Social Class in Canada Flashcards
Income
Earnings from work/investments are unequal; Poorest 20% receive 1/4 of what they should; Richest 20% earn 2x their fair share
Wealth
The total value of all assets minus debts is distributed even more unequally; Richest 20% has maybe 4x more.
Power
Income and wealth are important sources of power
Occupational Prestige
White-collar jobs generally offer more income and prestige than blue-collar jobs; lower-prestige jobs often performed by women, visible minorities, recent immigrants
Ancestry
Affects a person’s opportunities for schooling, occupation and income
Race and Ethnicity
European ancestry enjoy high social standing based on income and wealth; Aboriginal/visible minority families are disadvantaged
Gender
Women have less income, wealth, and occupational prestige
Social Classes in Canada
Low status consistency, and high social mobility
Upper Class
5%. Upper-upper class (high society) inherited their wealth; lower-upper class (working rich) work at high-paying jobs
Middle Class
40-45%. Upper-middle class have significant wealth and almost all attend university; average middles have lest prestige, do white-collar work, and are likely to be high school graduates.
Working Class
30-35%. Lower-middle class do blue-collar work; children are less likely to attend university.
Lower Class
20%. Lack financial security due to low income; many live below poverty line; some complete high school but university/college attendance is rare
Health
Rich people live longer and receive better health care
Values and Attitudes
Affluent people display greater tolerance, tend to be more conservative on economic and more liberal on social issues, and are more likely to vote
Family and Gender
Affluent families pass on advantages (cultural capital) to children; shapes division of family responsibilities (lower class maintain traditional gender roles)