Global Inequality
By: Shannon Beach
1
Sociology 1020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SLIDE 1-- COVER PAGE
SLIDE 2 – TABLE OF CONTENTS
SLIDE 3 – PRE-STUDY REFLECTION
SLIDE 4 – TYPES OF COUNTRIES CHART
SLIDE 5 – TYPES OF POLICY CHART
SLIDE 6 – INCOME INEQUALITY CHART
SLIDE 7 – LIFESPAN COMPARISON CHART
SLIDE 8 – INEQUALITY GAP GRAPH
SLIDE 9 – POST REFLECTION
SLIDE 10&11 – SOURCES
2
Pre-study Reflection
Global inequality is undeniable. We hear of children starving
in Africa while obesity rates in North America are rising
rampantly. As Americans we bathe in tubs of hygienic water
daily although many around the world don’t have access to
a glass of sanitary water to drink. As we discuss social
problems and analyze the root of poverty others are living
it, without money to afford even an elementary education
the word sociology is meaningless to them. Yes, we
sympathize with such people but what is affording us such
luxuries and providing us such a comfortable lifestyle? Why
were they born with the short end of the stick? How did we
get so lucky? Maybe luck isn’t part of the equation. Here is
a look at some of the issues causing global inequality.
3
Types of Countries
CORE
SEMI-PERIPHERAL
PERIPHERAL
Austria
Belize
Afghanistan
Belgium
Brazil
Bolivia
France
Chile
Cuba
Germany
Jamaica
Costa Rica
The Netherlands
Mexico
Dominican Republic
United States
Panama
Ghana
South Africa
Haiti
Tunisia
Jordan
Turkey
Kazakhstan
Uruguay
Kenya
Laos
Pakistan
Nepal
Vietnam
These examples based off of The American Sociological Review(Dunn, Kawana, Brewer (2000))
Note: Does not list all countries.
4
Does Economic Policy Have A
Role?
Country
Economic System
Classification
United States
Capitalist
Core
China
Communist
Core
Brazil
Capitalist
Semi-Peripheral
Costa Rica
Capitalist
Peripheral
Kenya
Capitalist
Peripheral
These examples based off of The American Sociological Review(Dunn, Kawana, Brewer (2000))
Most of the
countries use
some form of
free market
economy.
Could Capitalism be a
part of the problem or
the solution?
5
Income Inequality
Type
Country
Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) per Capita
Core Country
United States of America
$ 15,080,000,000,000
Semi-Peripheral
Brazil
Peripheral
Afghanistan
$2,294,000,000,000
$29,740,000,000
These figures are based off the US dollar in 2011 using Purchasing Power Parity
or PPP which adjusts for the exchange rate between the different currencies.
(United States. Central Intelligence Agency.)
6
Lifespan Comparison
Type
Country
Life Expectancy at Birth
Core Country
United States of America
78.49
Semi-Peripheral
Brazil
72.79
Peripheral
Afghanistan
49.72
These figures are based off the total population of both male and female in a
2012 estimate. (United States. Central Intelligence Agency.) Life expectancy in Core
countries is much higher than those of Peripheral countries.
7
The Gap Between
Income Gap Between Countries
35000
32863
32134
30000
25000
20000
1980
2007
2010
18509
15000
10000
5000
0
Gap between core and peripheral
Here we can see how as a whole the gap is growing between the
core and peripheral countries.(United States. Central Intelligence)
Agency.
8
What I Have Learned
As population has grown so has the level of inequality. All of the classic
theoretical analysis provides explanation for Global inequality. Eighty
percent of the world uses some form of a Capitalist economy. The
countries that were better off were those with a combination economy
of social welfare and free market but with each government we find
latent functions surrounding political systems contributing to the harsh
conditions.
The World-Systems theory is comprised of Core countries (industrialized
capitalist), semi-periphery countries (industrializing mostly capitalist)
and periphery countries (exploited, under-developed). The roles of
these countries have changed drastically within the past few hundred
years. The relationship of Imperialism that now exists between them is
creating a dependency that reinforces poverty among Periphery
countries.
9
Sources
1. Amin, Samir. "Exiting The Crisis Of Capitalism Or Capitalism In Crisis?." Globalizations 7.1/2
(2010): 261-273. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Nov. 2012.
This study tried to determine if economic policy is helping or creating the problems that we are
seeing with global inequality.
2. Caranti, Luigi. "The Causes Of World Poverty: Reflections On Thomas Pogge's Analysis."
Theoria: A Journal Of Social & Political Theory 57.125 (2010): 36-53. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 16 Nov. 2012.
The complex reasons behind world poverty and what would remove it. A review of Thomas
Pogge's thoughts which I think helped me better understand some of the circumstances that
breed rapid poverty.
3. Miller, Richard W. "How Global Inequality Matters." Journal Of Social Philosophy 42.1 (2011):
88-98. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Nov. 2012.
This article discusses how to reduce the impact of global inequality. It explains how
international trade policies can exploit peripheral countries. I found this article through the
SLCC databases.
4. United States. Central Intelligence Agency. COUNTRY COMPARISON :: GDP (PURCHASING
POWER PARITY). The World Fact Book, 2012. Print.
<https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2001rank.html>.
This source provided me with most of my statistics for the charts I created. The CIA has a
website dedicated to statistical research in comparing countries to one another.
10
5. Utting, Peter. "The Struggle For Corporate Accountability." Development & Change 39.6
(2008): 959-975. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Nov. 2012.
I found this source through the SLCC databases as well and it taught me about the changes in
transnational corporations in recent years. They discuss how failure to limit corporate
capitalism is contributing to inequality.
11