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Social Inequality
Social inequality is the condition of unequal access to the
benefits and rights of society. In a purely equal society, every
citizen is equally able to contribute to the overall wellbeing of
that society, and they are equally able to benefit from their
membership within that society.

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Types of Social Inequality

Social inequality is usually the result of unfair inter-social treatment (biases and
prejudices) and unjust government regulations. Social inequality can be further
broken down into two types: direct and indirect.

Direct Social Inequality occurs when unfair treatment of a group (or groups) is
deliberate and can be present in both community or government capacities.
Direct inequality is a purposeful act that takes away resources, opportunities
and/or rights from some and not others. Examples include:

Governmental: Legislation mandating the segregation of schools and other public

places along racial lines
Inter-Social: Business owners refusing to serve clients based on sexual
orientation

Indirect Social Inequality occurs when unfair treatment of a group (or groups) is
not the explicit purpose of a policy or action, but still results in social inequality.
Examples include:

Governmental: Legislation that eliminates or limits early and mail-in voting and/or
requires photo ID. The stated purpose of these laws is to mitigate voter fraud but
the consequence is that people who often can’t vote in-person only on election
day (students, the elderly, or those who can’t otherwise afford to leave work or
transport themselves to polling stations) are disadvantaged.

Inter-social: Purchasing clothing that was made in sweat shops. Sweat-shop

laborers are overworked, underpaid, and often work in unsafe working
conditions, hindering their ability to contribute to and benefit from society. So
while buying clothing itself does not create social inequality, it supports
conditions that do.

Learn about how social inequality leaves certain

groups more vulnerable to the impacts of climate
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How Social Inequality Impacts

Indigenous Communities
Pachamama Alliance supports the work of several Indigenous communities in the
Amazon, including the Achuar who are protecting their land, culture, and rights
from extractive industries encroaching on their territories.

The Achuar experience indirect social inequality by virtue of policies and

behaviors that perpetuate destruction of their homeland. When we as consumers,
for instance, continue to drive demand for fossil fuels, it results in governmental
policies that favor oil companies over the rights of Indigenous communities.
When their land is seized or otherwise degraded, the Achuar are unjustly, unfairly,
and unequally bearing a burden that governments and corporations around the
world have imposed upon them.

More on Social Justice

What is Social Justice?

Social Injustices

Social Responsibility & Ethics

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