Reading through the information I gathered from the library I realized that there is an increase in social class inequalities within the United States. It has been said “United States is the most unequal of the economically developed countries- and that inequality has been increasing” (Glazer, On Americans & inequality, vol.132, Isee.3, P.111).
To my previous understanding, I already had of my topic; I know the categories of social class; the upper (Elite) class, the middle class, and the lower class. That is the basic social class order. “These differences also extend to the treatment of the working poor, making it difficult to sustain the argument that Americans do care about the conditions of the poor but make a distinction between the working and the non-working poor” (Glazer, 2003. vol.132, Isee.3, P.111).
To this day, social class inequalities still exist.
Some arguments made in the article made were directly stated that there is an increase in social class inequality in the United States since the 1980’s. When analyzing both articles I recognized the term “fair play” frequently occurs in both the articles. The term “fair play” is defined as the equality of results. “Equality of results is seen as unjust, artificial, and incompatible with the more basic principles of equal opportunity” (Ryan, 1996. pg.144).
The Term Paper on Social Inequalities in Health
... social class as categorized by the Registrar General (Appendix 1) and social conditions during early age. A repetitive process of social accumulation of inequalities, ... there will be less taxable working people in the future to ... perpetuating the present day ‘nanny state’. To determine how the aforementioned ... likely to encounter supplementary inequalities and subsequent poor health in later life ...
In general the term equality of results is an unjust principle of people who have advantages and opportunities according to their social class, or the opposite of everyone in all the social class having a fair share. This helps determine the idea that social class inequalities is increasing in United States since 1980’s because fair play is affected throughout United States. “The fair play viewpoint has been dominant in America” (Ryan, 1996. pg.144).
Connecting this to social class for example is the advantages and opportunities the Elite have compared to the ones the lower class have. The way I analyze it is the elite class have a better chance to move up in life compared to the lower class. A quote I found in the article that supports this viewpoint is that “there [are] some patterns of ownership that are reasonable consistent with the fair play paradigm; in the distribution of such items as automobiles, televisions, appliances, and homes. These are significant inequalities in results” (Ryan, 1996. pg.1446).
The rich get richer, while the poor keep getting poor.
The information from the sources helped me have an understanding that fair play is a factor in the increase of social class inequalities within United States. I also learned that economics is a factor in the increase of social class inequalities within the United States. ” The majority of American lower class families are constantly vulnerable to economic disaster- to downward mobility to the point where they lack sufficient income to meet the most basic needs- food, shelter, clothing, heat, and medical care” (Glazer, 2003. vol.132, Isee.3, P.113).
To my understanding, the economy has not provided a fair chance towards all the social classes because the elite class will maintain their hierarchy but the lower class will barely survive if there was an economic disaster.
The Research paper on Social Event: State Fair
1. For the purposes of this sociological assignment, I attended the Illinois State Fair. This is an annual event in which thousands of people from around the central Illinois area gather to participate in fun rides, concerts, and meet other people from all over the state. The event was an open-air event at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, and lasted the entire weekend; the entire fairgrounds was ...
The comparison between America and European countries helped me understand that the Americans are not doing much to provide social benefits to the lower class. “According to the OECD, transfer and other social benefits amounted in 1999 to 11 percent of GDP in the united States and 18 percent of GDP in the European counties” (Glazer, 2003. vol.132, Isee.3, P.111).
This quote emphasizes that there is a critical problem of social class inequality in United States and it has been increasing since the 1980’s. Therefore, all the points helped me in support of my topic that there is an increase in social class inequalities in United States since the 1980’s.
