Economic Inequality
Intro to Sociology Olatunde Merriman-Johnson
10/3/12
Economic Inequality The current level of economic inequality can be in fact considered acceptable. The word acceptable by definition is to be cable or worthy of being accepted; pleasing, satisfying, or agreeable by the receiver. And in that case, someone who is on the beneficial side of the inequality usually doesn’t have a problem with it. For example, if there was a rule that said all football players can skip the lunch line, majority of the players including myself would accept it strictly because we are on the beneficial side of it. Therefore, it would be acceptable because I can get my food before you just because I play football. Now if we flip the script and make football players wait in line, the inequality would not be acceptable by them. But to address the question, I think the level of economic inequality is not acceptable. It is unacceptable to me not because I am on the beneficial or unfair side, but because inequality itself is unethical. In no way, shape, or form should any type of inequality be accepted, legalized, or justified in any way but in our society, that’s just how it is. I would want less economic inequality so that economic resources are distributed more evenly just because I feel like it is the right thing to do. If everyone had access to the same amount of resources, then the gap between the richest people and the poorest people wouldn’t be so wide. I believe that everyone would have an equal chance to reach their potential if provided with the equal amount of resources. (Education, money, etc.) It is possible to have complete economic equality. But similar to Karl Marx’s prediction that capitalism will be supplanted by a society with no division between a “rich” and “poor”, I understand the possibility but just don’t see it actually happening. I believe that the future level of economic inequality can go up or down but will not be completely
10/3/12
Economic Inequality The current level of economic inequality can be in fact considered acceptable. The word acceptable by definition is to be cable or worthy of being accepted; pleasing, satisfying, or agreeable by the receiver. And in that case, someone who is on the beneficial side of the inequality usually doesn’t have a problem with it. For example, if there was a rule that said all football players can skip the lunch line, majority of the players including myself would accept it strictly because we are on the beneficial side of it. Therefore, it would be acceptable because I can get my food before you just because I play football. Now if we flip the script and make football players wait in line, the inequality would not be acceptable by them. But to address the question, I think the level of economic inequality is not acceptable. It is unacceptable to me not because I am on the beneficial or unfair side, but because inequality itself is unethical. In no way, shape, or form should any type of inequality be accepted, legalized, or justified in any way but in our society, that’s just how it is. I would want less economic inequality so that economic resources are distributed more evenly just because I feel like it is the right thing to do. If everyone had access to the same amount of resources, then the gap between the richest people and the poorest people wouldn’t be so wide. I believe that everyone would have an equal chance to reach their potential if provided with the equal amount of resources. (Education, money, etc.) It is possible to have complete economic equality. But similar to Karl Marx’s prediction that capitalism will be supplanted by a society with no division between a “rich” and “poor”, I understand the possibility but just don’t see it actually happening. I believe that the future level of economic inequality can go up or down but will not be completely