This essay question asks to discuss some of the ways in which differences and inequalities persist over time. Thus demonstrating that they are not fixed, but forever changing, being caused in diverse ways by society. The essay will first define ‘Inequality’ and ‘Differences’. It will then use two strands, ‘Making Lives’ and ‘Ordering Lives’ to discuss how they persist and will look at some differences and inequalities within, wealth, homelessness, law, and class. Concluding the whole world is effected by continuing inequalities and differences, which is only getting worse.
Inequality is defined as ‘‘The unequal distribution of valued social resources within society or between societies’ (Blakeley & Staples, (2014 ) p13, 25). Thus it is the unequal opportunities, between how people get access to money, education, health care and other such commodities and whereby some have more and some less, causing an inequality within society.
‘Differences’ is defined as ‘the degree to which one person or thing differs from another’ (Dictionary.com, 2016) simply put it describes how, why, people and things are different from one another.
First, ‘When researchers use ‘quantitative data’ such as income or wealth to measure inequality, obvious inequalities and differences between income and wealth will be seen, when people are measured, by sex, gender, race and ethnicity’ (Crisis, 2016). Consequently, inequality is shown persisting over time and that ‘people’s social lives in the way that they are made and remade are not static’ (Staples,M. 2014 Pg 39).As Bauman questions, is everyone allowed equal access to our consumer society? stating “increased affluence means there are greater numbers who have access to the trappings of a consumer lifestyle” but ‘there are some groups who are excluded from consuming based on income, those being the poor, homeless, migrants and other groups, this being a characteristic pattern of inequality in our contemporary consumer society’ he classes people in two ways that of the ‘Seduced’ those people participating in our consumer society and the ‘Repressed’ those people who are unable to
participate, those who Bauman suggests are ‘collateral casualties’. Bauman, Z, (1988) cited in Hetherington K, and Harvard C.(eds) (2014, pg. 125,142).
Moreover, Bauman argues ‘that in a society where people obtain their identities by their ability to ‘buy into’ a particular lifestyle, those unable to do so will be excluded or marginalised’. Bauman, Z, (1988) cited in Allen, J and Blakely G.(eds) (2014 P. 278). Thus differences occur in our society which encourages people to consume in different ways, thus emphasising their identity. Consequently, people’s values, beliefs and status are shaped by the act of consumption rather than as in Industrial times by work, politics and religion’, (The Open University, 2016).
Furthermore, differences can be seen even amongst those of Bauman’s ‘Seduced’ were some people consume more than others, a difference, which turns into an inequality, for example, ‘Ordering lives’ a ‘Wealth Pyramid’ Davies, J. L. (2014). Global 'wealth data book' cited in Blakely, G. and Clarke, J. (eds) Understanding Social Lives, pg. 344, shows wealth is concentrated at the top with 10 percent holding 82.1 percent of all wealth, these being classed by Stiglitz as ‘Rent Seekers’ those who are rewarded the most (The Open University 2016) whilst the bottom 90 percent hold only 17.8 percent of global wealth. Therefore, a difference and inequality is exposed, when social divisions in Britain between rich and poor widen. Having no money can brand the poor as unproductive consumers and also ones to be lacking and worthless, for example the Television series ‘Breadline Britain’ (ITV.1983-2013) shows how poverty affects people’s lives in a way that statistics just cannot do, this being a difference and inequality showing how poverty and wealth are related.
Secondly, With the poor being impacted most within this widening wealth gap, they have also become more susceptible to homelessness, for example, since 2010 ‘homeless estimates have risen by 102%’ (homeless link 2016). As Bauman, Z (1988) Cited in Allen, J and Blakeley G (eds) (2014) concludes ‘they are part of the ‘Repressed’ seen as non-participants in society’. Moreover, it’s not a ‘new
phenomenon’ as people will be sleeping rough tonight, on the same benches along the Embankment in London where William Booth interviewed homeless men in the ‘1890’s'. (Kennedy,M. 2015. Homelessness therefore, is a negatively valued identity creating both differences and inequalities, which can connect or disconnect people and one which is increasing on a global and national scale.
Thirdly, within our ‘democracy’ we have ‘the principal, equality before the law’ and how it is applied suggests that it may have significant impact on who gets ‘Labelled’ (Harvard C and Clarke J pg. 265. 2014). This is because there are differing views on the relationships between wealth, inequality and disorder and on how people of different classes are judged. Certain groups within society have the power to define what is order and disorder, whilst the vast majority do not. Consequently, as Harvard and Clarke state ‘There are numerous examples of distinctions made between similar behaviours all judged differently depending on social identities’ (Harvard C & Clarke Pg. 265. 2014). Therefore, according to Patrick Allen of Hodge, Jones & Allen Solicitors, (Bowcott,O. 2015) “It comes as no surprise that those in the lowest income bracket have the least trust in a legal system that appears unfair, confusing and inaccessible’, in contrast to the wealthy who have no difficulties in paying for such access. Thus, indicating that the poor and middle classes have little or no chance of having ‘equality before the law’. Thus, Inequalities in law persist, only changing slowly over time. However, laws are never static, always changing but not always for the betterment of all.
Fourthly, class is a complex issue, when looking at the history of the U.K. This concept having been used since the eighteenth century, describing differences between social groupings and how that society in the U.K. operates. As Mathew Arnold, illustrates “Our inequality materializes our upper class, vulgarizes our middle class, brutalizes our lower class.” (Arnold,M (1822-1888). Class therefore is a process of ‘Social stratification’, resulting in unequal access to resources and therefore inequality becomes part of society, passing from one generation to the next. Thus it can be