social inequality

In the discipline of Sociology, social inequality is defined as the unequal distribution of goods and burdens based on one's
social class and economic mobility. A good is an element of life that provides value, such as education, home ownership,
health insurance, employment. A burden is an element of life that provides hardship: being marginalized, being unemployed,
having a criminal record, having a low-level of education.
The social inequality definition above indirectly references income and wealth. Income is earnings from work and
investments while wealth is the value of all of one's assets (money and property) minus the debt that they owe. Race,
gender, and sex all contribute to the inequality one faces in society; income is not the sole determining factor of social
inequality, and sociologists do not evaluate inequality on only one element.

Social inequality exists throughout the world because differences in income and access to goods manifests in particular
ways. Some types of inequality include employment income disparities, home loans, educational access.
These social inequality examples are detailed below.
Employment Income Disparities : The World Economic Forum has recorded in 2020 that globally, women have a low
representation in tech and emerging job fields and are represented below 33% in government positions worldwide.
Home Loans : In the housing market, predatory lending practices in the mortgage industry have created increased debt loads
on lower-income populations and created socially divided living. As an example, Spain recently came under investigation for
its lending practices with immigrant populations which has left them struggling with huge debt loads. Additionally, in many
countries, slums or shanty towns develop due to people's inability to qualify for loans.
Educational Access : Worldwide, access to education usually guarantees a higher paying job. However, in some areas of the
world children are forced to leave school early to help support their families. This creates a wage gap directly related to
educational achievement.

SOCIAL INEQUALITY IN AMERICA

Social inequality in America often occurs due to White privilege. White privilege is an unearned social and political advantage that
White persons have over others in America based on being White. Few Whites see their own privilege and do not understand
their dominant position, often assuming that steady employment, living safely, and being given opportunities is normal for
everyone. See below for a few social inequality examples from the United States:

Group Example of Inequality

Chicano (Mexican
American) Many Chicanos are restricted to farm labor or other low-paying jobs and face segregation in school systems.
peoples
Native Americans live primarily in reservations granted to them by the US government. Women in these
Native American reservations are more likely to experience sexual assault by those outside of their community because they
women are perceived as sexually accessible due to longstanding ideologies from the time of the first settlers in the
United States.

It is more likely in the United States that a Black man will be suspected of a crime than a White man. The
African American
1980s War on Drugs has resulted in mass incarceration of Black men and higher penalties for certain types of
men
illegal substances.

Redlining limits loan amounts or allows denials for mortgages to high-risk buyers, who were usually non-
Non-white people
white. This policy was current until 2008.

Social Inequality Theories

Two social theories help us understand social inequality in more depth, Functional Theory and Conflict Theory. First,
Functional Theory, or functionalism, is a view that society is an interrelated system where all the parts contribute to a whole.
This theory can be understood by visualizing each aspect of society as a cog in a machine; they all work together for the
effective operation of the whole. Functional theorists will understand social inequality through the view that discrimination
creates social groupings, and these social groupings support the structure of society.
Second, Conflict Theory is a view that society is an on-going competition; groups are all struggling for political, social, and
economic power. Conflict theorists view social inequality as the result of the dominant group taking actions to maintain its
control.
These two theories are different in their aims:
Functionalists are seeking answers to why inequalities exist and how they actually work to maintain the structure of
society.
Conflict theorists question whether or not inequality is of benefit and seek ways to decrease it or eliminate it.
 CAUSES OF SOCIAL INEQUALITY
The causes of social inequality include society's acceptance of roles, stereotyping, social organization by class (or class systems)
and economic disparity, as well as legislation and political inequality.

Social Organization : Class systems, or a society's Legislation and Political Inequality : Social inequality is also caused
organization by class, also impact social inequalities. through legislation and political inequality. In American politics, there
One's social class is based on their income, level of is still a higher percentage of Whites in Congressional seats (77%)
education, and assumption of prestige based on their than there are of Whites in the country (60%), as of 2021. This can
occupation. Social class, also called socioeconomic lead to policy making that unfairly promotes one race over another
status, can also be an indicator of political leanings. furthering class divisions. People then might place the blame on
For example, in the United States, the wealthy are society for unemployment rates when it may have stemmed from
typically more liberal in their view of social issues, but the legislation.
more conservative in their views on economic issues.
They will aim to protect their wealth but are still
supportive of social programs to benefit those in lower
Stereotypes : Stereotypes, or strong beliefs held by a group about
social classes.
another group based primarily on bias, also pose a problem for
perpetuating social inequalities. The media often perpetuates
stereotypes, further reinforcing their hold on society.
Roles : In all societies there are expected roles for
different groups of people. These groups can be sex or The Cleveland Show which aired for four seasons beginning in 2009
gender based as well as racially defined. A common is an example of media portrayal of stereotypes. The show featured
example of an expected social role is that women are an African American family, and it was heavily criticized for
caregivers. Women then also fulfill the role of nurse stereotypical portrayals of Blacks and gays and lesbians in America.
and teacher because those jobs require compassion, This show was a cartoon and the concern of most centered around
patience, and kindness. how children would learn defamatory stereotypes from it.

CAUSES OF SOCIAL INEQUALITY

Lack of Healthcare : In the United States, social class affects one's Mental Health Disorders : A study published in 2002
access to affordable health care. People in full-time jobs are offered with support from the National Institute of Mental
healthcare, but minority groups often have lower-paying part-time Health showed that without adequate health care,
jobs and have no option for employer-sponsored healthcare. This lower social class persons are two to five times more
can lead to increases in disease in groups with lower likely to go undiagnosed with a mental health disorder
socioeconomic status due to lack of access to regular healthcare. which in turn can cause increases in incarceration.

Inability to Vacation : One's income and Low Graduation Rates : In 2020, data from the National Center for Education
employment also impact their ability to Statistics reported that high school graduation rates for Whites were about 89%
vacation. With part-time work there is while those for African Americans, Native Americans, and Latino students on
not the guarantee of time off. Plus, lower- average are about 75-80%. This may not seem significant, but if 10-15% more
income populations struggle to afford a White students are graduating, then they are more likely to outperform other
trip somewhere different from where races in a job interview. It is also common for urban schools in poor
they live. neighborhoods to have higher dropout rates overall.

How to Measure Social Inequality Social Reforms

The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality that is based A direct response to inequality is social reform, which is a
on income, measuring the distribution of income in a gradual change in society. Reforms are different from
population plotting the median and mean net worth of movements because they take time. While the Civil Rights
society. A 0 equals equality while a 1 equals inequality. In movement in America led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
measuring this on a graph, perfect equality is a straight line increasing equality for African Americans is still on-going.
between the vertical and horizontal axis, and the Lorenz Educational reform is a method that can have lasting
Curve is the curve that represents inequality. The Gini effects on society if it is implemented both locally and
coefficient is calculated based on the space between the nationally. Education for Native American children, for
straight line and the curved line; this is determined by example, is a positive social reform that is continuing to
plotting median and mean income in a society. The World improve. In 1930 the Bureau of Indian Affairs shifted
Bank reported the Gini coefficient in the United States to be education from boarding schools run by White Americans
0.39 in 2017, so there is still a large amount of wealth in the to schools with more indigenous influence. Social reform is
hands of a small number of people. The Gini coefficient is a slow process but can create lasting change and improve
measured every few years in each country. social inequality.