Questions and Answers
What amounts to a composite measure of social position that encompasses not only money but also power, occupational prestige, and schooling?
Socio-economic status
What is an important dimension of inequality?
Income
What includes occupational wages or salaries, earnings from investments, and government transfer payments?
Income
What kind of families have substantially high income?
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What is the total amount of money and assets, minus outstanding debts, distributed less evenly than income?
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What stands as an important source of power?
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What is a major determinant of income, wealth, and power; and serves as a key source of social prestige?
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What is an important determinant of labour force participation, occupation, and income?
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What promotes personal development and affects an individual's occupation and income?
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What almost doubles with higher levels of educational attainment?
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What determines our point of entry into the system of social inequality?
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What are not the sole determinants of income inequality; they only partly explain economic inequality?
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Who comprises 3-5% of the Canadian population, deriving much of their income from inherited wealth?
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What includes less than 1% of the Canadian population and possesses enormous wealth primarily inherited rather than earned?
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Who comprises the remaining 2-4% of the population that makes up the upper class?
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Who are those who depend on earnings rather than wealth as the primary source of income?
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Who comprises 40-50% of the Canadian population and encompasses far more racial and ethnic diversity than the upper class?
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What represents the top half of the middle class with above-average income?
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What refers to the rest of the middle class who work in less prestigious white-collar occupations or highly skilled blue-collar jobs?
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Who comprises about a third of the Canadian population and has lower incomes than those in the middle class?
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Who comprises 20% of the Canadian population with the lowest family income?
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What is closely related to social standing?
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What varies from class to class?
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What does social class shape?
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What is a change in social position occurring during a person's lifetime?
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What is upward or downward social mobility of children in relation to their parents?
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What is the key to occupational mobility in Canada?
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Who concluded that there are two types of processes that may well occur together regarding social mobility?
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What is the deprivation of some people in relation to those who have more?
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What is a deprivation of resources that is life-threatening?
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Who are at higher risk for being poor?
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Who does the burden of poverty fall heavily on?
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Study Notes
Socio-Economic Status
- Composite measure of social position, incorporating income, power, occupational prestige, and education.
Income
- A critical dimension of inequality, influenced by occupational wages, investment earnings, and government transfers.
Wealth
- Total assets minus debts, distributed unevenly compared to income; forms of wealth include stocks, bonds, and real estate.
Family Types and Income
- Two-parent and two-income families typically have significantly higher income levels.
Occupation
- Major determinant of income, wealth, and power, serving as a key source of social prestige.
Education
- Important factor influencing labor force participation, occupation, and income; highly valued in industrial societies.
Schooling
- Promotes personal development, directly impacting an individual's career and income potential.
Ancestry
- Determines initial entry point into social inequality, affecting opportunities and social mobility.
Discrimination
- While part of the picture, racism and discrimination are not the sole sources of income inequality.
Social Class Breakdown in Canada
- The Upper Class (3-5% of the population): Derived mostly from inherited wealth, comprised of capitalists.
- Upper-Uppers: Less than 1% of the population, known as "blue-bloods," who primarily inherit substantial wealth.
- Lower-Uppers: The "working rich," making up 2-4% of the upper class, focus on earnings over inherited wealth.
- The Middle Class: 40-50% of the population, culturally influential, and more racially and ethnically diverse.
- Upper-Middles: Higher income bracket (80k-175k).
- Average-Middles: Occupy less prestigious white-collar or skilled blue-collar jobs.
- The Working Class: About one-third of the population; lower incomes, minimal wealth accumulation.
- The Lower Class: 20% of the population with the least income, facing instability and insecurity.
Health and Social Standing
- Health closely tied to social standing, with variations across different classes.
Cultural Values
- Differ across social classes, influencing lifestyles and interactions.
Relationships
- Social class significantly shapes family life and interpersonal relationships.
Social Mobility
- Intragenerational: Change in social position during a person's lifetime.
- Intergenerational: Upward or downward mobility of children compared to their parents.
Education and Mobility
- Key factor for occupational mobility; impacts job opportunities and earning potential.
Poverty Types
- Relative Poverty: Deprivation compared to others, universal and inevitable.
- Absolute Poverty: Life-threatening resource deprivation.
Risk Factors for Poverty
- Higher risk among women, children, visible minorities, rural dwellers, and Aboriginal people.
Impact of Poverty
- Canadian children bear a significant burden of poverty, highlighting demographic disparities.
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Description
Test your knowledge on social class concepts in Canada with these flashcards. This quiz covers important terms and definitions related to socio-economic status, income, and inequality. Perfect for students wanting to deepen their understanding of social structures in Canadian society.
