...Gerardo Contreras Gene Lee Econ203 March 1 2013 Income Inequality in America Dissemination of income in America has been a major topic of study by many institutions as well as scholars. Statistics have been gathered from numerous sources, which show that the problem of income inequality has significantly risen since 1970. Income inequality was stabilized for many years. Although income inequality has increased amongst the elite countries in the world, America suffers from this problem the most. Research shows that cause of the wide gap in income inequality has not been decided by gender, which by the way has decreased in America in last twenty years. The Income inequality gap has also not been because of race, or the gap been amongst middle class and lower class, however it has increased. The main reason exists and lies amongst the middle class and highest wage earners, with the disparity being extra dangerous as an individual’s income increases. It is stated that upward redistribution can be held accountable for forty percent of the forecasted Social Security deficit in the following century. Research states that in 2011 it was established that the highest earning one percent of families multiplied about 275 percent after federal taxes and income transfers over a period of 28, compared to a gain of just fewer than 40 percent of the 60 percent in the middle of America's income distribution. Additional researchers found that the trend has continually been ongoing since...
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...essay Question: is gender equality ever possible? Question analyze: key words are gender equality, ever, possible. Gender equality is defined as men and women have same rights. Ever is an absolute term. First mean point: it is possible as there are obvious improvement in social area today compare to the past. However, there are improvements does not mean that gender inequality can be totally eliminated. (India gender parity index has improved from 0.464 in 1975 to 0.918 in 2010. ) Second mean point: gender equality is possible as there are measures to protect woman’s rights. However, this is only for those developed country, for those third world countries the sexism still exists, and it is hard to solve due to economic and political problems. Third mean point: the low education level of female in some part of the world make a vicious cycle, thus women unable to gain their rights. (87% of Afghan are illiterate, in India 44.5% of girls are married before the age of 18.) Fourth mean point: it is impossible to eliminate the gender discrimination as it against some races’ religion and culture. (in Africa people believe only women undergoes genital mutilation is pure, and those who does not are less value. In Malaysia, due to their religion, women have to respect their husband and cover most of their bodies. ) Fifth mean point: it is impossible as men and women are born different physically. Women have to give birth to child. In conclusion, gender equality can never...
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...What causes socio-economic inequality? By Briana Whetston Sociology 101 – 008 Department of Accounting University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, WI 54701 What Causes Socio-economic Inequality? ABSTRACT This paper will look into the reasons of socio-economic inequality of individuals throughout society. The expansive framework of this theme is our class discussion on Stratification. Countless people think of socio-economic inequality specifically as social class. Although this is a part of it, there are many other factors such as gender and racism that contribute to this matter. Furthermore, the overall thesis for this paper is that the causes of socio-economic inequality are caused by more than solely economic factors. The arguments that will support this thesis will be: 1) Gender inequality in the workplace; 2) Discrimination towards age and race 3) Unequal access to education and power; and 4) How the social behaviors of members of society, through forms of discrimination, affect the attitudes of others. This topic has a social relevance, being that countless people around the world are affected by socio-economic inequality. I INTRODUCTION A study done on national income distribution shows that families in the top twenty percent are making 47.2 percent of the nation’s income, while the bottom twenty percent are making only 4.3 percent of it. Correspondingly, ten percent of households in the United States own 68 percent of the nation’s wealth. This proves that...
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...Inequalities, both domestic and global, illuminate the inevitability and functionality of stratification. Discuss. The title of this essay covers a very wide topic of stratification, and in this essay I will look at the many different forms of stratification that exist both at home here in Ireland and also on a worldwide scale, but to begin with I’m going to describe and define what stratification really means. In short stratification is basically how society ranks in hierarchy, which in detail means the vertical or hierarchical division of society according to rank, class or caste. Caste is defined as “a form of social stratification based on inherited status or ascription.” and this definition goes on to say that “ones social destiny is determined at birth with no chance or opportunity to change this class you have been born into.1”. It remains to be argued whether this statement is true or false, ! ! personally I think it is possible to change class or to move up or down a social class. Yes ones social destiny is determined at birth but it is possible to move up and down the social class ladder, all it takes is determination. Although if one is to begin at the bottom of the ladder, born into a family with harsh surroundings, it will be much harder to move up the ranks, as your success largely depends on your cultural background. If there is no one around you to support you with your studies or with any educational things you may be interested in, then doing any of...
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...Gender Inequality Gender inequality is a very real thing in the world we know today. It exists all around the world, even in our America. Gender inequality exists between our average American males, and American females. There are plenty examples of inequality in the workforce and even in homes. Is it not often in the media, around your family, and possibly in yourself you see inequality? Usually it is indeed females that receive the most inequality but there are cases where men are treated unequally. Women in society are often seen as the softer, smooth, and not as physical gender. When in truth this is not as it really is, women can be just as hard, rough, and physical as men. But often women are paid less for the same thing as men, and just because they are women! They are not eligible for certain things, for example – the military where women are not allowed in combat situations. And often women are seen as unequal period in the workforce, therefore some people see it that women should stay in the home working there cleaning, cooking, and other things. But in fact more than 50% of homes in America are dual income. But as mentioned gender inequality is not just in America but indeed affects the whole world. One main area that you may see this in the world would definitely be the Middle East. Due to most people’s religion’s there and just their natural beliefs, women are treated very, very poorly. Also in sports around the world, women are treated differently. Did you...
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...liberal society today, the value of individual’s is vital. Every individual’s voice must be heard through democratic means. Examples of democratic means would be protests and petitions. Individuals have the right and should be able to freely practice their rights and freedoms without any collective rights and freedoms restrictions. This means that individuals are needed in society in order to have a balanced and sustainable social, economic, and political system. In source one, the image provided shows British women lined up against the side of a London road peacefully protesting about women’s right and freedoms as well as gender equality. In the distance, their are men walking around in small groups going about their work....
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...Gender inequality is present in any given society, whether it is in a 16h century society or the 21st, human interactions are guided by gender. As seen in the 16th century play, Othello, women have lower social status than men causing them to be treated with less respect. Today, even though the world has made progress, women face similar problems to women 400 years ago, as women still suffer the wrath of being inferior to men. William Shakespeare play, Othello reveals that in in Venetian society men are superior to women guiding the interactions of characters. However, Shakespeare argues men are no different than women as he questions the legitimacy of gender inequality that guides interaction between people can be extended and applied...
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...Running head: Social Inequalities: Race, Gender, and Age Discrimination Social Inequalities: Race, Gender, and Age Discrimination Austin M. Quick Grand Canyon University SOC 220 May 9, 2010 Social Inequalities: Race, Gender, and Age Discrimination In exploring the reasons that race, gender, and age discrimination occur in American society, this writer came upon an article entitled “Race, Gender, and Workplace Power” written by James R. Elliot and Ryan A. Smith, that helped formulate the reasons these social inequality issues happen in modern American society. The article helps clarify how many stumbling blocks we face as an American society in rectifying these issues as a whole. In reading this article, we all realize that race, gender, and workplace power has played a key role in society for decades and will always play a part in today’s world, whether we admit it or not. This article state how people struggle in life or rise to the top easily. A race, gender, and workplace power effect limits the rise of good, stable jobs, housing, and income. The rules are sometimes hidden to help people that are not educated enough to hold the positions (James R. Elliot and Ryan A. Smith, Race, Gender, and Workplace Power, 2004). For example, a company has an employee who has worked in the same position for five or more years. This employee has proved that they possess leadership skills and happen to the family member of someone in upper management. A...
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...Social Inequality What is social inequality? What are the sources of social inequality? For me, social inequality cannot be described in one sentence. Factors such as race, wealth, class, gender, age, among others all play roles into why people can sometimes be treated unfairly. However before I introspectively reflect on social inequality, there is one theory that suggests where today’s society is heading for me. Karl Marx is known as a prominent economic and political influence that lived during the 19th century. Marx’s theory of stratification is very applicable to where society, especially in the United States, is heading today. According to Marx, society would become divided into two classes, the dominant capitalist or the working class. Essentially the capitalists consist of the owners of production within a country while the working class consists of the laborers. This represents uneven distribution of wealth and resources, which creates a system of stratification. According to Professor Domhoff of the University of California, the top 20% of the workforce owned 89% of all privately held wealth in the United States as of 2010. There is already a large gap between social classes and will only continue to get worse if we continue down the same path as a nation. Whether through higher taxes on the wealthy or tax breaks on the working class, the gap needs to be closed. Money is king of today’s society whether people want to admit it or not. For me I think the uneven...
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...Concept Map Essay - Gender Inequality Gender inequality has been present in the United States throughout the history of its existence. There are many forms of gender inequality such as occupational segregation or the gender pay gap. Over many years the persistence of these issue has been slightly alleviated. However, even with this alleviation gender inequality is constantly a pressing issue that can be found under the microscope of many sociologists and social science professionals. As well as being a formal and academic issue, many individuals from all walks of life argue over civil rights daily to mitigate these social problems. Equality is something that should be freely allowed to people of all social and cultural groups, gender included. However gender inequality manages to impose on even this most simple ideal. The idea to be unfair or unjust to the opposite sex is not one that we are born with, but the gender roles we are raised within might have influence on our later actions toward one gender or another. From a young age we are given, taught, shown, or influenced to act with a feminine or masculine behavior. Little girls are present with dolls and china sets, while little boys are given trucks and toy soldiers. When entered into the world of athletics young girls are often entered into ballet or gymnastics, on the other hand boys start playing baseball or basketball. It is now becoming more common to see just as many girls racing down soccer fields as boys...
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...Although Latin America has faced many social, political, and economic issues within the last three centuries, inequality remains one of the most important, historical, and omnipresent aspects of the region’s culture. As Europeans took over Latin America during the time of colonization, they implemented many elitist social structures that have held strong and are evident today (Harris). Income inequality is the most visible and greatest disparity that the region faces; yet inequality between gender, ethnicities, and education remain strong and significant problems with a necessity for improvement. Inequality of wealth and disparity of power and influence are Latin American’s greatest curses and are at the root of many of the developmental, social, criminal, and political problems that continue to plague the region (De Ferranti). Since inequality has pervaded into every feature of Latin American society, it is important to measure inequality accurately in order to obstruct the causes of the discrimination and prevent new ones from beginning. The Gini Coefficient is an effective way that people indicate the inequality of a country by measuring a frequency distribution of income or wealth. Using the "Gini Index" of inequality in the distribution of income and consumption, the researchers found that Latin America and the Caribbean, from the 1970s through the 1990s, measured nearly 10 points more unequal than Asia, 17.5 points more unequal than the 30 countries in the Organization...
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...Inequality of income is greater in the United States than in other capitalist countries. What do you think explains this? Is there something unjust about extreme inequality? According to the textbook, “… the income distribution in the United States became more equal throughout the twentieth century until about 1973, and the proportion of people living in poverty fell” (Shaw & Barry, 2016, p. 135). Since then, I think that the United States has been able to become more developed even though not everyone has been able to develop with it. Not everyone makes the same income, in fact, more people are less fortunate than others. As of right now, I work as a teller in Jefferson City, Missouri full-time. I am only making 11.50 an hour which really...
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...SOAN 225 | Gender and Poverty | | | Roy Roosevelt Fattouh | 10/4/2014 | | More than one billion in the world today, the great majority of whom are women, live in unacceptable conditions of poverty, mostly in the developing countries. Women represent 70 percent of the world's poor. They comprise more than 50 percent of the world's population but own only one percent of the world's wealth. Their lives are a litany of injustice, discrimination and obstacles that get in the way of achieving their basic needs of good health, safe childbirth, education, and employment. The sequence of discrimination that a woman may suffer during her entire life is unacceptable but all too common. Low income is the major cause that places women at high risk of poverty, and lone mothers are usually at the highest risk for extreme poverty because their income is insufficient to rear children. As the number of unmarried women increases, the diverse causes affecting their poverty must be examined. Poverty is multidimensional, and therefore, economic and socio-cultural factors overlap and contribute to the establishment of poverty. It is a phenomenon with multiple root causes and manifestations. Lack of income is a principal reason for women's risk of poverty as it deprives women of their basic needs and capabilities. As women disproportionately earn less income than men, they are deprived of basic education and health care. This deprivation passes on from one generation of women to...
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...Radzikowski Gender Inequalities Our society is plagued with many inequalities, these inequalities range from education to wealth, yet I believe one of the most prominent forms of inequality today is aimed towards gender. Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or negative perceptions of individuals based on their gender. As of 2012, the World Economic Forum ranks the United States 22nd in terms of gender equality out of 135 countries. America often employs Gender stratification causing the ranking of the sexes in such a way that women are unequal in power, resources, prestige, or presumed worth. For my essay I shall explain the three most prominent forms of gender inequality: Childhood, society and professionalism. Gender inequalities have large-scale consequences for society, as long as we continue to perpetuate gender inequalities men and women will never be considered equal. In the 1800’s during America’s farm economy, women enjoyed and lived equally with men on a family. Farm men and women typically did different jobs men did heavy field labor, woodwork, repairs and worked with large edge tools. In contrast women preformed food preservation and clothing preparation, a farm family could not survive without the skilled labor of both men and women, and in this sense men and women's contribution to the economy of the family farm was equal. Furthermore children were raised and nurtured by both men and women, there were no prescribed roles or expectations of the genders. In a...
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...argued that this mode of analysis is superior to nationally aggregated figures as it establishes a relationship between population shifts and consumption levels. Part Three explores the theoretical underpinnings of growth-pursuant poverty reduction, namely the ‘trickle-down effect’. Attention is given to the concept of the trickle down and its intersection with Chinese domestic policy. Part Four highlights the notable divide between urban, rural, coastal and inland regards for growth and development and considers both the reasoning and implications of this dichotomy. Part Five looks at gender discrimination and the one-child policy throughout China and highlights how economic growth has in many ways exacerbated this problem. The problem of gender division is considered through the theme of rural-urban difference and how this is contributing to the brain drain effect. In order to frame the inequality debate in China, it is necessary...
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