Global Stratification

Global Stratification Theories of Global Stratification Consequences of Global Stratification

Outline

Until recently, global stratification was depicted by using a simple model consisting of First (industrialized capitalist nations), Second (communist nations) and Third (all the rest of the nations) Worlds.  With the collapse of communism, these terms became outdated. 

 

Global Stratification: Three Worlds

  A more neutral framework is to talk about degrees of industrialization and to depict on a global level the three primary dimensions of social stratification: property, power, and prestige.

The Most Industrialized Nations are the United States, Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, Switzerland, and other industrialized nations of western Europe, as well as, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand; they are capitalist, although variations exist in economic systems.  Their wealth is enormous, and the poor in these countries live better and longer than the average citizens of the Least Industrialized Nations.

The Industrializing Nations include the former Soviet Union and its former satellites in Eastern Europe. People in these countries have considerably lower income and a poorer standard of living than people in the Most Industrialized Nations but better than those living in the Least Industrialized Nations.

The Least Industrialized Nations are those where most people live on farms or in villages with low standards of living; the majority of the world's population lives in these nations. Included among this groups are countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Cambodia, Laos, etc.

Some measures of well-being used: Income (i.e. proportion people live in

poverty) Life expectancy Infant mortality Access to health Education level Etc

Global Stratification

Example: Human Poverty IndexMeant to indicate the degree of deprivation in 4 basic dimensions of human life: ◦A long and healthy life◦Knowledge◦Economic well-being◦Social inclusion (i.e. social/political participation)

Human Poverty Index: Industrialized Countries In industrialized countries, the following

indicators are used: ◦ proportion of people not expected to live to age

60◦ the adult functional illiteracy rate◦ the incidence of income poverty◦ long-term unemployment rates

Human Poverty Index: Developing Countries In developing countries, the following

indicators are used:◦% of people not expected to live to age

40◦adult literacy rate◦proportion of people lacking access to

health services and safe water◦% of children under 5 who are

moderately or severely underweight

Rich and Poor (World Bank, 2004)

Factory Wages: Airing the Dirty Laundry

Measures the total output of goods and services produced by residents of a country each year plus the income from nonresident sources, divided by the size of the population.

This does not truly reflect what individuals or families receive in wages or pay; it is simply each person’s annual share of their country’s income were the proceeds shared equally.

Per Capita Gross National Income

The Rich and the Poor: A World View

Global Gender Gap

There is no country that achieved gender equality in income. In most countries, women’s income is between ¼ or ¾ of men’s. Sweden, Australia and Kenya are among few states that are close to gender equality in income. The most far from such equality is found in countries like Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.

In most countries, men always outnumbered women in Parliament.

Theories on Global Inequality

To develop, countries must embrace new technologies (i.e. industrialization, high technology) and market driven values (i.e. export-oriented economy, investment, international capital/TNC).

Poverty results from adherence to traditional values and customs that prevent competition in a modern global economy (i.e. less saving, inward-looking).

Modernization Theory

Developed in early 60-s by Paul Prebish (Director of The United Nations Commission for Latin America).

Criticize the failures of economic growth approach in global equality.

Dependency theory

Exploits the least powerful nations to the benefit of wealthier nations (poor countries supplied natural/mineral sources, agriculture products, and cheap labor, used the technology bought from rich countries, and bought products from the rich in which the materials were supplied from the poor nations).

Poverty of low-income countries is a direct result of their political and economic dependence on the wealthy countries (i.e. capital, loans, technology). Development in this area is highly influenced by the external forces (economic and political system and policies of the rich states/global economic institutions dominated by the rich nations, i.e. IMF, WB)

Dependency Theory

According to world system theory (as espoused by Immanuel Wallerstein), countries are politically and economically tied together.

1.  There are four groups of interconnected nations: - core nations, where capitalism first developed; - semi-periphery nations (Mediterranean area), which

are highly dependent on trade with core nations; - periphery nations (eastern Europe), which are mainly

limited to selling cash crops to core nations, with limit! - external area nations (most of Africa and Asia), which

are left out of growth of capitalism, with few economic ties to core nations.

World system theory

Economic development is explained by understanding each country’s place and role in the world economic system.

Poverty is the result of core nations extracting labor and natural resources from peripheral nations.

World Systems Theory

2.  A capitalist world economy (capitalist dominance) results from relentless expansion; even external area nations are drawn into commercial web.

3.  Globalization (the extensive interconnections among nations resulting from the expansion of capitalism) has speeded up because of new forms of communication and transportation. The consequence is that no nation is able to live in isolation

World systems theory

John Kenneth Galbraith argued that some nations remain poor because they are crippled by a culture of poverty, a way of life based on traditional values and religious beliefs that perpetuates poverty from one generation to the next and keeps some of the Least Industrialized Nations from developing.

Most sociologists prefer colonialism, world system, and dependency theory explanations to the culture of poverty theory because the last places the blame on the victim, but each theory only partially explains global stratification.

60% of people live in countries with an average income of less than $760/year.

The richest countries have only 15% of the world’s population.

As countries develop, fertility levels decrease and population growth levels off.

Consequences of Global Stratification: Population

Quality of Life: A Comparative Perspective

LifeExpectancy

Access to safe water

Afghanistan 43 13%

Iran 69 95%

Mexico 73 86%

U.S. 77 years 100%

High income countries have: Lower childhood death rates. Higher life expectancies. Fewer children born underweight. Clean water and adequate sanitation.

Consequences of Global Stratification: Health

AIDS: A Problem for Women and Children

Who Uses the World’s Energy?

Access to Safe Water and Sanitation

In the richest nations, education and literacy are almost universal.

18% of the world’s nations have literacy rates below 50%.

6% report a school enrollment rate below 50%.

Consequences of Global Stratification: Education

Consequences of Global Stratification: HealthHigh income countries have: Lower childhood death rates. Higher life expectancies. Fewer children born underweight. Clean water and adequate sanitation.

Around the world, women feel poverty more than men do.

Women in wealthier countries have better health and education than women in poorer countries.

Consequences of Global Stratification: Gender

28% of the world’s population live in extreme poverty.

Women constitute 60% of the word’s population, perform 2/3 of all working hours, receive 1/10 of the income, and own less than 1% of the world’s wealth.

Who Are the World’s Poor?

The Digital Divide

Child Poverty in Wealthier Nations