New Right Flashcards
(12 cards)
New Right Perspective
Modern perspective of functionalism
Believe inequality is inevitable and useful to society
Argue that the government should have limited interference in society, as it is a significant cause of inequality
Free Market Economics & Choice
Competition and freedom of choice create a healthy and functioning society
People should be free to make their own decisions and in turn accept responsibility for their own actions
Approaches to Tax & Welfare
Anything that restricts choice and competition, or personal responsibility is negative
High levels of income tax is negative - limits choice as government decides how to spend money
Over generous welfare payments cause inequality as they allow people to survive without contributing to society
The welfare state has reduced personal responsibility and allowed people to become dependent on welfare benefits
Wales has the highest rate of economic inactivity
Herbert Spencer
Poverty Benefits Society
Poverty is good for society because it encourages poor people to work harder; those who experience poverty deserve their position as they have not worked hard enough
Trickle Down Economics
The wealthy should pay less tax and make more profit and the money they spend will create more jobs and everyone will benefit (trickle down the social structure)
Government should reduce tax rates and wealthy people are able to keep more of their income to spend, creating jobs and opportunities for all - this benefits the whole of society
Reasons for an Underclass in the UK
Cultural Deprivation:
-the poor have a culture that keeps them from success
Cycle of Deprivation:
-the poor transmit poverty to their children through poor socialisation
Underclass Theory:
-welfare state is to blame for the extent of inequality, it has created a group of people unwilling to work and reliant on benefits
Mike O’Brian
Deserving & Undeserving Poor
Deserving Poor:
-people who experience deprivation for reasons beyond their control and struggle to work their way out of poverty
Undeserving Poor:
-people who live by crime and relying on welfare by choice, many spend their money on alcohol and drugs
Christopher Jenks
Welfare Benefits & Undeserving Poor
The majority of the people receiving benefits are undeserving poor because:
- They are more criminal than others
- They refuse to do well in school and are uneducated
- They are able to work, but insist on making a choice to rely on benefits
Charles Murray
Underclass
Welfare Dependency:
-has developed in the UK
-underclass has developed; unwilling to work, become dependent on state benefits to support them
Cycle of Poverty:
-with illegitimate children, with no male role models, relying on welfare benefits, badly socialised by single mothers, creating generations like themselves
This leads to a class of people who are dependent on welfare benefits, at the bottom of the social stratification structure - increasing the polarised nature of inequality
Hernstein & Murray
Bell Curve
Link between genetics, IQ and class structure
Lower socioeconomic groups = low IQ
IQ reflects ability - those with high IQ end up with the highest qualifications and high status jobs
There is cognitive stratification in the workplace; highest ability, highest status jobs
There has been a growth of high IQ jobs, leading to greater inequality
High skilled = high paid
Peter Saunders
Society is Unequal but Meritocratic
Although Uk is an unequal society, it is not unfair, he suggests that Britain is meritocratic
Personal ambition are the basis for success
Those who are willing and able to work will succeed
There is a link between ability distribution and social class
Peter Saunders
Welfare State as a Cause of Inequality
Benefits are too high and too generous - people no longer need to work to live comfortably
The poor can do tax free, cash in hand work and commit crimes like drug dealing to supplement their incomes
Underclass are badly educated, with few qualifications, so they do not get work, these jobs are so low paid, that it is not in their interests to work
