Sociology and Criminology-Open Access
Open Access

Social Inequality and Patterns in the Economic World

Xio Chan^{* *}Correspondence: Xio Chan, Department of Sociology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria, Email:

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About the Study

Social inequality occurs when resources are dispersed unequally within a society, often as a result of norms of distribution that produce distinct patterns along lines of socially defined categories of people. Whether people obtain social goods in society is influenced by factors such as power, religion, kinship, status, race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, and class. Social inequality is typically thought of as the absence of result equality, but it may also be thought of as the absence of opportunity equality. The labour market, the means of support, access to health care, and the freedoms of expression, education, political involvement, and representation are all social rights.

Patterns of inequality in the economic world

People's social status and, as a result, equality or inequality within a society are influenced by a variety of socially built features. When researchers use quantitative variables like income or wealth to quantify inequality, the data show trends that imply that other social factors serve as intervening variables. Significant income and wealth disparities are seen when specific socially defined categories of people are compared. Sex/gender, race, and ethnicity are three of these variables that are most prevalent. This is not to suggest that merit has no bearing on fluctuations in income or wealth in civilizations where merit is seen as the key criterion determining one's place or rank in the social order. To put it another way, these other socially constructed traits can, and frequently do, affect how merit is valued.

Gender inequality

Due to differences in masculinity and femininity, women and men are treated differently in society. This is manifested in the division of labour, the assignment of tasks and obligations, and the distribution of social benefits. Sexism, or prejudice and discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation is a major cause of social inequality. Even rural communities often have some form of gender-based division of labour, which tends to rise as industrialisation takes place. The growing gap between the roles given to men and women, notably in the economic, political, and educational realms, is what gave rise to the focus on gender inequality. In the majority of countries, both in the Global North and the Global South, women are underrepresented in political activities and decision-making processes.

Racial and ethnic inequality

Racial or ethnic inequality is a product of social hierarchies that exist within a community and are frequently based on physical traits like skin colour and other physical characteristics or a person's country of origin. Racism and systemic racism are the causes of racial inequality.

Age inequality

Age discrimination is the practise of treating someone unfairly because of their age when it comes to hiring, promotions, resources, or privileges. The discrimination against people or groups based solely on their age is sometimes referred to as ageism. It is a group of ideas, attitudes, standards, and principles that are utilised to support age-based prejudice, exclusion, and subjugation. One form of ageism is adultism, which is the discrimination against juveniles and individuals who are younger than the legal adult.

Inequalities in health

Differences in health status or in the distribution of health determinants among various demographic groups are considered health disparities.

Health care: Access to healthcare is frequently a factor in health inequality. In affluent countries without a universal health care system, like the United States, health disparities are more severe. Access to health care in the US is mostly based on one's financial resources because health care is a commodity that may be purchased through private insurance firms rather than a right.

Food: A phenomenon known as "food deserts," where there is little access to fresh, wholesome food in a neighbourhood, results in poor dietary choices made by consumers, has been the subject of extensive research in recent years. The epidemic of childhood obesity in the United States and many other nations is commonly believed to be caused in large part by food deserts. This may have substantial effects both locally and globally, as in Greece, where the prevalence of childhood obesity has sharply increased recently due to the country's severe poverty and the resulting lack of access to fresh foods.