SOC 1000 CH.7 (Inequality)

textbook + lecture notes based

What is the long-term existence of significant differences in access to goods and services among social groups called?

Social inequality

What is the main term used to talk about social inequality?

Class

Who (2) popularized the term class?

Karl Marx + Friedrich Engels

Class is relational, meaning it reflects?

Relationship of the people

Marx Weber said class is relational, reflecting the relationship of people to what he called the?

Means of production

Who is associated with laissez-faire economics and was optimistic that a market free of government interference would raise standard of living for everyone?

Adam Smith

Smith was optimistic that a market free of government interference would raise standards of living for everyone, though he might have agreed with the idea that there will always be at least some “…”

“poor in the land”

Who predicted that famine, disease, and war would "naturally" limit population growth if other measures such as birth control were not taken?

Thomas Malthus

What theorist did not see poverty and inequality as inevitable conditions?

Karl Marx

The means of production are capital. What does this mean?

The funds and properties necessary for large-scale manufacturing and trading

Marx identified 2 relationships to the means of production; the owner (called what?) and the workers (called what?)

Owner: aristocrats

Workers: peasants

Marx called the owners of capital in industrial-era Europe _________

“capitalists”

Karl Marx referred to the members of the “capitalist” class collectively as the __________, who own the means of production

“bourgeoisie”

The class of workers, which succeeded the peasant class of the pre-industrial era, made up the _________

“proletariat”

Marx identified 2 more subclasses. One was the petty (petite) bourgeoisie. Who made up this class?

Small owners w/ little capital (funds/resources)

Marx identified 2 more subclasses. One was the petty (petite) Lumpenproletariat. Who made up this class?

A marginalized “underclass” lacking stable work (e.g. beggars, criminals)

According to Marx, class has a corporate/organic identity as a real _____ ____

“social group”

What is the term for having an awareness of what is in the best interests of one’s class?

Class consciousness

What class (workers/owner) always possesses class consciousness?

Owner class

If the workers didn’t have class consciousness, then what consciousness did they have?

False consciousness

What is false consciousness?

A belief that something is in one’s best interests when it is not

What 3 elements were stressed by Max Weber that contribute to social inequality?

Wealth, prestige, power

Of wealth, prestige and power, which one includes factories + other property used to make money that are highly respected?

Wealth

Of wealth, prestige and power, which is the degree of respect an individuals possessions + master statuses are viewed by a society?

Prestige

Now having defined wealth and prestige, what is power?

The ability of individuals or groups to achieve their goals despite the opposition of others

What 3 people amended Marx’s logic, arguing that there are essentially three different classes in Canada?

Curtis, Grabb, Guppy

What 3 different classes did Curtis, Grabb + Guppy suggest?

Dominant capitalist class, middle class, working class (proletariat)

Which class is composed of those who own or control large-scale production?

Dominant capitalist class

Which class represents a mixed middle category of small business people, educated professional technical or administrative personnel, credentialed?

Middle class

Which class includes people who lack resources or capacities apart from their own labour power?

Working class (proletariat)

What does social stratification describe?

Society as though it is divided into a series of layers (strata)

What are the 2 types of systems within social stratification?

Closed systems + open systems

What is social mobility?

Movement within + between classes

What is vertical mobility?

Movement between classes

What is horizontal mobility?

Movement within the same social class

Social mobility may be intragenerational or intergenerational. What is intrAgenerational?

Changes in a person’s social or economic status within their own lifetime

Social mobility may be intragenerational or intergenerational. What is intERgenerational?

Changes in social class between different generations within a family

Quintile means __%

“20”

The highest quintile for household income range in Canada is?

> $125k

The lowest quintile for household income range in Canada is?

< $38k

Although higher class is only 30% of the population, they hold __% of the total wealth

“57.6”

Upper-middle class and lower-middle class both take up 10% of the population each. How much does the middle middle class take up?

20%

What is ideology?

A set of beliefs about society and the people in it

What is a dominant ideology?

The set of beliefs put forward by, and generally supportive of, society’s dominant culture and/or classes

In Marxist terms, dominant ideology reflects the class consciousness of the ruling capitalist class and is used to defend or justify the _____ ___

“status quo”

What is described in the trickle-down theory?

If the wealthy are given the freedom to generate more wealth, others in society will benefit

What kind of dominant ideology is neoliberalism/neoliberal ideology?

Views the individual as a more or less independent player on the sociological scene

Neoliberalism reflects a belief in a great deal of _____ ______

“social mobility”

Neoliberalism may result in what upon failure?

Blaming the victim

What does a counter-ideology offer?

A critique of a dominant ideology, challenges its justice and its universal applicability to society

Who was a critic of the dominant ideology, using the term “hegemony” to explain its prevalence?

Antonio Gramsci

What is hegemony?

A set of non-coercive methods of maintaining power used by the dominant class (e.g. through media or educational system)

There are what 3 types/levels of food insecurity?

Marginal, moderate, severe

Worrying about running out of food or limited food selection due to $ is an example of?

Marginal food insecurity

Compromising in quality or quantity of food due to $ is an example of?

Moderate food insecurity

Missing meals, reducing food intake, and going days without food due to $ is an example of?

Severe food insecurity

What is a living wage?

A target above the existing minimum wage considered too low for the “working poor” to live in

What does 1% refer to?

1% of the world’s population controlled 99% of the world’s wealth

Inequality in Canada is (increasing/decreasing)?

Increasing