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Inequalities. Introduction Marek Nowak PhD marek.nowak@amu.edu.pl Institute of Sociology AMU Projekt wspfinansowany ze rodkw Unii Europejskiej w ramach Europejskiego Funduszu Spoecznego Projekt finasowany ze rodkw Unii Europejskiej w ramach Europejskiego Funduszu Spoecznego Slide 2 2 Differences contra inequalities Differences: observable dissimilarities between people which do not implicate consequences of lower or higher position in society (white hair or black hair, pedestrian contra riding bike etc.). Slide 3 3 Differences are aspects of a social structure (underclass, middle class, lower middle class, higher middle class etc.). They inform just about the different positions peoples have because of their level of income. 1)An abundance of social roles focus on norms and values (being a student, teacher, wife, mother, friend, school friend etc.). 2)The division of labor (driver, diver, baker, worker, businessman, and so on). Slide 4 4 The social stratification The appraisal of the social position of the individual (subjective or objective) because of particular criteria (for example higher or lower level of disposable income etc). Stratification is the a word used in architecture or geology. Slide 5 5 Inequalities: those differences which have resulted in the valuation of social position (higher or lower, better or worse). We discuss inequalities when individuals differ in their level of expectation regarding his/her needs (in the sense of the level of, and the quality of consumption). In Marxian sense: in relation to the location of the employee in the organization of production or service (worker contra burgeois). Slide 6 6 Examples Slide 7 7 The level of Gini coef. in 2012 (Eurostat) Legend Cases 22.9 - 24.44 yellow; 24.4 - 26.35 darker yellow; 26.3 - 27.43 green; 27.4 - 31.94 darker green; 31.9 - 35.25 the most dark green; Violet: data not available Minimum value:22.9 Maximum value:35.2 Gini coefficient of zero expresses perfect equality where all values are the same (for example, where everyone has an exactly equal income). A Gini coefficient of one (100 on the percentile scale) expresses maximal inequality among values (for example where only one person has all the income). Slide 8 8 The same on the Globe Gini coefficient of national income distribution around the world. This is based on 1989 to 2009 data, estimated by CIA. Some are pre-tax, others post-tax income. Slide 9 9 The most common concepts of the differentiations/inequalities 1)(class) Karol Marx: the relation of the one to the means of production (who are the owner of, or manager of the MoP (means of production), and who are not); The problems with Marxs concept relate to the question of the middle sectors of the labor and society. Marks suggested that it would disappear (become polarised) in the process of the growth of capitalist relations. It h a s n t h a p p e n e d. Slide 10 10 The question was how to analyse (count) the middle sectors of the society (middle- class)? The solution we could find in the class concept of Weber (EGP schema), the theory of stratification, and the neo Marxian context. Slide 11 11 2) (class) Max Weber: class position is defined by the position of the individual in the capitalist market (how worthy are your skills and abilities on the market of skills and abilities); 3) (status groups) Concept of stratification (Kingsley Davies and Wilbert Moore, Ralph Dahrendorf). Slide 12 12 The present days concepts of a class Class traditionally is not based on biological differentiations. Contemporary discussion = there are many examples of ethnic or gender differentiation which result in ones socio- economic position. As a result now the concept of class is more quantitative and broader Slide 13 13 Examples Slide 14 14 The Gender Pay Gap in 2012 (by Eurostat) Legend 4.4 - 8.65 yellow; 8.6 - 14.65 darker yellow; 14.6 - 16.15 green; 16.1 - 19.15 darker green 19.1 - 25.57 the most dark green Violet data not available Minimum value:4.4 Maximum value:25.5 European Commission defines it as the average difference between mens and womens hourly earnings. Slide 15 15 The same on the Globe Ratio of female to male salaries according to the Save the Children State of the World's Mothers report (2007 data). Each color represents 5% of the average male pay.Save the Children State of the World's Mothers report Slide 16 16 Materially based relations = class = inequalities Slide 17 17 What we can find in the official statistics? Slide 18 18 Data of the Central Statistical Office in Poland 2010 Slide 19 19 That is not enough! Slide 20 20 Slide 21 21 The EGP scheme The EGP classes are based on the [1] work situation (authority and autonomy at work) as well as [2] market situation (including income, degree of income security, career prospects and source of income) of the respondents. Additional criteria used are distinctions between [3] owners, employers and employees; between firms with more or less than 10 employees; and between manual and non-manual occupations (Social class in Europe, European Social Survey 2002/3). Slide 22 22 Slide 23 23 Neomarxian perspective Slide 24 24 What does class mean for Eric Olin Wright (EOR)? ... positions withi the social relations of production derived from the property relations which determine the patterns of exploitation (p. 72). Slide 25 25 Inequalities by Eric Olin Wright (EOR) general ambiguity of the term of class in the popular imagination. To some people it connotes [1] lifestyle and tastes, the wearing of tennis whites while gardening [cultural inequalities]. To others [2] it is mainly about social status, esteem and respect: to be reclassified down the class hierarchy is demeaning [social inequalities]. Slide 26 26 [3] Some see classes as social categories engaged in collective forms of conflict, shaping the destiny of society [coercive or conflictual inequalities]. [4] Politicians for middle-class tax cats by which they simply mean tax cuts for the middle range of income distribution [representation inequalities]. And [] [5] as identifying the basic determinants of a persons economic prospects [inequalities as a faith] (Approach to Class Ananlysis, ed. by EOR, 2005, 19) Slide 27 27 The problem: The problem of class now seems to be difficult because of (a) unfitted traditional criteria for defining a class and (b) because it is tied to social deliberation (to the discussion of culture, to the social relations as a kind of communication relations, to the coercive relations of the ownership of means of production, and to a (c) diversity of skills and prospects on the labor market). Slide 28 28 The basic context of EOR relates to the Marxian category of e x p l o i t a t i o n As EOR said: it is possible to restor the central trust of the traditional Marxian concept of exploitation by making a distinction between what can be called economic oppression' and 'exploitation' (EOR, Classes 1985, 74) Slide 29 29 Exploitation [], implies more than just economic oppression [inequalities as was defined]; it includes both economic oppression and the appropriation [kind of monopoly in ] of the fruits of the labour of one class by another (which is equvalent to a transfer of the surplus from one class to another). Slide 30 30 Slide 31 31 The picture of the social structure by E.O. Wright Slide 32 32 The two empirical perspectives by EOW Slide 33 33 Why we use this typology (the advantages) Slide 34 34 Than... Slide 35 35... Slide 36 36 EGP contra EOR (an example) Slide 37 37 The Espring Andersen (EA) concept EAs alternative is to create a typology where, in his perspective, relevant distinctions between managers and experts/semi professionals do not get lost. He also opposes the idea of merging skilled workers in manufacturing with skilled workers in essentially service relations. Slide 38 38 Industrial contra post-industrial I n d u s t r i a l : the system built by the mass production and organisation (centralized, etatist etc.); P o s t i n d u s t r i a l : the system built by the consumer related production (nish marketing strategy). Groving importance of the service sector. Slide 39 39 Industrial and post-industrial class scheme EA Slide 40 40 What it look like (based on ESS)? Slide 41 41 and so on Slide 42 42 Slide 43 43 Slide 44 44 For Poland and others...