Inequality

1. Inequality Chapters 8 & 9

2. Social Inequality • Members of a society have different amounts of wealth, power, and prestige. • Some degree of inequality in every society

3. Social Stratification • System by which society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy • Stratification is a trait of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences. • Stratification persists over generations. • Stratification is universal but variable. • Stratification involves not just inequality but beliefs.

4. Social mobility • Change in one’s position in the hierarchy • Vertical mobility – up or down in the hierarchy • Horizontal mobility – lateral movement

5. Social Mobility • Intergenerational Mobility – changes in the social position of children relative to their parents. • Intragenerational mobility – changes within a person’s adult life

6. Systems • Open systems – permit some social mobility • Closed systems – allow for very little change in social position

7. Systems • Caste – social stratification based on ascription or birth • Determines occupation • Mandate endogamy • Cultural beliefs underlie system • Limit outgroup social contacts

8. Systems • Class – stratification based on both birth and individual achievement • Meritocracy – stratification based on personal merit • Status consistency – degree of consistency in a person’s standing across various dimensions of social inequality.

9. Ideology • Body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class, or cultural. • Cultural beliefs that justify social stratification

10. Karl Marx • Stratification gives some people advantages over others. • Classes defined by relationship to the means of production • Bourgeoisie – people who own factories and other productive businesses • Proletariat – sell their productive labor to the capitalists • Alienation – experience of isolation and misery resulting from powerlessness

11. Why no revolution? • Fragmented capital class has given more people a stake in the system • Higher standard of living has emerged • Decline in blue, increase in white • Workers are better organized and have caused reform • More extensive legal protections provided

12. Karl Marx • Class consciousness: Subjective awareness of common vested interests and the need for collective political action to bring about change • False consciousness: Attitude held by members of class that does not accurately reflect their objective position

13. Max Weber • 3 components of stratification • Class – similar level of wealth and income • Status – people who rank the same in prestige and lifestyle • Power – ability to exercise one’s will over others • Position in stratification reflects a combination of all 3

14. Socioeconomic status (SES) • Composite ranking based on various dimensions of social inequality

15. Social Classes in the U.S. • Upper class 1- 2% of pop. • Upper-uppers – “blue bloods” – • Lower-uppers – “working rich” – rely on earnings rather than inherited wealth

16. Social Classes in the U.S. Middle class – 40 -45% of pop. • Upper-middles – 10-15% of pop. • Lower middles – 30 – 35% of pop.

17. Social Classes in the U.S. • Working class – 40- 45 % of pop. blue collar jobs • Lower Class – lives unstable and insecure – 20% of population

18. Areas impacted by Class • Health – Higher SES people live longer due to more nutritious foods, safer environment, and better healthcare • Values and attitudes – affluent people more tolerant of controversial behavior, more likely to vote • Family and gender – working class – respect for authority, larger families

19. Poverty • Relative poverty – deprivation of some people relative to those who have more • Absolute poverty – deprivation of resources that is life-threatening

20. Who are the poor? • Stereotype – unmotivated individuals who are unwilling to work • Reality • Over 30% are children • Of poor adults – Over 50% are not able to work due to illness, disability, age, or homemaker status • 2/3 are women • ½ of those women are in transition – economic crisis caused by departure, disability, or death of spouse

21. Herbert Gans • Poverty and the poor satisfy positive functions for many non-poor groups • Society’s dirty work performed at low cost • Creates jobs that serve the poor • Upholds conventional social norms • Guarantees higher status of more affluent • Absorb costs of social change

22. Feminization of poverty • Trend by which women represent an increasing proportion of the poor

23. Global Inequality • High-income countries- rich, industrialized nations • Middle-income countries- some industrialization but primarily agriculture • Low-income countries- primarily agrarian with little industry

24. Slavery • Chattel – one person owns another • Child slavery – abandoned children • Debt bondage – people paid less than charged for food and other necessities • Servile forms of marriage – women must serve husband

25. Modernization Theory • Model of economic and social development that explains global inequality in terms of technological and cultural differences among nations. • Technology raises standard of living • Tradition greatest barrier to econ development

26. Modernization Theory • Rich nations play important roles in economic development • Helping control population • Increasing food production • Introducing industrial technology • Providing foreign aid

27. Dependency Theory • Model of economic and social development that explains global inequality in terms of the historical exploitation of poor societies by rich ones • Economic success of rich societies achieved at the expense of poor ones • Wallerstein’s capitalist world economy