idea of opportunity in the concept of inequality
After the World War II, there was a tremendous change in the economic state of America. There was a greater economic development that triggered higher incomes to the nationals. According to Madrick (2003), it was in the 1960’s when America started to address the issue of equality. School segregation was enacted to unequal the African Americans with the whites. On the other hand, Christopher (1997) argues that the much noticed increase in measured income is a result of the real social equality. This paper asserts to discuss the idea of opportunity in the concept of inequality as viewed by the ideally contrasting authors, together with the pro and cons they mitigate.
First, according to Madrick (2003), a better life should be given only to those who work for it. In the labor market, opportunities are equal to everyone. Money should be handed out like in the past, to those who already served the country in form of pensions, healthcare benefits etc. in the recent world, new programs have been established that hand out money with mere qualifications. He sees it as a waste of resources. Many spheres in the American society have emphasized in giving more aid to the low classes. This questions the sense of being equal all together even without a struggle.
On the other hand, Christopher (1997) views the technological advances and economic progress as a unit factor to all humanity. For instance, progress in construction, manufacturing, and agriculture has availed necessities of life to everyone. Survival should not be negotiable if the resources are already there. This ideology challenges humanity into facing the truth of accepting and appreciating the progress in technological advances that are made. He says that the handicapped remain dependent on the working public for necessities, hence survival should not be questioned. This equalizes everyone towards enjoying the end benefits of all human work.
Secondly, Madrick (2003) argues that unequal opportunities may result from unequal incomes. Low and middle-class families can hardly afford to live in neighborhoods that will provide their children with decent lifestyles. The income of the typical family has been outrun by the cost of being a middle class itself.in the current America, opportunity means being in a competitive environment with a better life than the former. Those in the bottom half of America have jobs that do not provide adequate health benefits. Lack of health benefits stands to undermine equality of opportunities.
The material benefits of the knowledge-based economy are not limited to the cognitive elite. The establishment of new industries has succeeded in opening up employment opportunities for the lower classes. Less risky and arduous occupations have been replaced. the ability to acquire and deploy human capital is a function of intelligence. Intelligence is inheritable (Herrnstein 2010). As much as there is a classification in the society, all the classes grow simultaneously, a gap that shall never be filled because of the difference in intelligence levels in the human existence.
In conclusion, the classification of the society is expanding. Legal racism is proving inevitable. It is a challenge that is not worth in a growing state but the United States has failed to curb this issue. Segregation of the population according to skin color, economic status portrays more inequality. The wide gap in incomes for people in the same workgroup says it all. America is truly becoming more unequal.