Chapter 8

Question 1

Social Stratifaction

Answer 1

Refers to the way in which society is organized into layers (i.e., strata) based on wealth, power, and status.

Question 2

the income of canadians hace tripped since the 1950s. why?

Answer 2

1.Higher productivity: with technology and better
education, our economy has gone post‐industrial: we make more money than we did before.
2. Double incomes: now families have double earners
compared to the ‘50s, because women have entered the work force

Question 3

define income quantile share

Answer 3

It measures how total income is distributed among five equal-sized population groups.

Question 4

What would perfect income equality look like?

Answer 4

Each 20% of the population would receive 20% of the total income.

Question 5

How is income actually distributed in Canada?

Answer 5

Higher-income groups earn a larger share, while lower-income groups earn less.

Question 6

How has income distribution changed over time?

Answer 6

It has shifted due to economic policies, wage growth, and social programs.

Question 7

what is the difference between inequality and poverty?

Answer 7

inequality reders to income distribution, while poverty measures the inability to meet basic needs.

Question 8

how has income distribution in canada changed since the 1970s?

Answer 8

the richest 20% of the population saw their share increase while the poorest 20% saw theirs decresase

Question 9

what is the Gini coefficient?

Answer 9

a measure of income inequality, higher values indicate greater inequality.

Question 10

how does canada compare globally in income inequality?

Answer 10

canada is in the middle, with more equality than the US but less than Scandinavian countries.

Question 11

what is wealth?

Answer 11

wealth is assets (what you own) minus liabilities (what you owe)

Question 12

how is wealth different from income?

Answer 12

income is money earned regularly, while wealth is accumulated assets.

Question 13

why is wealth inequality greater than income inequality?

Answer 13

wealth grows exponentially through investments, while income grows more slowly.

Question 14

what are the 5 factors influencing economic status?

Answer 14

1. natural talent
2. effort
3. education
4. social capital (connections)
5. cultural capital (knowledge)

Question 15

what is social mobility

Answer 15

the ability to move up or down in the social hierarchy

Question 16

What is the difference between intragenerational and intergenerational mobility?

Answer 16

Intragenerational mobility occurs within one’s lifetime; intergenerational mobility occurs between generations.

Question 17

What is the difference between an open and closed society?

Answer 17

Open societies allow mobility based on ability; closed societies have rigid class structures.

Question 18

What are the two types of equality?

Answer 18

Equality of opportunity (chances to participate) and equality of condition (chances to succeed).

Question 19

What is the Market Basket Measure (MBM)?

Answer 19

Canada’s official poverty measure, based on the cost of a basket of essential goods and services.

Question 20

What are common myths about poverty?

Answer 20

1) Poor people don’t want to work, 2) Most poor people are immigrants, 3) Poverty is a lifelong trap.

Question 21

What are the structural causes of poverty?

Answer 21

Economic organization (lack of jobs), social policy (minimum wages, tax systems), and ideology (discrimination).

Question 22

How does inequality affect talent and success?

Answer 22

Large inequality wastes potential by limiting opportunities for lower-income individuals.

Question 23

How do Canadians feel about income inequality?

Answer 23

Many dislike it but oppose government action to reduce it, such as raising taxes.

Question 24

what is the downside to inequality?

Answer 24

it isn’t just due to individual gifts and efforts; a person’s success depends on their family’s social class (not to mention things like race/ethnicity, gender, religion, etc.)

Question 25

what is power as defined by max weber?

Answer 25

Power is not fixed; it can shift. Less powerful groups can gain power through organization and resistance.

Question 26

homelessness is divided into two forms. what are they?

Answer 26

1) unsheltered - sleep in pubic parks, tents, etc... 2) hidden homelessness (couch surfing)

Question 27

what is feminization of poverty

Answer 27

1) Women were more likely to be low-income earners than men (true) 2) Low-Inome gap between women and men was growing (untrue)

Question 28

what is feudalism explained by marx

Answer 28

Feudalism - a system in medieval times where peasants worked land owned by lords, giving them a portion of their harvest in exchange for protection. - Marx argued that feudalism declined as trade and industry grew, forcing peasants off the land and into cites as workers. - Capitalism encouraged technological progress but also widened the gap between the rich and the poor. - Industrialists kept wages low and working conditions poor, enriching a small elite while expanding the working class. - Marx believed workers would eventually realize what was going on, unite with one another and overthrow capitalism to establish communism, where properties would be collectively owned. - He defined class by ones relationship to: ○ Production (distinguishing between the owners) ○ Proletariat (workers) ○ Petite bourgeoise (small business owners) - Overtime, capitalism would reduce society to main classes: ○ Capitalists ○ Workers