Hello everyone,
Here is the discussion topic:
The Rights Revolution has resulted in the expansion of rights in Canada and other liberal democracies since the 1960s. Yet, although we are 'legally' more equal to each other, socioeconomically there is growing inequality in Canada (see the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternative's site, "Growing Gap"). Why do you think this is happening? Do you expect it to continue? Is equality something that merely exists on paper?
Looking forward to hearing your comments,
Professor Deckha
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14 comments:
The inequality that persists is based on the economical conditions of the day. Because the mass population of the world is growing exponentially the base of the capitalist system (the working population) is becoming an easier commodity to exploit. Now men and women are both sources of exploitation in every country around the world.
A metaphor for this would be a child who is spoiled and has many toys. When the child gets more toys others will mean less and less, and eventually the value of these toys goes down while the value of the child's attention increases as toys are vying for attention.
As Darren mentioned, inequality is a growing problem because of over population. Humans seem to be more greedy and less willing to share. Through media, we are told that materialism is important. In my opinion, this is a big reason why we are so confused as a society.
In Canada we are becoming more and more multicultural, and this is demanding that we be more diverse with our standards in society. The mix of culture creates confusion for our standards. To create equality, Canadians must be willing to accept many different ideas and theories in order for us to all get along and create equality.
Canada’s population continues to grow greater and greater each year. As we grow, socioeconomic issues continue to rise through work and modern day society—even though were initially “more equal to each other”. The media does control certain people’s minds on what to think and feel, resulting in different standards. However, some people like to be different and base their opinions on their own personal experiences. As a result, Canadian’s don’t have a set of standards to follow as one country altogether. A lack of standards persists in the growing inequality throughout Canada.
This issue will continue to grow as society becomes more involved with new media and technology.
Equality does exist on paper as well as in the minds of human beings. It is up to people to acknowledge its presence for it to become reality. With all of the new aged technology and media, our minds are becoming distorted and our perception is not as clear as it used to be.
As far as I am concerned, this equality is happening because of the difference in education background. It directly affects people's income level and causes the "Growing Gap" in Canada. Education not only affects the mainstream of the Canadian society, it also affects the continue growing immigration population. Immigrants, especially those from non-English speaking regions, no matter what level of education they have before, are considered inexperienced, or even illiterate in Canada. Some ethnic groups even have much lower average income level.
This inequality will get better in the future generations. People now pay more attention to education for the next generation.
I think equality does not exist where there is competition. Inequality may disapear in the ideal communist world. However, whether there will be communist is yet for the future to tell.
I agree that In Canada, we are more equal to each other 'legally', rather than socioeconomically. From capitalist viewpoint, the society always ensures a level playing field - an equal opportunity environment for all; It is our lack of entrepreneurship, right investment and hard work that is creating all these inequalities! Or is it?
I think the major reason for the widening income gap between rich and poor is the profit margin business organizations reserve for themselves in order to make super abnormal profit. Who decides what should be the minimum wage? Who decides the price of the essential commodities? The more politically correct answer would be 'supply and demand situation in a free market economy which no one has any control on whatsoever. But in reality, free market economy is an eyewash; Everything is controlled by the top of the capitalist authority & institutions through manipulation. Has USA stopped subsidizing its own firming industry while they are advocating zero subsidy policy in WTO forum? It is like saying, “let’s race, but at first let me break your knees”!
No one objects if any company makes super abnormal profit if they survive the competition. But at the same time, no one questions about what percentage of their total earnings the employees should get as wage. For example, in security industry, the contractors (security companies) bag more than 40% of the actual wage a client actually agrees to pay a security worker. Workers don’t know anything about the real contract. Now who sets this amount? Doe’s this amount of profit margin reflect the real competition in industry?
Capitalism encourages the mass population to work hard saying that it is good for the economy, but reality is, the more you work hard, the more they can save earnings/share of profit because the term ‘minimum wage’ doesn’t reflect the real economy – it is always lower than actually required in order to meet the basic needs. Therefore, the economy booms as everybody work hard, but the ‘gap’ remains steady. And the irony is, the capitalist system wants you to join them by taking the same manipulator’s role if anyone wants to break this bondage cycle and become an entrepreneur. If government interferes and tries to raise the minimum wage, industries fight back with a threat of cutting jobs because they know that for poor, job itself is more important than inflation adjusted wage; So, economic inequality continues…social inequality is just another by product of the former.
Not all Canadians rights are being recognized. As the population continues to grow we come across doctors and engineers from different countries i.e. India in Canada whose education backgrounds are ignored. As a result these Canadians are forced to work harder and longer to make ends meat in less secure jobs i.e. caretakers that pay less.
The “Growing Gap” is probably something that can be beat. If the Government was to step in like it is doing so right now i.e. Ontario and raise the minimum wage in other Canadian provinces so that it is equal to or greater to than that of the cost of living and recognize the educational backgrounds of Canadians from different countries then all hope has not failed.
Equality is not something that merely exists on paper. I feel that equality is like respect. Give a little. Get a little.
The socioeconomic inequality is growing because the only the wealthy are truly benefiting from the huge economic growth of today's Canadian society. There are huge gaps in income. The 10% richest families earned at least $131,000 per year, while the poorest 10% of families in Canada than $9,400 in 2004. Wages have not kept up with inflation, and the rising cost of living in Canada. The gap is also getting worse because employers are manipulating the employment system. Well-paying jobs are being replaced with less-secure work that pays less and without benefits. As a result, Canadians make less money, save less, and personal debt is at an all time high.
If nothing is done, the economic gap between the rich and the poor will continue to grow. The middle class will completely disappear.
Depending on who you are, equality in Canada is something that merely exists on paper.
Lindsay Hunter
In a capitalist system there will be always winner and looser and there will be always a socioeconomic gap. Even in Canada there are some social policies to prevent this inequality, in this order of the world, it is really hard to create a real equality. Materialism became more important in every area. Doing something independent in art or in business is harder every day. Monopolization works in every area. Media pushes more the materialism. In this situation, people who have money has better education, better life.
The growing population makes harder the situation. I believe that the middle class will disappear especially in big cities if Canada doesn’t find some solutions and make some investment for the future.
Fusun Uzun
Inequality is not something necessarily new. This not only happens between nations that divert from one another, but also between citizens of the same nation. Considering Canada's growing population, this problem only looks to be on the rise, considering that Canada is home to people from all over the world. I believe that the reason why this has happened and still is, is because we have not yet learned to live with equal standards. Diversion of ethnicity, lifestyle, background and religion, puts people on groups, sending them into a seperate state from others.
How can the term equality exist when you have people "living" with children, on $9,400 a year? OUTRAGEOUS. If you were to look at the statistics, you will see that the people who are in this poor bracket are generally undereducated or completely uneducated. This begs the question, WHY, in a country that has a free public education system, are people being uneducated?
Globally, the gap in socioeconomic inequality is widening because people are too greedy. They want for themselves, at the cost of others. Apparently the Government seems to think this is ok.
Rights are something that differ from culture to culture. If someone travels from Canada to another country and expects that they will be able to carry on with their own rights, they will find that this will not happen. In Canada, however, in an effort to welcome more diversity and to try to keep rights and equality at par, ethic diversity and rights are welcome with open arms.
With all of that said, it looks good on paper, but what portion of it is actually carried through and honoured?
There is a growing gap in Canadians because of income and this is causing a great deal of inequality in our supposedly equal society. I think this is happening because of the set up of our society from the wages we are paid right up to the education system. With our wages, each year they are raising the minimum wages a negligible amount while the cost of living goes up steadily faster. Those making minimum wage or near minimum wage are more affected by the cost of living then those making a great deal more. Education also has a lot to do with it, to get almost any high paying job you need to go through some form of post secondary education which will guaranteed cost money and those that can afford this education will be able to benefit from the schooling, those who can't however are forced to work in basic labour jobs that have no requirements and aren't able to make near as much.
I expect this trend to unfortunately continue because of human nature and greed, where there is money to be made, not many will want to give it up to others and will want to keep themselves on top.
Equality is something that exists only on paper because in reality, even though most people do treat others like equals now, there are still others that do not feel they should be forced to treat others the same.
I find that even thought the rights in Canada when it was expanded in the 1960's that much has changed since then but we will always have a problem with inequality. Because of history that has taken place is a reason why i find that humans will always have a problem with compairing everyone equal. As others have said media is a growing problem and i find that with advertising in which that it is geared to certain people and right there gives the impression of inequality. Humans are effected by experience and with the experiences that we have witness and are witnessing just does not seem to grow a drastic change with equality. In my opinion i find that there are many problems growing, and that are in our past that effect inequality and just does not seem to be disappearing at any time soon.
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