Social Inequality Definition

When unequal opportunities or rewards exist in a society for people of different social
status or position, it is called social inequality. Inequality has different dimensions and
each state has varying dimensions.

Types of Social Inequality                                 

Basically, there are 5 types of social inequalities. They have been listed below:

1. Political Inequality: The inequality in which there is no civic equality in front

of the law.
2. Income and Wealth Inequality: It is the outcome or result which is primarily in
the earnings of individuals.
3. Life Inequality: This refers to inequalities of opportunities if provided can
improve the quality of life.
4. Inequality of Treatment and Responsibility: Although this idea is less
examined but it generates problems in agency and responsibility.
5. Inequality of Membership: This exists in the membership of faith, family and
nation.
Examples of Social Inequality
I can give you tons of examples of Social Inequality in America. Many jobs in the
country are dependent on social inequalities like income, gender, educational and racial
inequalities on both regional and national level.

Causes of Social Inequality.

In sociology, social class normally refers to the grouping of individuals who happen to be
in a similar position. This position is mostly based on the economic set up, which varies
from country to country or region to region. In this economic system, occupation forms
an important integral part specifically because it is the source of financial stability and
other valuable needs like education and healthcare which find fundamental necessity in
human beings. The level of these valuable needs and possessions will often vary widely
among individuals; and so there are those with so much at the very high level and those
with so little at the very low level. The different levels result in different classes, hence
the social classes that are witnessed everywhere (Copland, 2010).

Physical traits perhaps present the easiest method to tell a person’s social class. It is
always easy to tell what social class a person belongs to by simply looking at them and a
question or two directed to them will give the perfect picture.  Esteem and prestige are
common attributes that could be used to tell the social class of an individual. Individuals
in the higher social classes are bound to have high self esteem and prestige as compared
to those in low social classes. Other attributes to look for include mode of dress, general
attractiveness and beauty plus body structure. A poor person may not have the means to
dress as well as a rich person and in most instances; artificial beauty is achieved by
expensive make up that can only be acquired by materially able people.  One question
that can be directed to a person in order to tell the social class is: “What are your most
urgent needs as per now?” If this question is answered honestly, the social class of an
individual will be known automatically. A person from a severely low class will probably
talk of basic needs like food for supper “today”, clothing and basic education fees.
Whereas an individual from a high class would talk of things like a second home, the
latest model of a car or the most recent fashion of a dress. I would ask this question
because the social classes are distinguished by means, starting from the most basic needs
to the luxuries. Before people consider luxuries, their most immediate needs are simply
basic and this is the lowest social class in any society.

Social classes present a perfect picture of social inequality since it separates people to
groups that are not equal in many ways. Besides economic ability, which is the most
default cause of a major part of social inequality, there are other painful causes like
racism and sexism which bring inequalities in society. The effects of social inequality
include violence against women, lack of good education for poor families, increase in
crime rates, poor quality of healthcare and hopelessness (Wilkinson 2005).

In conclusion, social class is an element of life that is complex with detrimental effects on
the lives of most of the human beings. Generally, people perceived to belong to a higher
social class are believed to have a better life than those belonging to a low level class.
Though it is largely possible to determine one’s social class through personal initiative,
there are underlying factors that largely determine the success. Education for example is
very crucial and quality education is proportional to the category of the social class that a
person will belong to. Most educated people belong to social classes that are averagely
higher as compared to most of the uneducated people. You can simply identify a person’s
social class by studying their physical attributes since the different classes share common
physical attributes. In addition, a question that touches on the needs of a person and other
factors like the locality in which they live can be used to conclude the social class of most
people. It is almost impossible for people to hide their social status through physical
attributes because it takes means to achieve this.
 Social inequality
Social inequality refers to relational processes in society that have the effect of limiting or
harming a group's social status, social class, and social circle.
Areas of social inequality include:
 Access to voting rights
 Freedom of speech and assembly
 The extent of property rights and access to education
 Health care, quality housing, traveling, transportation
 Vacationing and other social goods and services.
 Quality of family and neighbourhood life, occupation, job satisfaction
 Access to credit.
The reasons/ Causes for social inequality
 Social inequality can emerge through a society's understanding of appropriate
gender roles, or through the prevalence of social stereotyping.
 Social inequality can also be established through discriminatory legislation.
 Social inequalities exist between ethnic or religious groups, classes and countries
making the concept of social inequality a global phenomenon.
 Social inequality is different from economic inequality, though the two are linked.
Social inequality refers to disparities in the distribution of economic assets and income as
well as between the overall quality and luxury of each person's existence within a society,
while economic inequality is caused by the unequal accumulation of wealth; social
inequality exists because the lack of wealth in certain areas prohibits these people from
obtaining the same housing, health care, etc. as the wealthy, in societies where access to
these social goods depends on wealth.
Social inequality is linked to racial inequality, gender inequality, and wealth
inequality.
The way people behave socially, through racist or sexist practices and other forms of
discrimination, tends to trickle down and affect the opportunities and wealth individuals
can generate for themselves
Patterns/ effects of Social Inequality

 Gender Inequality
 Racial and Ethnic Inequality
 Age Inequality
 Inequalities in Health