Can social inequality be overcome? Should it be overcome? Why?

According to the Longman Dictionary, inequality refers to an unfair situation, in which some groups in society have more money, opportunities, power etc than others (Longman Dictionary Online). Social inequality is characterized by the existence of unequal opportunities and rewards for different social positions or statuses within a group or society. It contains structured and recurrent patterns of unequal distributions of goods, wealth, opportunities, rewards, and punishments.

Inequality may result from one or a combination of the following factors, age, sex, disability, race and the prevailing economic environment. These can be classified under biological, social and political, and economic.

Political representation and decision making could also lead to inequality. In most countries including, Saudi Arabia, women are hardly represented in the political structure and for that matter, issues that concern them do not receive the needed attention. It is of little wonder therefore that women in Saudi Arabia could only vote for the first time this year in national elections. This is inequality resulting from the political system and the kinds of decisions it makes. For example the country’s laws forbid women from driving. (Burke, 2011)

Functionalist theorists believe that inequality is inevitable and desirable and plays an important function in society. Important positions in society require more training and thus should receive more rewards. Social inequality and social stratification, according to this view, lead to a meritocracy based on ability.

Conflict theorists, on the other hand, view inequality as resulting from groups with power dominating less powerful groups. They believe that social inequality prevents and hinders societal progress as those in power repress the powerless people in order to maintain the status quo. Positions are important so long as those in power consider them to be significant.

Inequality should be solved because; it prevents individuals and even large sections of society from realizing their full potentials. This does not only deny them of their fundamental human rights but also robs society of the full social and economic benefits that it could derive from the talents of these individuals and groups such as an enlarged economy among others.

The other reasons include starvation and disease and other forms of immense suffering that majority of the world’s population go through. In Africa for example, there are millions of deaths that result from preventable diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and diarrhea.

The threat that inequality poses to national security and world peace as exemplified by the Zapatista revolt is one major reason why it should be overcome. The insurgent group, Zapatista National Liberation Army’s activities in the mid 1990s in Mexico attests to the fact that those at the receiving end of inequality and injustice will not continue to remain silent forever. Social inequality will not disappear on its own; there must be a conscious effort to overcome it. For example, as of the late 1980s, 31.5 million people lived at or below the officially defined poverty level, while in 1999 the figure had increased to 34.5 million. (Collins, Hartman, and Sklar 1999; Oxfam 1999 both cited in American Sociological Review).