social inequality - H Flashcards
what is social inequality
the unequal distribution of factors such as income, education or health across a population.
what are the two different ways social inequality can occur
can occur between two different places
can occur within a place
what is spatial inequality
the unequal distribution of factors such as income, education or health across geographic space at any scale (local, national, regional)
what is standard of living
the ability to access services and goods
what is quality of life
the extent to which peoples needs and desires (social, phycological, physical) are met.
what is the HDI
human development index - a composite index comprising of:
- life expectancy
- education
- per capita income
the HDI is used to rank countries into tiers of development what are these ranks
very high (>= 0.800)
high (0.700-0.799)
medium (0.550-0.699)
low (<= 0.549)
what is the most widely used measure of inequality in a country
the Gini Index
what does the Gini index look at
the distribution of a nations income or wealth
what do 0 and 100 represent on a Gini index
0 - represents perfect equality
100 - represents perfect inequality
what method was used in the 1980’s to measure inequalities
Brandt line
what is the Brandt line
a line across the globe to visually depict the difference between the “rich north” and “poor south”
why do we avoid the use of the Brant line
it is offensive to use
What is an LIDC
a low income developing country
what is an EDC
an emerging and developing country
what is an AC
advanced countries
why are some countries poorer than others
political factors - conflict, corruption
historical factors - colonial rule, independence
economic factors - trade restrictions, loans
environmental factors -natural disasters, disease
what is absolute poverty
those living in poverty do not have the basic necessities for survival, food, shelter etc. - living on less than $1.90 a day
what is relative poverty
the standard of living for those living in poverty is lower than the general living standards of the rest of the social group - in UK earning less than 60% of median household income.
which factors contribute to social income
income/employment
gender
age
healthcare
education
personal mobility
ethnicity
housing quality
access to services
how does housing quality show inequalities
people who rent have less stability and may face sudden price increases from landlords.
poor housing can lead to health issues e.g. if black mould grows
poor housing can lead to excessive and unexpected repair bills
what is housing tenure
the ownership of a home. people who own their own home have more stability and can plan long term, though mortgage rates can change
what scale does housing quality show
shows social inequality at any scale
how does education affect inequalities
limited access to education can lead to deprivation
when education is invested in skill levels can raise, employment prospects improve, income and access to housing increase.
what do some educational programmes focus on improving
health so children know how to stay healthy and in school
how does healthcare affect inequalities
where you live in the UK can affect your access to the NHS
In other countries if you cant pay for healthcare you have no access
what does a lack of access to healthcare mean
can reduce employment and education opportunities if health issues cant be addressed.
what is an unemployed person
someone seeking employment
what is an economically inactive person
a person not seeking work
What do higher/lower incomes across the country lead to
inequalities as having a higher income can provide benefits.
what is multiple deprivation
where a household is deprived in more than one way
what is the government
the group of people with the authority to govern a country or state
how can governments reduce inequalities
public spending
redistribute wealth through taxation
introduce minimum wages and strengthen working regulations
how can governments reinforce inequalities
investing in some places but not others
impact of infrastructure decisions
impact of fiscal policy e.g. cutting public sector pay
what is the largest amount of government spending
welfare need - pensions, unemployment benefits (£319 billion)
what is the second largest amount of government spending
NHS - (£212 billion)
what project was launched in 2019
the towns fund aiming to invest £3.6 billion into over 100 towns as part of the governments plan to level up
which towns were picked during the towns fund in 2019
three towns in Norfolk and Waveney with the greatest levels of social deprivation however other towns with high levels of poverty and deprivation were overlooked for more urban areas.
what does the government invest in which can improve access to healthcare and education
invest in infrastructure - light rail projects which can boost economic growth and support increased employment and income for low income families who rely on public transport to commute.
How much did the Elizabeth line and where does it go
£19 billion and provides quick travel east-west across London
What is wealth redistribution
when those with higher earnings pay a higher tax (progressive taxation) and then some of this money goes to support more disadvantaged people
in the UK what is the taxation rate
up to £13,000/yr : 0%
13,000 - £50,000/yr : 20%
£50,000 - £125,000/yr - 40%
>£125,000/yr - 45%
wealth can be redistributed in a range of ways
jobseeker’s allowance
free school meals for children from deprived households
disability living allowance
free NHS dental for adults on low income
how does the government reinforce inequalities through public spending
spending in marginal constituencies to sway voters - left many towns left behind as they weren’t improved
how are inequalities reinforced through foreign investment
investment is focused on the UK’s 13 largest cities, in 1997 it was 38% but now is 59% - 2018
why are more deprived areas overlooked by foreign investment
investment tends to be made in areas with transport availability and technological infrastructure - if the government isn’t investing in them they wont be considered for foreign investment.
why is healthcare worse in more deprived areas
they often have fewer GP’s than those in less deprived areas.
What is the patients per GP rate
2017: least deprived have 1,896 per GP - most deprived have 2,125 per GP
What happened after the Beeching Report in the 1960s
5,000 miles of railway were removed and 2,300 stations closed.
what happened to the areas most exposed to rail cuts between 1960 and 1980’s
they have seen 24% less population growth
