Summary)
Economic
stratification means how people differentiate according to their wealth. Global
inequalities are widespread. Sociologists are interested in such things as
where inequality comes from. We examine whether capitalism is an important
context of inequality. To represent someone's social class or social status,
they combine three characteristics of power, wealth, and reputation.
Where
did inequality and the origin of personal property begin? The origin of
inequality can be found in the transition from hunter / gathering society to
horticulture / pastoralism. In the horticultural / pastoralism societies, the
division of labor has led to surplus goods, which have led to inequality
because some others have accumulated more wealth than others. The concept of
personal private property and private property began to flourish in the late
15th century, beginning in Europe and spreading around the world. Today, the
right to private property is an important value in most societies.
Why
inequality persists in society? Sociologist Joel Charon presents several
reasons for the continuing inequality in society. His argument reflects the
social reproduction theory which focuses on the role of institutions and
cultures in the perpetuation of inequality and the process of maintaining the
social class structure. First, the rich and the strong protect the system of
inequality. Second, culture teaches acceptance of inequality. Third, people can
accept their position in society. In addition, education can help strengthen
acceptance of inequalities, and education prepares each social class
differently depending on the role they will take when leaving school. Finally,
police, courts and prisons work together to protect inequalities. Many such
societies seem to encourage and protect inequalities.
The
functionalist position for layering is as follows. Layering and inequality are
inevitable and help society. It is logical that society should provide more
rewards to fill the most important positions for the most capable people. On
the other hand, the arguments of strugglers about stratification are as
follows. They argue that stratification is dysfunctional and harmful to
society. Competition and inequality are not inevitable but are created and
maintained by people.
As
a result of inequality, people who are rich and educated are more likely to
receive good health care and better health care than the poor. Poor people have
a shorter life expectancy and a greater risk of chronic illness. And the poor
can not provide the same educational opportunities as the wealthy children.
Private tutors, SAT preparation and charter schools allow children in wealthy
families to enter the elite university after graduation and find jobs faster.
Therefore, the circulation of wealth, power and prestige continues.
New/Interesting things I learned)
I
was interested in the fact that culture teaches acceptance of inequality. For
example, in the United States, early cultural values that support
inequalities are learned early. This includes "sacred" ideals of
concentration on individuals, worthy of effort, measurable achievement, and
equal opportunities. People truly embrace this belief. 'If you work hard, you
can go up.' 'You can be whatever you want to be.' 'America is a land of
opportunity. If they work hard, anyone can make it. 'The preceding verses
support existing inequalities, and these values deny the effects of
inequality.
Because
of this cultural value, Americans consider inequality to be just. Rich people
are intellectually superior with talented diligence and are therefore
considered more valuable. Poor people are considered poor because they are
lazy, irresponsible, or lacking something. These are the ideologies that
protect the system of inequality. This ideology justifies the position of the
rich and explains and justifies the position of the poor.
Education
has also helped strengthen the acceptance of inequalities, and police, courts
and prisons worked together to protect inequalities.
I
have been thinking through the above example that I did not take inequality
naturally because of culture or education. I thought that the rich man had
talent and power, and the poor man was not that hard, but I learned from this
article that inequality is a serious problem that can not be solved by effort alone.
Discussion Point)
There
is a book on stratification, author Jean Ziegler's book 'Why is the world half
hungry?'. Jean Ziegler, the UN Special Rapporteur on Food for Human Rights,
tracks the reality of hunger and its causes. There are many people all over the
world who spend their day without scarcity. There are many people who waste
food. However, at the moment of discarding food, there are those who starve to
death because they can not eat a piece of bread on either side of the earth.
"One hundred thousand people a day, one child every five seconds is dying
of hunger." What kind of situation did this unreasonable and murderous
world order emerge from? I would like to take a look at the political, social,
and economic problems that cause hunger through this book and discuss with you
the causes of this serious global inequality.
This is a book that I personally read interesting. If we look at the contents of the book, we know that in spite of the fact that we have enough food, hunger is existed, because everyone wants to have more benefits in the part of the social stability. Even if more resources are produced in the future, they will continue to choose to abandon food to the poor rather than giving them free handouts.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your good feedback. As you say, our society is starving because there are many people who are stable in food but want to get more profit. Therefore, we should try to create a country where we live together rather than wish for our own profit, and we should teach such culture.
DeleteI read this author's other book that was 'the age of greed'. In that book, author said this age is ruled by 'modern feudalism'. That means in the past, nobilities use their power to rule
ReplyDeleteother lower classes, but in this day, a multinational enterprises or massive corporations, likewise past, exploit other impoverished people by their stupendous capital.
So I think this cycle is so massive that the size might be all over the world. I think, unless the world's structures change, this bad cycle will circulate for long time.
Thank you for your good feedback. Thank you for letting me know about this author's other book, "The Age of Greed." Today, we have learned that multinational corporations and big corporations attack other poor people with the same capital as in the past. As long as you do not change the world structure, you said this bad cycle will continue, but I think so too. We will have to discuss ways to solve inequities globally.
Delete