Social Stratification Slides Flashcards
reactions to social class
according to Nancy Davis of DePauw University, there are three basic emotional reactions - resistance, paralysis, and rage
income
refers to the economic gain attained by wages, salaries, and income transfers from the government
wealth
accumulation assets of goods such as buildings, land, farms, houses, factories, etc
a person’s net worth
difference between all debts and assets
wealth inequality (2015)
the top 20% of Canadians own 67% of all wealth
the bottom owned nothing
child poverty (2016)
roughly 1.2 million children living in poverty, the majority First Nations (50%) and 15% of all other children are considered impoverished
child poverty - First Nations
approximately 50% of all First Nations children (60% on reserves)
child poverty (2016)
roughly 1.2 million children living in poverty, the majority of First Nations (50%) and 15% of all other children are considered impoverished
Christopher Sarlo
economist at Nipissing University
- says that true poverty is “stomach stretching poverty”
- says that we confuse poverty with lacking access to middle-class amenities
- truly impoverished do not have things such as coffee, ketchup, jam, television, or DVD players
- he believes that we exaggerate the level of poverty in Canada
absolute poverty
inability to attain the basic necessities of life (basic needs measure)
relative poverty
inability to secure an average standard of living (low income cut off point)
consequences of relative poverty
delayed vocabulary development, poor health, and hygiene, poor nutrition, absenteeism and low scholastic achievement, behavioral and mental problems (crime/deviance), low housing standards, greater likelihood of poverty in adulthood
*single parent females under the age of 25 are highly impoverished
what social groups are at risk?
family structure is the most important poverty cause
age: 18-25
sex: females
race & ethnicity: visible minorities
social stratification
the system of social class you live in, may be an open or close system
meritocracy
the idea that hard work can improve social class
status
ascribed (the one you’re born with) and achieved (the one you achieve by hard work)
Davis & Moore
- Society is held together by consensus; not based upon conflict
- Inequality is functional for society
- Eliminating inequality would be harmful
- Inequality will continue because it is fun
- Believe we live in a meritocracy
Erik Ohin Wright (conflict theory)
There are more than two classes in contemporary capitalist societies based upon:
1. Control of the means of production (capitalist class)
2. Control of the labour of others (managerial class)
3. Purchase of the labour of others (small business class)
4. Sale of one’s labour (working class)
Karl Marx (conflict theory)
2 societal groups: “haves” and “have-nots”
- the social relationships to the means of production refer to people’s position in society (ex. proletariat & bourgeoisie)
- not high, middle, or low class, but 1% & the rest
- the proletariats are exploited and experience alienation
- the “law of accumulation” suggests that as the bourgeoisie obtain more wealth, the proletariat will eventually have no money to purchase products and the system will collapse
Max Weber (conflict theory)
- one factor cannot explain social stratification
- we should take a multidimensional approach to social stratification
- society will be increasingly controlled by bureaucrats
- inequality will continue
liberal feminism
equal rights under the law
radical feminism
status of women
socialist feminism
dual system theory - capitalism and patriarchy work together
postmodern feminism
gender is socially constructed
