essay

How economic inequality Impacts Social Issues

Economic inequality has a significant effect on social issues because it creates a gap between the rich and the poor which is linked to social instability (Wright, 2018). It is the unequal distribution of wealth that leads to a case whereby a small population controls the large amount of the state's income (Panizza, 2018). As the gap between the rich and the poor increases, there is an extreme reduction of access to the critical aspects of social well-being like good education and accessible healthcare services.

Educational attainment, for instance, is influenced by the environment where children studies. Children from low-income families tend to achieve low education and sometimes may not graduate due to economic issues (Desmond & Western, 2018). This issue usually makes it hard for the poor to get good jobs hence may end up getting involved in socially unacceptable activities like theft and prostitution. Apart from education, economic inequality is also associated with increased mortality rates among the poor due to the inability to afford essential healthcare services.  The high rate of unemployment among the poor is also related to poor nutrition which usually exposes them to various lifetime diseases.

Addressing economic inequality will reduce the difference between the rich and the poor. As a result, the social status of the poor will be positively impacted (Panizza, 2018). For instance, by reducing the gap in education, children from the low-income families will have the opportunity to attend good schools and get the quality education that will increase their chances of getting good jobs in the future (Desmond & Western, 2018). Similarly, when the gap between the rich and the poor is reduced, everyone will have access to social services like healthcare, transport, and infrastructure. Besides, equal employment rates will give everyone a chance to improve their living standards through proper nutrition, housing, and education.

References

Desmond, M., & Western, B. (2018). Poverty in America: New Directions and Debates. Annual Review of Sociology, (0).

Panizza, U. (2018). Unequal Gains: American Growth and Inequality since 1700, by Peter Lindert and Jeffrey Williamson (Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2016). Economic Record, 94(304), 112-114.

Wright, G. (2018). The political implications of American concerns about economic inequality. Political Behavior, 40(2), 321-343.