Chapter 1: an Introduction to the Study of Social Inequality

CHAPTER 1: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF SOCIAL INEQUALITY

Multiple Choice:

1. Which of the following is the study of social inequality NOT concerned with? (p. 10) a. individuals and groups b. personal positions c. psychological positioning d. structural arrangements

2. Which of the following is NOT an event that has led to greater social inequality? (p. 3) a. Companies have been able to pass of their pension obligations to the federal government. b. Blue-collar workers have been especially hard-hit because manufacturing jobs have either moved or been shut down. c. The streamlining and downsizing of businesses have increased job opportunities for experienced, specialized workers. d. The downsizing of companies has impacted white-collar workers.

3. Which of the following is a true statement supporting the argument that inequality is not inevitable? (p. 5) a. Hard work determines the level of economic inequality faced by an individual. b. Discrimination is a factor that contributes to inequality. c. Inequality is a by-product of differences in individual talents, characteristics, and motivations. d. Private property opens up opportunities for economic equality.

4. Which of the following statements would be made by functionalists regarding inequality? (p. 5) a. Inequality is a necessary function of society. b. Inequality endangers society. c. Inequality is unnecessary but not a bad thing. d. Inequality hinders individuals from filling the most difficult societal positions.

5. Which of the following is NOT a type of equality cited by Bryan Turner (1986)? (p. 5) a. equality of opportunity b. equality of the individual c. equality of outcome d. equality of income

6. The ideal conditions of pure capitalism assumes equality of: (p. 7) a. result. b. opportunity. c. condition. d. income.

7. Capitalism: (p. 7) a. is generally viewed by liberals as irrelevant for democracy. b. is generally viewed by conservatives as a promoter of democracy. c. stresses the value of “equality of result” rather than “equality of opportunity.” d. is universally viewed as an economic system separate from the political system of democracy.

8. Conservatives argue that: (p. 8) a. inequality can be eliminated. b. inequality is incompatible with a free society. c. inequality in material rewards is harmful to society. d. distinct social classes are largely nonexistent in the U.S.

9. Liberals tend to argue that: (p. 8) a. the U.S. is a classless society. b. unbridled capitalism is destructive of human beings. c. the effects of inequality on individuals are primarily positive. d. inequality is largely a natural phenomenon, rather than an artificial creation.

10. Conservatives are more likely than liberals to argue that: (pp. 7- 8) a. people are basically the same in their talents and abilities. b. inequality is the result of the structure of the political economy in society. c. inequality is rooted in biological and inherited differences between individuals. d. characteristics of the labor market and work organizations are the primary reason for economic differences between individuals.

11. The belief in the classlessness of U.S. society is encouraged by: (p. 6) a. lack of agreement about the definition of social class. b. the increasing trend toward less privacy and personal security in the U.S. c. the presence of many reliable and clear-cut physical clues to class position. d. the belief that economic differences exist between categories of people not just individuals.

12. Recent data clearly indicate that for the U.S.: (pp. 2-8) a. poverty has been virtually eliminated. b. economic differences between social classes have sharply diminished . c. globalization has improved the economic well-being of virtually all Americans. d. none of the above

13. There is universal agreement that: (p. 2) a. social classes exist in the U.S. b. inequality is inevitable and natural. c. capitalism is an enemy of democracy. d. none of the above

14. The cultural aspect of the argument that socioeconomic differences between groups are decreasing stresses: (pp. 2-9) a. the massive growth in the poor population in the U.S. b. the tendency for individuals in different classes to adopt the same values. c. the decline in the importance of race and sex as determinants of economic position. d. governmental policies aid the poor as well as restrain the growth in the wealth of the rich.

15. Survey research indicates that Americans believe that “hard work” is the most important factor determining one’s movement within the U.S. class structure. This belief is most consistent with which position? (p. 4) a. Inequality has sharply increased in recent years. b. Equality of opportunity is preferable to equality of outcome. c. Inequality is due to the obstacles that those in higher classes place in front of those in lower classes. d. Inequality produces significant damaging social consequences for many people from certain social categories in our society.

16. The less social interaction you have with people from social classes different than yours, the greater the likelihood that: (p. 6) a. social class is “invisible” for you. b. you are aware of significant class differences between people. c. you will believe that inequality produces detrimental consequences for society. d. you will believe that poverty is a result of the system rather than the poor themselves. 17. Which of the flowing is NOT a consequence of globalization? (pp. 8-9) a. Freedom and open borders advantage wealthy countries while disadvantaging poor ones. b. Transnational corporations and other international organizations can bypass regulations of national governments, weakening their power. c. International relationships have become more complicated. d. The inflow of immigrant workers decreases the significance of status differences and inequality.

True or False:

1. There appears to be a good deal of agreement among government officials on how poverty should be defined. (p. 9) F

2. Liberals conclude that inequality is neither inevitable nor desirable. (p. 8) T

3. Aristotle argued that men and women are equal in qualities and abilities. (p. 4) F

4. Capitalism’s ideal conditions assume equality of result. (p. 7) F

5. How a concept is measured significantly affects the results of research. (p. 9) T

6. There is really no difference between the concepts of “sex” and “gender.” (p. 10) F

7. The negative effects of social inequality appear to be limited to the poor. (p. 3) F

8. Over the past few decades, class mobility has increased. (p. 2) F

9. Statistics confirm that inequality is decreasing. (p. 2) F

10. In the last 30 years, class has become less important. (p. 2) F

11. Since the late 1990s, the incomes of the bottom 20% of families has increased by 3%. (p. 2) F

12. Since the late 1990s, the incomes of the top 20% of families has increased over 9%. (p. 2) T

13. In 2009, CEOs in 500 of the top U.S. corporations received 263 times the pay of the average worker. (p. 2) T

14. CEO compensation has increased at a much lower rate than the average worker. (p. 2) F

15. There is general consensus among those studying social inequality as to the measurement of social class and poverty. (p. 9) F

16. The study of social inequality tends to focus on individual inequality as opposed to institutionalized inequality (i.e., structured inequality between categories of individuals that are systematically created, reproduced, legitimated by sets of ideas, and relatively stable). (p. 4-5) F

17. Recent research shows that a majority of people rank “hard work” more than any other factor as being critical for economic success. (p. 4) T

18. Some have argued that inequality is inevitable because of biological differences in physical skill, mental capacity, and personality traits. (p. 4) T 19. Research shows that Americans feel that any fair distribution of goods should be based on equality of result as opposed to equality of opportunity. (p. 5) F

20. In the Marxist definition, social class has no relevance in the United Sates. (p. 6) T

21. The impacts of globalization are not only economic, but also political, social, cultural, and even religious. (p. 8) T

22. Globalization has allowed nations to trade, borrow, and transport good and services more easily. (p. 8) T

23. Varying definitions and measures of social inequality indicators make comparability of data difficult and raise communication problems among scholars attempting to study the same phenomenon. (p. 9) T

24. Race is a concept that has been socially constructed over time as racial classifications and positions within them change due to political, social, and other shifts. (p. 9-10) T

Essays:

1. Why do some view the U.S. as being classless? What encourages this perception?

2. Is inequality inevitable? Use the evidence in your book to present both sides of the argument.

3. What are the different positions taken by conservatives and liberals regarding capitalism, democracy, and inequality?

4. Discuss ways in which the recent economic downturn has been felt unevenly across the U.S. population.

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the advances in computer/information technology and globalization? How has technology and globalization helped to increase/decrease social inequality?

Class Exercises:

1. Ask students to interview a classmate regarding their economic position, ethnicity, race, gender, and family background to see how they think these attributes have impacted their attitudes, orientations to life, and their life chances. Students can then examine the ways in which these attributes impact the social inequalities that their classmate has experienced compared to their own experiences.

2. Break your class into groups and have them discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the advances in computer and information technology and globalization. How has technology and globalization increased/decreased social inequality?

3. Break your class into groups and have them debate the following controversial issues in Chapter 1: Is inequality inevitable? Is inequality desirable or undesirable? Are there classes in the United States? Can capitalism and democracy coexist? Does globalization reduce or increase inequality?

4. At the beginning of the first day of class, distribute a brief open-ended questionnaire asking students to define “social class,” “capitalism,” and “equality.” Use their responses as a basis for discussing the importance of differences in definitions of concepts.

5. Ask students to indicate what kinds of inequality are most significant in U.S. society. 6. Ask students to, individually, draw a picture of the class structure of the U.S., depicting its horizontal and vertical shape and what classes are contained in that shape. Have them explain their models.