Social reproduction

Social reproduction is a concept originally proposed by Karl Marx in Das Kapital, and is a variety of his broader idea of reproduction. According to sociologist Christopher B. Doob, it “refers to the emphasis on the structures and activities that transmit social inequality from one generation to the next”.[1] According to Bourdieu there are four types of capital that contributes to social reproduction in society. They are financial capital, cultural capital, human capital, and social capital.

Four Types of Capital

Financial capital refers to the income and wealth of a person. Financial capital will influence the cultural capital one receives. Cultural capital is the shared outlook, beliefs, knowledge, and skills that are passed between generations. Cultural capital influences Human capital, which refers to the education and job training a person receives. Human capital creates the ability for one to attain social capital, which is essentially the social network to which one belongs. Social capital can largely influence one’s ability to find an internship or job.

All four forms of capital play a role in social reproduction because capital is passed from generation to generation and keeps people in the same social class as their parents before them. This keeps reproducing inequality through the system of social stratification.[1]

Connections to Sociology of Education

Social Reproduction when co-opted with Cultural reproduction allow for Sociology of Education to assume its roles.[2] Education is an attempt at leveling the playing field. Allowing those in poor class a chance to move up. But at the same time fails in many critical ways. Education is costly. Better schools, means better equipment, better books, and better teachers. All of which remain beyond the poverty lines pay grade. So higher education becomes strictly if not mostly just for high class. Leaving lower class with much less to work with, as well as less opportunities.[3]

The education system in many high income countries polarizes individuals from a young age. It creates elites that care little for those in the classes beneath them, thinks they should earn extraordinarily more than everyone else, all the while defining people by the jobs they have and that that is why they live in relative poverty. The system strives to fulfill the status quota, so the children can be greatly denigrated. As the rich take in an ever increasing amount of the country's wealth, there is less and less for the populace resulting in poorer education.[4]

Connections to Sociology of Health and Illness

The [[sociology of health and illness studies how social life affects morbidity and mortality rate, and vice versa. Social reproduction is seen involved with the sociology of health and illness when it comes to how inequalities affect the health of people in particular classes.

The greater the economic inequality the more of a toll it takes on the health of the populace, from life expectancy to infant mortality, and in cases like the U.S increasing rates of obesity. Studies done on the population of high income countries makes this apparent. It is simply not just poverty, though they do go hand in hand, but it also leads to a gap in social cohesion, which leads the populace to be more stressed, fearful, and insecure.[5]

In the majority of high income countries the top 1 percent live by average 10 years longer than the average 99%. Statistically making those born into the poorer classes naturally have a shorter life span. This is due to the top 1% access to better healthcare. More money means better doctors, and expensive medications. The bottom 99% rarely attend the doctor, and simply take cough medicine for more serious illnesses. Not to mention when it comes to incurable illnesses like Aids where constant medicating with expensive drugs is the only way to sustain a normal life, only the rich can get by.[4]

Those born into a lower class are at a higher risk of suffering from illness. In the past it used to be that the poor suffered from hunger, and starvation. But in high income countries like the U.S this is flipped on its head. Food insecure families who are not aware of where there next meal is coming from are the most prone to high rates of obesity, especially in children. That is due to the fact that because they cannot afford to buy groceries and make a meal they purchase fast food, because it is a lot of food for very little money and it will help them get by another day. This leads to long term problems. Where children grown obese continue to be obese into there adult lives and suffer from other ailments like heart disease, high blood pressure, increased risk for cancer, type 2 diabetes, stroke, infertility, arthritis, breathing difficulties and/or depression.[6][7]

Social Class System

Social Reproduction is the passing on of social inequality across generations. Upper class have many advantages, with more money comes the ability to have even more resources to get ahead. This goes vice versa for lower classes, with less money there are less resources. "Class-struggle between capital and labor is forced into the background"[8] Social reproduction revolves around the understanding that rich breed rich, and the poor breed poor. Those born into a particular class are more often then not bound to live there lives in that class. The statistics are of U.S population.

Lower Class

A class raided by an ever repetitive cycle of poverty, homelessness, and unemployment. This is seen as they suffer from the inability to pay bills some of which then find themselves living on the street, food insecurity as many families will find themselves going hungry least once a year, or lack of medical care where many cannot pay for medication or treatment for potentially fatal illnesses. All the while this class is usually attacked by the media to be lazy, system abusers, or criminals. Those born into this class have a harder time then others getting out. Due to so many restrictions on resources, like money, and better schools. This class is a point of reference in social reproduction. Consist of 15% to 20% of U.S population. Majority are minorities.

Working Class

Bare minimum of education. Usually physical laborers with little to no qualifications. They can also be seen working service industries, but are underpaid and zero chance for promotions in there standings. Potential skilled workers who may at times work better paying but dangerous work. Those born into this system usually have a torch of labor passed on to them, and they follow the same profession there family had. Consist of 30% to 40% of U.S population. Majority are minorities.

Middle Class

Consist of two divided classes. The lower half bare resemblance to those of lower classes, usually less educated with lower incomes but are found in managerial positions, education, as well as small business owners. The upper half is made up of professionals and educated business owners. Those born into this class have the most diversity. From either deciding to take up the torch, or surpass there parents. Majority go on to complete educations, and maintain a career. Consist of 40% to 50% of U.S population. Majority is a blend.

Upper Class

Well known to hold 25% of the nations wealth. This class shares something in common with the middle class. A division into two. The lower half who consist of new money, investments, and successful business owners. The majority who were originally Middle Class or rarely lower. The upper half consist of families who have been rich for generations. A point of reference in social reproduction brought along the ages. Those born into this class receive inheritances from those who die and so forth. There descendants are sent off to the finest of schools leaving them with the most opportunities of all. Consist of 1% to 3% of U.S population. The lower half can be a blend, where as the upper half consist of mostly white families.[9][10]

Inequality Unrest on the Rise

"Capitalism isn't working. Another world is possible." This is the argument made by many protesters around the world. These protesters gather in rallies more and more often every year. These protest are more prevalent in higher income countries where most of the 1% live like the U.S and the U.K. With an ever growing social cohesion among protesters due to the fact that the vast majority of people in rich countries are suffering due to increasing inequalities. The rich get richer while the poor become poorer. Many of the poor have begun to depend on the state rather than their own wages. All the while there descendants will be raised in a fixed system that favors the elites, so they are bound to the same class they were born in.[4]

Opportunities

Statistic show that the majority of dropouts, are below the poverty line.With a lack of capital the end result is they do not complete there education, seeing it as less convenient to complete rather then find work, and support themselves or there families. Usually these dropouts consist of the minority groups, such as Hispanics, and African Americans. Many drop out due to lack of funds to continue there education, some are single parent, or have had a deceased parent. This makes it hard to study and work at the same time. This is an issue rarely seen in high class. Making it a lot less likely for them to dropout and reject opportunities.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 Doob, Christopher B. 2013. Social Inequality and Social Stratification in US Society. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN 978-0205792412
  2. ↑ Jenks, Chris (2003). Culture: Critical Concepts in Sociology, Volume 3. Taylor & Francis. p. 63. ISBN 0-415-22693-7.
  3. ↑ "Social reproduction". Khan Academy. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  4. 1 2 3 Dorling, Danny (2014). Inequality and the 1%. Verso.
  5. ↑ "Inequality and Health | Inequality.org". Inequality.org. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  6. ↑ "Obesity". stanfordhealthcare.org. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  7. ↑ "The New Face of Hunger". National Geographic. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  8. ↑ Marx, Karl (1967). Capital: A Critique of Political Economy. Volume I: The Process of Capitalist Production. New York: International Publishers. p. 16.
  9. ↑ "Types of Social Classes of People". www.cliffsnotes.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  10. ↑ Gabler, Jay (2010). Sociology For Dummies. Wiley Publishing, Inc.
  11. ↑ "The NCES Fast Facts Tool provides quick answers to many education questions (National Center for Education Statistics)". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved 2016-03-09.

See also

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, May 03, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.