section 3 - 3A Flashcards
Inequality
Inequality meansextreme differences between poverty and wealth, as well as in peoples’ wellbeing and access to things like jobs, housing and education.
Spatial inequality
unequal distribution of resources and services across different areas or locations.
i.e. healthcare, welfare, public services, household income and infrastructures.
Quality of life
The understanding of the environment and how that can affect the residents or an individual’s personal sense of life.
The objective refers to the characteristics of a society in a given place and time, the conditions within which people seek happiness.
Standard of living
Thisrefers to the level of wealth, comfort, material goods, and necessities available to a certain socioeconomic class orgeographicarea
Factors determining standard of living / quality of life X7
Wealth and Material goods Physical environments and Climate Different classes access and Unfair distribution Economic conditions Communications Physical and mental health
how do you measure social inequality?
- income
- housing - house tenure
- education - literacy rates and gender
- healthcare
how is income used to measure social inequality?
- Income - high income can mean higher level of education, QofL or longer hours, migration etc = no improvement to quality of life
- types of poverty: relative and absolute poverty
- Gini coefficient
relative poverty
- the level of poverty to the distribution of income across population
absolute poverty
- World Bank’s definition: $1.25 per day PPP
(purchasing power parity) - below this level income a person cannot afford to purchase the minimum amount
Gini coefficient
- used to measure levels of income inequality within countries
- defined as a ratio with values between 0-1
- the lower the value the more equal is income distribution
- G CoE of 1 = income in a country in one persons hand
- G CoE of 0 = everyone in a country has equal income
how is housing used to measure social inequality?
- housing tenure: type and quality of accommodation
- house tenure in AC’s: main medium is through loan, mortgage, some rent through private landlords and other rent from council
- housing tenure in LIDC: system of landlords and tenants as well as slum areas
how is education used to measure social inequality?
- formal education: schooling, apprenticeships, universities
- informal education: domestic skills, farming, machinery
- literacy levels
- gender
how is health care used to measure social inequality?
- access to health care - UK ‘postcode lottery’ where you live depends on where you live, level of medical provision through NHS
- levels of ill-health
- number of health professionals
- the measure of number of doctors per 1000 people used to describe health inequality between places at global scale
- varying mobility and life expectancy
- access to clean water, effective sanitation, quality of diet, type of housing, air quality
- social attitudes - Sub-Saharan Africa have HIV/AIDs issues due to attitudes towards male-female relationships and ignorance
how employment is used to measure social inequality ?
- income
- unemployment rates
- employment exceptions: access to employment, informal sector work, long hours low wages
what leads to spatial patterns of social inequality?
- interaction of factors: wealth, housing, health, education and access to services
what does the human development index highlight?
- measures inequality through economic and social factors highlighting the inequality between countries
areas that can vary within wealth aiding spatial patterns of social inequality
- disposable incomes - more disposable income the wealthier you are
- the cost of living - high wages and high cost of living means that person is relatively less well-off
areas that can vary within housing aiding spatial patterns of social inequality
- quality of housing - smaller income, less choice, poor quality and overcrowding = ill-health
- demand exceeds supply - rapid urbanisation = slum housing because municipal authorities overwhelmed
- cost of housing - inflation of price exceeding wages = homelessness
- second-home ownership increase inequality in rural regions
areas that can vary within health aiding spatial patterns of social inequality
- ill-health and deprivation - poor housing, diets, lifestyle and stress day-to-day of poverty decreases mental and physical health
- access to medical services result from poor distribution of services
areas that can vary within education aiding spatial patterns of social inequality
- government investment into education - how far will they take you through education for free
- illiteracy reduces employment opportunities
- gender - obstruct chances - India
areas that can vary within access to services aiding spatial patterns of social inequality in terms of scale
- global scale - medical services - no.of Docs to 1000 people: AC Norway: 4+, EDC Brazil: -2 and LIDC Kenya: -1
- national scale - inequality is regional, urban-rural divide
- capitals/ cities = wealth and investment, lessens further away from core
areas that can vary within access to services aiding spatial patterns of social inequality
- number of services
- accessibility - transport, distance
- social and economic factors - age, income
- digital divide - owning technology and quality of connection: broadband speeds.
DD decreasing inequality: LIDC and EDCs: reducing dangerous alternatives
DD increasing inequality: China and N Korea authorities restricting tech and internet access
