Social Inequality

Question 1

Social Class and define material and social quality

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Absolute Poverty

Answer 2

Not being able to afford basic necessities such as food, shelter, and clothing

Question 3

Relative Poverty

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Income

Answer 4

The amount of money earned form employment/investments

Question 5

Wealth

Answer 5

The total amount of money or assets someone has

Question 6

Intergenerational Mobility

Answer 6

Differences in social class position between family members of different generations (ex. parents and children)

Question 7

Ascribed Status

Answer 7

A position you were born into or that you take on involuntarily later in life

Question 8

Achieved Status

Answer 8

A position you gain through your achievements, abilities, or efforts

Question 9

Mobility

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Social Stratification

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Closed System

Answer 11

Social systems that have little social mobility; a social position based on ascribed status

Ex. Indian Caste system, European feudal system, etc.

Question 12

Open System

Answer 12

Social systems that allow for social mobility; considers achieved status rather than ascribed status

Question 13

The Basis of Socioeconomic Class Systems

Answer 13

They combine ascribed status and personal achievement in a way that allows for some social mobility

Question 14

Equality of Opportunity

Answer 14

Everyone has an equal chance at success and equal access to resources

Question 15

Equality of Condition

Answer 15

Everyone has roughly equal levels of wealth, status, and, power

Question 16

Meritocracy

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Trends of Income and Wealth Inequality in Canada

Answer 17

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%

Question 18

Global Income Inequality Trends

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Social Inequality

Answer 19

Unequal distribution of resources/opportunities to classes

Question 20

Social Differentiation

Answer 20

Social characteristics–differences, identities, and roles– that are used to differentiate people and divide them into different categories, which have implication for social inequality

Question 21

Power

Answer 21

How many people a person must take orders form vs. how many people a person can give orders to

Question 22

Structural Mobility

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Global Stratification

Answer 23

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

Question 24

Neoliberalism

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Gini Index

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Neo-luddites

Answer 26

People who see technology as symbolizing the coldness and alienation of modern life

Question 27

Bourgeoisie and Petite Bourgeoisie

Answer 27

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)

Question 28

Proletariat and Lumpenproletariat

Answer 28

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”

Question 29

Standard of Living

Answer 29

the level of wealth available to acquire the material necessities and comforts to maintain one’s lifestyle based on income, employment, etc.