Topic 2 - social class inequality Flashcards
Meritocracy?
get rewarded based on how hard you work
Introduction?
Class is difficult to define in modern Britain, as different writers use the term in various ways. However, the evidence is clear: wealthier people are becoming richer, with greater access to quality healthcare and education opportunities.
Operationalising social class?
Sociologists define social class in different ways, with Marxists focusing on the division between the wealthy and poor, while post-modernists argue that the concept of class no longer exists. However, evidence shows that the poorest have significantly harder lives than the wealthy. The 2011 UK Census classified people into five social classes, but this system did not fully reflect the 21st-century social landscape. Today, the Office for National Statistics uses an 8-class system. Collecting class-based data is challenging, as the government often doesn’t gather such information (e.g., police and criminal justice statistics don’t include class data). Nonetheless, the link between class and conviction is widely recognized, with class disparities most evident at the extremes of wealth and power.
Evidence of educational inequality and social class
In the UK, while schools collect extensive data, the government doesn’t specifically measure social class in relation to educational attainment. A common indicator of poverty is eligibility for free school meals (FSM), but this is not always reliable, as not all eligible children claim them. About 14% of children qualify for FSM, and evidence shows these children are less likely to achieve academically. For example, in 2014, only 38% of FSM pupils in urban areas achieved 5 GCSEs A*-C, compared to 65% of other pupils. Elite universities, particularly the Russell Group, have been criticized for favoring wealthy students. A 2013 report revealed that children eligible for FSM were far less likely to gain entry to Oxbridge (odds of 2000:1), compared to privately educated children (odds of 20:1). Only 3% of disadvantaged 18-year-olds entered Russell Group universities, compared to 21% of those from wealthier backgrounds.
Evidence of health inequality and social class
There is strong evidence linking social class to health inequality in the UK. The Black Report (1990) and the Acheson Report (1998) both highlighted widening health disparities between social classes, with income inequality being a key factor. Richer people tend to live longer and enjoy better health. ONS data showed that men in deprived areas lived, on average, 9 years less than those in wealthier areas, with poorer people also spending less of their lives in good health. For example, death rates in Glasgow’s Gorbals district were worse than in some developing countries, with life expectancy at just 57 years. People in poorer areas also suffer from higher rates of mental illness, substance abuse, smoking, infectious disease, and infant mortality. Gareth Williams’ research found that the poor often feel stressed and undervalued due to lack of access to healthcare, contributing to a sense of unfairness.
Evidence of income and inequality with relationship to social class
Wealth inequality in the UK has increased over the past 30 years. The Equality Trust reports that the 100 wealthiest people in the UK own as much as the poorest 18 million. In 2010, high-paying jobs, such as pilots and executives, typically required high levels of education and were considered middle-class professions. In contrast, low-paying jobs in the service sector, like bar staff and cleaners, often require minimal qualifications. The ONS (2012) reported that top earners made an average of £61 per hour, while in 2013, a family with two children was considered poor if they earned £357 or less per week. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2013) found that 13 million people were living in poverty, with 27% of them children. In some areas, like London, higher wages reflect the high cost of living. Despite working full-time, many low-paid workers, such as those earning the minimum wage (£6.31 per hour in 2014) or in construction (£7.70 per hour), still qualify as poor.
