Income Inequality In Canada

Many individuals classify as the prosperous or unfortunate, and the differentiation amongst the two groups continue to expand yearly; this categorization is known as income inequality. The sociological perspective, more so the structural functionalism, also identified as functionalism, can be used to further examine income inequality. Structural functionalism was introduced by Talcott Parsons, and it accentuates that efficient healthcare and excellent wellbeing are two fundamental factors for a human being to function well. Each person’s health helps the society function because when multiple individuals are unhealthy, the society is at risk imbalance. “Parsons [describes] illness as a state of disturbance in the ‘normal’ functioning of
For example, an individual from the lower class may not be able to afford healthcare or the medications they are prescribed. Also, individuals of the lower class work labour jobs which pay minimal dollars and usually do not provide any employment benefits. Therefore, the chances of their family eating unhealthy foods are high, thus making them more probable to illnesses. Although Canada’s Medicare system is well-known for providing access to excellent healthcare, medications are not covered. Therefore, in Canada, the poor have access to healthcare but getting the prescribed medication may become troublesome. On the other hand, individuals from the higher class have no trouble in affording health care or prescriptions. As well, the quality of healthcare that is provided may not be the greatest, and therefore, the society’s performance will be affected significantly as a lot of people may become ill and remain sick for some
Therefore, removing the hierarchical system in Canada will make healthcare more available to the public and result in healthier citizens. Coming from a large family, my parents constantly put in extra hours at work to provide us with the best of things, including healthcare. However, due to tight financial situations that regularly arise at home, it is difficult to take days off from work when in pain from doing labour. Thankfully because of my parent’s hard work, my siblings and I are in postsecondary pursuing our dreams, and without our parent’s efforts, it would not have been possible. Therefore, we are appreciative of all the efforts my parents have put and continue to put to get us to where we are in life. After all, in a place that is constructed like Canada, education is essential to living a well-off life because nothing in life comes easy, and in order to afford such things, like medications, a well-paying job is vital. Although my siblings and I continue to work towards our goal of living a successful life, I continue to hope that Canada will eventually become a country like Sweden, where individuals are treated fairly. Consequently, from Talcott Parsons’ sick role, one can certainly see the effects structural functionalism has on income inequality in today’s