Social inequality
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Social inequality refers to a lack of social equality, where individuals in a society do not have equal social status. Areas of potential social inequality include voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, the extent of property rights and access to education, health care and other social goods.
Inequality is socially created by matching two different kinds of processes. “The social roles in society are first matched to ‘reward packages’ of unequal value, and individual members of society are then allocated to the positions so defined and rewarded” [1]
Social inequality is something that has always existed in the United States. Throughout the history of the United States various groups have been marginalized and denied full access to rights and privileges afforded to citizens of this nation. Although at the root of social inequality may have been wealth or the lack of wealth this theory has been tested time and time again in United States and one must conclude that wealth and access to wealth is not the common denominator. Lawrence Otis Graham, in his book, Our Kind of People, examines the...development and establishment of the black upper class in America over the past 100 years. This population without a doubt has experienced social inequality. Some would argue that this population is still dealing with social inequality. He examines how this marginalized population recreated their own institutions and organizations to cultivate and perpetuate the values, ethics, and more importantly, the wealth that existed amongst them. This is also the case for many ethnic groups that immigrate to the United States. Because of the shared experience of most immigrant populations, one would argue that it is not income that creates inequality, but it is a predisposition of prejudices that one group has towards another. [2][3]
Social inequality is different from economic inequality but the two inequalities are linked. Economic inequality refers to disparities in the distribution of economic assets and income. While economic inequality is caused by the unequal distribution of wealth, social inequality exists because the lack of wealth in certain areas prohibits these people from obtaining the same housing, health care, etc. as the wealthy in societies where access to these social goods depends on wealth. “The degree of inequality in a given reward or asset depends, of course, on its dispersion or concentration across the individuals in the population” [4].
Social Inequality is also linked directly to racial inequality and wealth inequality. The way people behave socially, whether it's discrimination, racism,etc, it tends to trick down on the opportunities and wealth individuals can generate for themselves. A perfect example of this is in Thomas M. Shapiro's book, "The Hidden Cost of Being African American." Shapiro strives to demonstrate how unequal the "Playing Field" is for Blacks and Whites. For instance, middle class families, one black and the other white, are giving different opporutnities in the housing market. The black family is denied a loan from the bank for housing, while the white family is approved.[5] This is a noticeable incident, considering that homeownership is one of the main ways Americans acquire wealth.
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"An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics.” –Plutarch[6]
“Social inequality is the expression of lack of access to housing, health care, education, employment opportunities, politics, and status. It is the exclusion of people from full and equal participation in what we, the members of society, perceive as being valuable, important, personally worthwhile and socially desirable” [7].
[edit] See also
- Horizontal inequality
- Social stratification
- Equality (disambiguation)
- Civil rights
- LGBT social movements
- Educational Inequality
[edit] References
- ^ Grusky, David B. 2001. “The Past, Present and Future of Social Inequality.” Social Stratification: Class, Race, and Gender. Second Edition. Colorado: Westview Press.
- ^ Graham, Lawrence Otis, "Our Kind of People" Harper Perennial 2000
- ^ Brooks, Roy L., "Integration or Separation? A Strategy for Racial Equality" Harvard University Press 1996
- ^ Grusky, David B. 2001. “The Past, Present and Future of Social Inequality.” Social Stratification: Class, Race, and Gender. Second Edition. Colorado: Westview Press.
- ^ Shapiro, Thomas M. "The Hidden Cost of Being African American." Oxford University Press 2004.
- ^ Plutarch Quotes
- ^ Preston, Christine. 1992. Nagle College, Blacktown South. http://www.ptc.nsw.edu.au/scansw/socineq.html
