Summary of Chapters



Summary of Chapters

Social Problems: Economic Inequality and Poverty

The chapter economic inequality and poverty discusses the dilemma of the society regarding poverty and economic inequality. According to the author, the sociologists have provided a close emphasis to the social class. The society seems to be structured and organized and one of the methods to study the society involves the differentiation in the society based upon the class system. This system is usually referred to as the economic inequality system (Perrucci & Wysong, 2008).

Most of the sociologist argues that the root cause for most of the social problems is the class system in the society. However, according to the author, the economic inequality of class structure cannot define the problems of the human society as an individual factor. They provide an understanding of the social world by defining the macro issues which are the forces pertinent in the society that have a tendency to shape the lives of the people in a society. The author has attempted to provide the causes of economic inequality in the society of United States. The author has referred to the view points of other researches as well involving the book on economic class namely “the new class society” (Perrucci & Wysong, 2008).

The author of the book has argued that the United States society is going through a major shift which is related to the distribution of wealth. This shift in the society has brought about a number of changes in the society such as it affects the different classes of the society in a significant way. The off- shoring and international out- sourcing processes are considered to be the trending words that can be considered in the American economy due to the globalization. The productivity of organizations is usually determined by such strategies. This strategy has also helped a number of entrepreneurs and business men belonging to middle class in pursuing a secure business style and they have become part of the contingent work- force of the businesses (Perrucci & Wysong, 2008).

The author has described the view point of Thomas Shapiro who has focused on the gap in wealth within the American society. According to him, this wealth gap has resulted in the major differences while inheriting the assets. One of the challenges to the meritocracy ideal is the inherited wealth. It has been observed by the author that the class position should be determined form the hard work of the people and not by the inherited wealth which does not truly represent the acquisition of assets or wealth (Perrucci & Wysong, 2008).

In order to understand the issue of poverty, the author has referred to the argument present by Harrell Rodgers Jr. He has provided an insight into the issue of poverty in the society by giving a close emphasis on the causes of poverty in the society. The 5 theories of poverty described by him have identified different causes and factors that have lead towards poverty in the ...