic gains
Must have great importance for society, require greatest training or talent.
According to Davis and Moore how do we receive the highest economic gains
Must have great importance for society, require greatest training or talent.
What is wrong with the functionalist theory in terms of social inequality
Ignores that some social groups earn less regardless of talent and training [athletes/celebrities]
What Theory does Marx fall under
Critical Theory
What is Critical Theory
seeks to confront the social, historical, and ideological forces and structures that produce and constrain it.
is based on the judgment that domination is a problem, that a domination-free society is needed.
Marx’s Theory on social stratification
Social structure is messed up through private property, government taking homes away from people, expropriation of surplus wealth [The surplus produced over and above what is required to survive, which is translated into profit in capitalism] division of labour
Why are capitalist able to keep wages low - Failure of Marxist Revolution
Although wage is low, people need labour and capitalism is able to provide more than enough labour
Weber - Conflict Theories and his contribution to thoughts on social inequality
Argued that class and economic inequalities were not the only measures of social stratification - fights against marx
What were the three things weber thought affected social stratification
Class: Ownership of property; economic inequality
Status: Prestige; honour
Power: Ability to exert control over others despite their objections
Why would overthrowing capitalism not answer inequality
Socialism would transfer the power from the capitalist class to the government elites
what are the three interlocked parts of power in the U.S
Military elite
corporate elite
political elite
what are the three interlocked parts of power in the U.S
Military elite
corporate elite
political elite
what are the three interlocked parts of power in the U.S
Military elite
corporate elite
political elite
What is neoliberalism
current political philosophy; emphasizes privatization,deregulation, reduction of welfare state through reduction in programs and lowering wages
During 1900 what was limited state intervention - Political Economic Theorization
1929- First world war, Spanish flu 1920- roaring the twenties 1929- stock market crash/ people lost everything 1930: Depression 1939: war starts - smart people got together and questioned how lack of control over things such as banks caused depression
Keynesian Economics[welfare state] Political Economics [ 1940-1970]
Heavy government intervention
Higher tax - to make sure everyone had a job - employment insurance, workers compensation, worker plan, family allowances [ more children, more money], housing products/social housing [ private company brought in and paid with our taxes] medical care,
Keynesian Economics[welfare state] Political Economics [ 1940-1970]
Heavy government intervention
Higher tax - to make sure everyone had a job - employment insurance, workers compensation, worker plan, family allowances [ more children, more money], housing products/social housing [ private company brought in and paid with our taxes] medical care,
Examples of neoliberal discourse
from poverty to perversity
tragedy of the commons
criticism of the ‘nanny state’
What is feminization of poverty
women are at greater risk of poverty
Why are women at greater risk of poverty
gender segregation in the workforce
Gendered division of domestic labour
Low wages
Disproportionate responsibility for unpaid care work
What is an interactionist theorist [thorstein veblen] thoughts on social inequality
Highlighted the symbolic embodiment of social inequality through the practice of conspicuous consumption
What is conspicuous consumption
expenditure on or consumption of luxuries on a lavish scale in an attempt to enhance one’s prestige.
What is classism
prejudice against or in favour of people belonging to a particular social class.
What are the three different types of classism? (IIC)
Individual Classism
Institutional Classism
Cultural classism
what is individual classism
classism on a personal or individual level
Behaviour or attitudes
What is institutional classism?
conscious or unconscious classism manifested in societal institutions
Ex. when there is less access to quality healthcare in poorer neighbourhoods; people in those neighbourhoods would experience a higher rate of illness and disease than those in higher-income neighbourhoods who have more convenient access.
What is cultural classism
classism manifest through our cultural norms and practices
NIMBY
Not In My Backyard
Higher-end communities will not support low-income housing into their communities
What is cultural classism
classism manifest through our cultural norms and practices
NIMBY
Not In My Backyard
Higher-end communities will not support low-income housing into their communities
Through the book “Blame the victim’ why do people continue to live their daily life in poverty
based on belief that ‘anyone can make it’ if they work hard- enough
