Running head: SOCIAL INEQUALITY IN CANADA 1

Social Inequality in Canada

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The term social inequality is often used to describe the unequal distribution of wealth,

resources, and positions within a society. The basis of social inequality occurs when social

grouping such as gender, class, religion, or race put certain individuals in positions from which

they have the ability to claim more share of resources and services than others. Social inequality

has long been a topic of interest in sociology. Sociology evolved from eighteenth century

writings of economists such as Adam Smith and Thomas Malthus. Smith was a proponent of the

idea that administration/governments should not attempt to interfere the “free market.” He

believed that lack of government interference in the market would lead to high living standards.

On the other hand, Malthus was not as optimistic and predicted that population growth would

lead to scarcity of food and resources (Steckley, 2017). Such a situation leads to poverty which is

a result of unequal distribution of resources. This brings us to the question of whether inequality

is inevitable. This report concentrates on social inequality in Canada and argues that class, social

stratification, race, and gender are the main factors contributing to social inequality in Canada

and the rest of the world and hence since all these factors make up the modern society, social

inequality is inevitable.

In Canada, the leading ideological conjecture about social inequality is that every

individual has an equal chance at succeeding and having whatever they want in life. This is the

concept of equality of opportunity which is the idea that every has an equal chance to succeed.

Equality of opportunity denotes that inequalities of condition are not so big that they

significantly impede an individual’s life changes. Whether or not Canada is a country that offers

its citizens equal opportunities is a subject of substantial sociological debate.

Class inequality
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In today’s society, class inequality has become very common. A class, as described by

Karl Marx, consists of people with the same relationship to the means of production or to the

things used to produce the goods and services required to survive such as land, technology, work,

and so on (Steckley, 2017). Marx identified class as a social group in which people of different

classes are categorized. In his analysis, class systems in society form around the private property

institution, dividing the individuals owning or controlling property from the ones that do not own

the property, who survive from their own labor. In a class system, social inequality is structural

which means that it is built in to the economy’s organization. The class system defines social

factors such as wealth, income, and education, which in turn affect how much power an

individual has. In most societies, having more money means that you will have more

opportunities and more power. Most Canadians identify as middle class. This means that only a

small percentage is in the upper class who have a lot of money and resources, meaning that they

have power. This shows how the class system leads to more inequality for people with less

money as resources are unevenly distributed and more resources and power is concentrated on a

small group of the upper class people.

Social stratification

This brings us to the concept of social stratification which is the situation in which the

social divisions and social inequality relationships have developed into a system of who get

what, when and why. “In sociology, a stratum is a group to which people belong depending on

their level of income, education, or another social variable.  It is usually each of several equal

groups into which a population has been divided for comparison” (Steckley, 2017). The people

with more resources occupy the top-most layer of the social stratification structure, while the

other group who have fewer resources occupy the lower layers in the society. Through the
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stratified sampling method to identify different class divisions in Canada, one can identify how

unevenly household wealth is distributed in Canada. The uneven distribution of wealth in the

society proves that social inequality is inevitable.

Race

The issue of race and racism brings about many aspects of inequality in which a person’s

race might influence their ability to be able to get access to certain goods or services. Many

Canadians who identify as visible minorities, who are persons other than Aboriginals, who are

non-Caucasian, lack the same access to resources and opportunities as non-racialized groups. As

a result, race is a major factor that leads to inequality in Canada. In relation to race and

inequality, income inequality against the racialized groups in Canada is a major problem that

further advances social inequality. This form of inequality is developed from the systemic racism

that has led to the denial of various opportunities in education, employment, housing, and access

to health services among the racialized groups in Canada (Steckley, 2017). Unless racism comes

to an end, social inequality in Canada is inevitable.

Gender

Gender inequality is also a form of social inequality in which one gender is given more

power than the other. Gender inequality has always been there since time in memorial in which

men have more power over the women in societies across the globe. The modern patriarchal

society has helped advance gender inequality in which men have privileges embodied in their

domination, which is reproduced through stereotypes, language, traditions, culture, and the

media. As a result of gender inequality, women are oppressed by men and have been denied

equal opportunities in income, employment, and they experience different kinds of abuse
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propagated by men. In most cases, male domination is paired with violence. This violence can be

physical, sexual, or emotional. These types of violence are subjected to women and are a result

of the social construction of male and female identities in which women are expected to be under

men and be led by men. Sadly, this extends to the work place as women continue to battle the

inequalities and sexual harassments that hinder their success at work. This type of inequality is

inevitable as long as society supports the idea that men are superior to women.

Conclusion

As discussed, different class, stratification, race and gender are some of the main factors

contributing to social inequality in Canada. These factors work to divide different individuals

into different groups which are subjected to inequality. A person’s class, race, or gender can

determine their ability to have access to certain opportunities or resources. Similarly, a person’s

class, race or gender can determine the amount of resources and hence the amount of power and

influence they have in the society. Social inequality can therefore only seize to exist if society

did not have these distinctions and groups. As long as they exist, social inequality is inevitable.
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References

Steckley, J. (2017). Elements of sociology: A critical Canadian introduction. Oxford University

Press.