SOCIOL 1A06 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Barbara Ehrenreich, Social Inequality, Social Mobility
21 Jan 2017
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Document Summary
Social strati cation = patterns of social inequality that exist because of how wealth, power and prestige are distributed across society and passed down from one generation to the next. Inequality has always existed and will always exist. We will always have rich and poor people in society and there is no escaping that fact. Historically inaccurate: rates of income inequality have varied even in most recent history. Canadian context: gap between rich and poor, rates of child poverty (race and ethnicity matter) has increased in last decade. Low income among elderly (65+) single canadians has declined (government established generous transfer payments) Denies cross national differences in levels of social inequality: Explained by differences in how government creates social policy. Single parents (differences cross-nationally - better government support) Meritocracy trumps inequality structures - if you work hard enough and are determined enough, you will succeed .
