Weel 5 Notes: OPPRESSION OF THE POOR
● Why there’s a LARGE GAP between people at the top and bottom:
○ 1978-- average CEO made 35 times more than average worker
○ 2010-- average CEO made 243 times more than average worker
○ average CEO paid 821 times more than minimum wage earner
■ earning more before lunch time on the first work day of the year
than minimum wage earner earns all year
○ Average CEO makes more in one day of work than average worker makes
in one year
● How those at the top get away with it:
○ Those on the top make the decisions on how to allocate earnings
○ Limited resources for those on bottom—have limited choice
○ Company threats to layoff, fire, move company, etc. when people
complain
○ IT’S NOT THAT PEOPLE AT THE TOP OF A COMPANY ARE BAD PEOPLE!
■ Simply the fact that they’re part of the oppressive system (even if
they didn’t ask for it/create it)
○ Justifications:
■ People worked VERY hard to get to top
■ Jobs are VERY STRESSFUL for those on top
● Capitalistic System: economic system based on private ownership, free trade, &
competition
○ goal of capitalism is to turn money into more money
○ Takes money to make money
○ Rich get richer; poor get poorer
○ Gov has little say about production of goods/services
● Suggested Institutional Changes to Reduce Poverty:
○ Create income-maintenance system that recognizes need for full-time
childcare
○ Provide support for low-wage workers
○ Close gender pay gap
○ Create jobs that don’t assume you have “wife” at home to perform
household work & childcare
○ Make education and training affordable/available for all
○ Fix tax structure
● READING: Concerted Cultivation and the Accomplishment of Natural Growth
○ Difference in child rearing between middle-class & working/poor class