Social Inequalities - Global Inequalities

Social Inequalities ANTH 2301 Global Inequalities Along with other social scientists, anthropologists acknowledge that people's everyday interactions and imaginations, as well as the decisions made by those in positions of social, political, and economic power, have all contributed to the development of societal systems and structures. The historical causes and events that gradually brought mankind to the current state of the globe have combined to create the current global order. Social structures and systems are created and managed by the people who inhabit them; they are neither static nor ahistorical. In addition to being an economic system, capitalism is the outcome of how individuals and communities interact with one another and the environment. The current state of affairs was shaped by presidents elected by narrow margins, agreements that favoured one political party over another, and reactions to calamities and other events— some of which may have seemed unimportant at the time. Though they are a part of the world and provide it order, structures are not external to it. It's critical to acknowledge the ways in which these systems of inequality may interact to exploit the poor and enrich the strong when discussing the effects of capitalism. Virtually no civilization in the world has been spared the profound effects of wealth disparities and capital accumulation. This flow of economic wealth is shaped by two main processes. Intergenerational wealth is one of the factors that promotes the constant building of wealth inside a single family. Intergenerational wealth is money that has been inherited by several generations and has grown in value over time. Rather than being used to stimulate the economy, this money is usually invested to enhance its value, which exacerbates wealth disparities. Colonialism is the other factor that has impacted global wealth disparities. The system of colonialism allowed European (and subsequently American) nations to impose their will on regions of the world in order to take advantage of their abundant natural and human resources. Resources must be extracted, processed by labourers, and final goods must be bought by customers for capitalism to function. All three were supplied by colonialism in the shape of a worldwide proletariat, or worker class, a population whose labour serves as the primary resource for production. One of the key factors in the current global system of inequality, according to modern experts, is colonialism. Many of the nations that had been colonised before obtained independence in the middle of the 20th century. Owing to global economic downturns and continuous colonial ties with strong Western nations, the majority lacked the resources to advance their political structures, infrastructure, and economic sectors. The decisions taken by European powers at the Berlin Conference, which divided Africa in accordance with the desires of Western colonial powers rather than establishing Indigenous areas and zones of political influence, also put these countries at a disadvantage. National boundaries were drawn with resources in mind rather than the local population, which contributes to some of the continuous unrest in Africa. What specific connection does this have to income, poverty, or social inequality? What is the impact of global trade and development policies on marginalised communities at the local level? To put it simply, those who live in poverty, particularly women, people of colour, and those with disabilities, are impacted by global power systems in every aspect of their everyday lives. Deep levels of inequality are caused by the intersections of political, economic, and social institutions, which limit the amount of resources accessible. Understanding the lingering impacts of colonialism is essential to comprehending the persistent injustices and poverty that plague so many formerly colonised regions. It helps to study neocolonialism in order to comprehend global systems of wealth and poverty. Neocolonialism is the term used to describe the covert methods in which contemporary capitalist interests continue to exert pressure on developing countries using political, military, or economic means in order to further plunder resources for the benefit of multinational companies and their supporters. Prof. of Middle Eastern studies Rosemary Hollis previously contended that Britain "went out the door and came back in through the window" (H.C. Foreign Affairs Committee 2013, Ev 20), implying that it abandoned its colonial possessions in order to exert influence over these countries in an alternative way. The primary means by which economic assistance initiatives carry out neocolonialism. Targeted economic aid is one way that the powerful nations known as the "Global North," which also includes companies and multilateral organisations headed by citizens of these states, exercise their influence. The World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are the most well-known organisations providing economic assistance. These affluent groups lend their money to the Global South, which consists of "underdeveloped" and oppressed nations going through political or economic turmoil. These loans do, however, include a number of requirements, the majority of which are referred to as austerity measures. Governments are forced by austerity measures to cut back on public support for the education and health sectors, which leads to the privatisation of these fields. The introduction of private health and education sectors severely restricts access for the impoverished inhabitants of such countries, as many cannot afford these services.