Unit 2 Social Inequality

Question 1

What is social inequality?

Answer 1

The unequal distribution of RESOURCES such as power, wealth and income and OPPORTUNITIES (related, for example, to health, education and employment)
Social class, gender, ethnicity and age are all sources of inequality in modern British society.

Question 2

What is social stratification?

Answer 2

The way society is structured into a hierarchy of strata that are unequally ranked. A social hierarchy is shaped like a pyramid with each layer more powerful than the one below it. The most privileged group forms the top layer. Inequalities are based on wealth, income, status and power.

Question 3

Describe 2 examples of closed stratification social systems where status is ascribed.

Answer 3

1. Apartheid in South Africa - social hierarchy decided by ethnicity - where being white put you at the top, and being black put you at the bottom.
2. Caste system in India - place in society depended on your caste. Highest castes had the most opportunities. If low caste couldn’t marry people higher up or take certain jobs.

Question 4

What is meant by achieved status and how does this link to social mobility?

Answer 4

Social positions that are earned on the basis of individuals’ talents or abilities, which allows individuals to move up through the social hierarchy - for example become a higher class in UK.

Question 5

What is meant by ‘life chances’?

Answer 5

An individual’s chances of achieving positive or negative outcomes (relating, for example, to health, education, housing) as they progress through life. The lowest social classes have the poor life chances e.g. lower life expectancy, lower educational qualifications and pay.

Question 6

What did Karl Marx believe about society that the social theory of Marxism is based upon?

Answer 6

Karl Marx believed that class membership was determined by economic factors (ownership & non-ownership). He identified two main classes in capitalist society:
- Bourgeoisie (capitalist/ruling class).  Wealthy and own property, big businesses, land and factories. Main interest - higher profits
- Proletariat (working classes).  Own no property - forced to sell their labour to the bourgeoisie to survive. Main interest - higher wages
These two classed have very different interests and this leads to CONFLICT between them (conflict theory).

Question 7

What did Max Weber say about how society is organised?

Answer 7

Max Weber identified four main classes with different life chances in the labour market:
- Property owners
- Professionals
- Petty bourgeoisie
- Working class
Similarly to Marx, Weber saw class as based on economic factors. He also stressed the importance of status and power in determining life chances.

Question 8

What is the Functionalist approach to society?

Answer 8

Modern society requires a system of unequal rewards. This provides an incentive for the most talented people to train for the key occupations that are essential for society to continue (compared to the body and how each organ must work properly for the body to). These top positions must provide rewards such as high pay/status to attract the most able people.

Question 9

What was the measurement of social class until 1998 and why was it replaced (2 reasons)?

Answer 9

RGS - Registrar General’s Scale: Places people in classes based on their occupation. Occupations were divided into manual (seen as working class) and non-manual (seen as middle and upper class).

1. Scale based on occupation so difficult to place people without jobs (such as students, retired and unemployed) into a social class.
2. Class position of a jobless married woman was assessed on the basis of her husband’s occupation, which might be misleading

Question 10

What is the NS-SEC and why is it seen as an improvement on the RGS (2 reasons)?

Answer 10

NS-SEC is National Statistics Socio-economic Classfication and the new measure of social class since 1998.
Better than RGS  - it uses occupation but covers the whole population including students and long term unemployed people and takes account of a person's authority  (are they a manager or worker).

Question 11

Define Institutional racism

Answer 11

A process that produces racist outcomes, even when the individuals themselves act without racist intent.

Question 12

Which criminal case brought Institutional racism to the public?

Answer 12

Stephen Lawrence inquiry which led to the Macpherson report that identified way the police were institutionally racist and make recommendations for change e.g. increasing the number of minority ethnic officers.

Question 13

Name two institutions in which racism could affect someone’s life chances

Answer 13

Education
Employment
Justice system

Question 14

Name two ways in which the Government has attempted to tackle racism and inequality.

Answer 14

1. The 1976 Race Relations Act outlawed discrimination based on ethnicity
2. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has powers to enforce the equality laws and to shape public policy on equality issues

Question 15

What is a social construction?

Answer 15

A phenomenon that is created and developed by society

Question 16

Name two Government policies that have attempted to tackle gender inequality

Answer 16

Equal Pay Act (1970)

Sex Discrimination Act (1975)

Question 17

What is the ‘triple shift’?

Answer 17

1. Paid employment
2. Domestic labour - housework, childcare
3. Emotion work – making children and partners feel good

Question 18

What is the ‘glass ceiling’?

Answer 18

Invisible barrier of discrimination which makes it difficult for women to reach the same top levels in their chosen careers as similarly qualified men.

Question 19

What type of society to feminists claim we live in?

Answer 19

Patriarchal (male dominated)

Question 20

Name 2 changes in society that have improved the position of women?

Answer 20

1. Smaller family size giving greater opportunities to enter paid employment.
2. More jobs for women with more jobs in the public sector and in administration.

Question 21

Name one difference between childhood 100 years ago and today’s society

Answer 21

1. Today child labour is socially unacceptable and illegal
2. Restrictions imposed on employing children
3. Full time compulsory education introduced

Question 22

Why might ‘age’ be a barrier to life chances?

Answer 22

Ageism - e.g. when employers have attitudes about the commitment/experience of young people or the ability to use technology by the elderly.

Question 23

Give one example of a government policy to tackle ageism.

Answer 23

1. Employment Equality Regulations (2006) outlawed age discrimination and harassment in employment
2. Equality Act (2010) banned age discrimination outside workplace.

Question 24

One way in which the UK government define poverty in modern society

Answer 24

Low income = those below 60% of the income of the median income for the population

Question 25

What s the difference between wealth and income?

Answer 25

Wealth = owning assets e.g. houses,land, shares and savings.
Income = resources received over a period of time e.g. wages, welfare benefits, pensions.

Question 26

What do sociologists mean by social exclusion?

Answer 26

People are marginalized or excluded from participating in education, work, community life and access to services. Experienced by those living in relative poverty - so likely to suffer from material deprivation.

Question 27

Name one factor in the Culture of Poverty

Answer 27

Poverty was seen as part of their culture and way of life. The poorest section of society were socialized within subculture of poverty.
Socialisation = unable to break free from povertyset of values to cope with their position.
People can do little to change their situation so may as well accept i. tLive for the moment, don’t worry about tomorrow. There is no point saving up of planning for the future
Help them adapt to their situation but also stop them from escaping and this passed on through family.

Question 28

What characterises the underclass?

Answer 28

Crime
Extramarital births
Unemployment

Question 29

Why would some sociologists claim the working class has disappeared?

Answer 29

In the 1980’s many were able to buy their council homes and moved into white-collar jobs. Others suffered unemployment from loss of industry and became welfare state dependent and fell into the underclass.

Question 30

What is the difference between INTER-generational and INTRA-generational mobility?

Answer 30

INTER-generational compares adult’s present occupation/income with family she/he born into while INTRA-generational compares adult’s present occupation/income with his/her first occupation or income. So, INTER BETWEEN generations and INTRA WITHIN 1 generation.

Question 31

What is elitism?

Answer 31

Where a small group (bourgeoise) hold great power and privilege in society, and maintain this through connections (old boy’s network) .

Question 32

What is social capital?

Answer 32

The social networks of influence and support that people have. Most likely to have these if white British, middle and upper class,

Question 33

What is the poverty trap?

Answer 33

Where people are unable to escape from poverty due to welfare state dependency. Benefits are reduced when income improves and can still mean that an individual cannot get out of poverty.

Question 34

What is the New Right explanation for poverty?

Answer 34

1980’s/90’s group of sociologists and politicians who focus on the behaviour of the ‘undeserving poor’. They believe that the government gives too many benefits, making it too easy for the poor to stay in poverty.

Question 35

What is the cycle of deprivation?

Answer 35

Poverty affects more than the individual – it’s intergenerational (passed on to future generations). This can be the result of material deprivation and/or culture of poverty.

Question 36

What is the life cycle of poverty?

Answer 36

The points in life where people are most likely to be in poverty e.g. children, families with young children and the elderly.

Question 37

What has the government done to tackle poverty?

Answer 37

The welfare state provides:

1. Range of welfare benefits for groups such as unemployed, sick and disabled, lone parents and children.
2. Largely free NHS
3. Free and compulsory state education for all to 18. Policies such as ‘Pupil Premium’ provide additional support to the poorest families.

Question 38

Why is social inequality important to sociologists?

Answer 38

Modern society has such a range of inequalities:

1. Gap between rich and poor has grown rapidly since 1979.
2. Inequalities have a huge impact upon life chances.

Question 39

What is an advantage and disadvantage of means-tested benefits?

Answer 39

Advantage - means the money goes to the people most in need.
Disadvantage - having to apply for benefits can be difficult for those without access to computers or with low literacy levels.

Question 40

What is the digital divide and how does it relate to social exclusion?

Answer 40

Boyle identifies this as a new form of social stratification - division between those who have access to new media technology such as internet and digital TV and those who don’t. This can exclude people from participating online for jobs, benefits, finding out about goods and services.