Social Inequity

One of the biggest stories being covered all over our nation is the new tax plan that could be affecting us all in just a few weeks. Some people will say that the plan is good for our country and that it will help our economy grow and drop the unemployment rate. While there are some who say that this plan will only benefit the highest tax payers long term. There a plenty of pundits who are going back and forth about the percentages and dollars, but at the core of these arguments is social inequity.

The Alameda County Public Health Department defines social inequity as disparities in power and wealth, often accompanied by discrimination, social exclusion, poverty and low wages, lack of affordable housing, exposure to hazards and community social decay. When power and wealth are attained by a group of people they may not totally restrict access to power and wealth, but they make it almost impossible for others to gain significant wealth and power.

When discussing the inequities of society the word "privilege" often comes up. Privilege is important to this discussion because it is a major determination how resources are distributed. A college professor recently did an experiment with students about privilege in the form of a race.  In the race he asked questions about the students upbringings and if you said "yes" you moved closer to the finish line. It's a great analogy for how societal inequities drive our nation.