Inequality, Wealth and Income

Essay by xxveronCollege, UndergraduateA, April 2008

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The issue of workplace inequality has been in the eyes of the public, and been in awareness of society for decades. Some of the most predominant issues which arise when speaking of workplace inequality include gender, attractiveness, and school prestige. It is proven that these three properties determine or differentiate ones workplace income in comparison to the income of a man, a beautiful woman, or a person who attended an average school. For generations, the traditional role of women in society has almost entirely excluded them from participation in the workforce. Oppression against women, especially of color, in the workforce is a serious issue in society. This issue began very long ago in history and sadly is still an issue in today. The rise of feminism, however, has impacted this issue greatly. Discrimination has been a serious part of this ongoing oppression in the workforce, and feminists strived to decrease the amount of it, and gain women more equal rights.

Opportunities for women are slowly increasing, and discrimination is slowly decreasing. Still, however, women of color are finding it very hard to find jobs. The problem of inequality in employment is one of the most vital issues in today's society; one that cannot be ignored.

In order to understand the situation of gender inequality, one must try to understand the possible factors that cause females to have such a difficult time getting the same benefits, wages, and job opportunities as the male sex. The problem is, the society in which we live has been shaped historically by men. "A woman's primary attachment is to the family role; women are there less intrinsically committed to work than men and less likely to maintain a high level of specialized knowledge." (Oakley, 1974; 28) In past centuries, women were mostly noted to be...