Analysis Of Social Inequality: Patterns And Processes By Martin Marger

According to Social Inequality: Patterns and Processes by Martin Marger, life chances includes education, health, residence, etc.; which are opportunities that we must procure through social resources. Our position within society determines our life chances; for children, their parent’s positions within society determines the child’s social status within society. Marger also stated, that although life chances are acquired it is only partially in our control. Those from a lower social class will have to overcome many restrictions and red tape in order possibly acquire more life chances to moving up the social ladder. Our society is based on a class hierarchy, the higher up one is the better opportunities they have at their disposal. These opportunities

This article gives readers a different aspect to look at when it comes to our health outcomes. Our health outcomes are the main determinate on our class status, which Scott’s article shows through the stories of three individuals; while individual choices are a factor to our health outcomes it seems only be the catalyst—the tipping point—to the major health illnesses people get. It is completely possible for someone to shape their life chances through their own efforts, however; this occurrence is rare, which is the reason sociologists tend to focus on the typical pattern society follow. This article showed how one’s social status contributed to one’s health outcomes through access to one’s health care and the class differences.

First is health care, Marger stated in his book Social Inequality: Patterns and Processes; that our social status is the biggest factor and poses the biggest impact on our health. The health

For example, everyday medicine and disease prevention is advancing; doctors and scientists are finding cures or better treatments for everything. However, according to Scott only those at the top of the class hierarchy ladder like the upper-class or the upper-middle-class, will be given the opportunity to utilize it, as seen in the immediate hospital treatment of Miele versus Wilson and Gora. These types of opportunities help to expand one’s life expectancy; such an angioplasty surgery, Miele was immediately given the angioplasty surgery, which helped to prevent another heart attack; this immediate action was heavily based on the stratification dimensions Miele held. Miele is part of the upper-middle class which means that he held prestige, power and wealth within the community; Miele has influence on society resulting in his luxury medical treatment. Wilson was given medication first before eventually receiving the angioplasty surgery; this was a result of his middle-class status. Meaning that Wilson held less prestige, power and had little wealth within the community; Wilson has no influence on society resulting in the hospital official to question what kind of treatment he should receive. While Gora was only given medication and never considered for an angioplasty surgery.