Social Inequality Flashcards
Social Class and define material and social quality
A group of individuals who share a similar socioeconomic position based on income, wealth, education, and occupation
Material quality are individuals’ positions within a given economic system
Social quality is the formation of common class interests, political divisions, sites of conflict, life chances, etc.
Both contribute to social inequality
Absolute Poverty
Not being able to afford basic necessities such as food, shelter, and clothing
Relative Poverty
Being poor in comparison to other people in society. The minimum amount of income/resources needed to be able to participate in the “ordinary living patterns, customs, and activities” of a society
Income
The amount of money earned form employment/investments
Wealth
The total amount of money or assets someone has
Intergenerational Mobility
Differences in social class position between family members of different generations (ex. parents and children)
Ascribed Status
A position you were born into or that you take on involuntarily later in life
Achieved Status
A position you gain through your achievements, abilities, or efforts
Mobility
Moving from one social class position to another, upwards or downwards
Did You Know?: people who do well are more likely to have children who do well. In general, it’s becoming more difficult to experience upward mobility in Canada
Social Stratification
A system by which society categorizes people and ranks them in a hierarchy. This differs across generations and gives people different life chances. It’s a system of social inequality
Ex. Patriarchy
Closed System
Social systems that have little social mobility; a social position based on ascribed status
Ex. Indian Caste system, European feudal system, etc.
Open System
Social systems that allow for social mobility; considers achieved status rather than ascribed status
The Basis of Socioeconomic Class Systems
They combine ascribed status and personal achievement in a way that allows for some social mobility
Equality of Opportunity
Everyone has an equal chance at success and equal access to resources
Equality of Condition
Everyone has roughly equal levels of wealth, status, and, power
Meritocracy
Social mobility based on personal merit and individual talents. “Hard work only takes someone so far,” meaning the advantages an individual starts with (ex. family wealth), affect where they end up in life
Trends of Income and Wealth Inequality in Canada
Inequality of parental income increased and children’s income mobility decreased (comparing parents and children income)
Between 2012 and 2016, the wealth of the ultra wealthiest increased by 37% while the wealth of the middle class increased by 16%
Global Income Inequality Trends
The income gap between the upper and lower socioeconomic class is getting worse. Huge increase in wealth at the top, and stagnant or decreasing wealth at the bottom, meaning inequality has increased or stayed the same over time. People are pessimistic with inequality.
Did You Know?: the number of billionaires has doubled over the past decade
Social Inequality
Unequal distribution of resources/opportunities to classes
Social Differentiation
Social characteristics–differences, identities, and roles– that are used to differentiate people and divide them into different categories, which have implication for social inequality
Power
How many people a person must take orders form vs. how many people a person can give orders to
Structural Mobility
Occurs when societal changes enables a whole group of people to move up or down the social class ladder. Attributes to changes in society as a whole, not individual changes
Global Stratification
Compares the wealth, economic stability, status, and power of countries across the world. Growing inequality stems from a shift in government policy from a welfare state model of redistribution of resources to a neoliberal model
Neoliberalism
Abandons the interventionist model of the welfare state to emphasize the use of “free market” mechanisms to regulate society
Ex. MSP in Canada, mandatory high school education
Gini Index
Measure of income inequality
The higher the Gini coefficient, the greater the inequality: the high-income groups are receiving much larger percentages of the total income of the population
Neo-luddites
People who see technology as symbolizing the coldness and alienation of modern life
Bourgeoisie and Petite Bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie is the capitalist class who owns and controls productive property while petite bourgeoisie are those who own some property but still have to rely on their own labour (ex. farmers)
Proletariat and Lumpenproletariat
Proletariat is the working class who lives from selling their labour to the capitalists while the lumpenproletariat are those who are constantly unemployed/irregularly employed. Marx called them as the “reserve army of labour”
Standard of Living
the level of wealth available to acquire the material necessities and comforts to maintain one’s lifestyle based on income, employment, etc.
