WEEK 1 – SOCIETY & SOCIAL JUSTICE
Why social inequality still persists. Danny Dorling
o Great inequality = inevitable & sometimes desirable.
o Highs in income & wealth inequalities in the UK coincide with inequalities in how
people vote depending on where they live.
|_> 2015 general election = most segregated outcome of all time. Reflects 5 yrs of
rapidly growing social divides.
o 2010-2015 = increase in poverty, hunger & destitution in UK.
|_> result = food banks became vital & housing crisis deepened.
o Social inequality occurs when resources unevenly distributed.
o Richest 1% of people in the world will own more then the other 99% put together.
o 2015 edition of injustice = five social evils: elitism, exclusion, prejudice, greed &
despair.
Real cause of inequality & injustice:
o It’s accepted that inequalities between poor & rich nations result in injustice, also
injustice within rich nations.
|_> some claim differences are ‘natural’ due to genetic differences.
|_> many others claim differences are the inevitable effect of market forces &
globalisation.
o Since 1979 = social & economic inequalities in UK have risen year on year. BUT
between 1918 – 1979 inequalities had fallen.
|_> injustice looks at what drives this increase in inequalities.
o Live in hierarchical society. People are either ‘above’ or ‘below’ others.
o Hierarchy created by elitism, exclusion, prejudice & greed.
|_> end result increases despair, not only among the poor.
o Direction is crucial.
|_> many changes can be better for everyone BUT other changes can be disastrous
for society as a whole.
o JAN 2014 = ‘masters of the universe’, growing inequality had become most
important world issue, along with climate change.
Dispelling myths that cause injustice:
MYTH 1: ELITISM IS EFFICIENT
o Despite ever-improving compulsory education many young people are seen as failing
as they’re not reaching official targets.
o Even those in politics, business or are celebrities (who believe they’re gifted & that
they should be rewarded appropriately) are also victims of elitism.
o Under elitism, ed is less about learning & more about dividing people.
|_> Conferring high status upon a minority.
o Poor people most damaged by elitism.
|_> told they’re poor because they lack ability to be anything else.
Why social inequality still persists. Danny Dorling
o Great inequality = inevitable & sometimes desirable.
o Highs in income & wealth inequalities in the UK coincide with inequalities in how
people vote depending on where they live.
|_> 2015 general election = most segregated outcome of all time. Reflects 5 yrs of
rapidly growing social divides.
o 2010-2015 = increase in poverty, hunger & destitution in UK.
|_> result = food banks became vital & housing crisis deepened.
o Social inequality occurs when resources unevenly distributed.
o Richest 1% of people in the world will own more then the other 99% put together.
o 2015 edition of injustice = five social evils: elitism, exclusion, prejudice, greed &
despair.
Real cause of inequality & injustice:
o It’s accepted that inequalities between poor & rich nations result in injustice, also
injustice within rich nations.
|_> some claim differences are ‘natural’ due to genetic differences.
|_> many others claim differences are the inevitable effect of market forces &
globalisation.
o Since 1979 = social & economic inequalities in UK have risen year on year. BUT
between 1918 – 1979 inequalities had fallen.
|_> injustice looks at what drives this increase in inequalities.
o Live in hierarchical society. People are either ‘above’ or ‘below’ others.
o Hierarchy created by elitism, exclusion, prejudice & greed.
|_> end result increases despair, not only among the poor.
o Direction is crucial.
|_> many changes can be better for everyone BUT other changes can be disastrous
for society as a whole.
o JAN 2014 = ‘masters of the universe’, growing inequality had become most
important world issue, along with climate change.
Dispelling myths that cause injustice:
MYTH 1: ELITISM IS EFFICIENT
o Despite ever-improving compulsory education many young people are seen as failing
as they’re not reaching official targets.
o Even those in politics, business or are celebrities (who believe they’re gifted & that
they should be rewarded appropriately) are also victims of elitism.
o Under elitism, ed is less about learning & more about dividing people.
|_> Conferring high status upon a minority.
o Poor people most damaged by elitism.
|_> told they’re poor because they lack ability to be anything else.
