Social Stratification
Ireland
The social stratification in Ireland today is undefined. During the Celtic Tiger it was perceived that Ireland as a whole was very wealthy and many people were classed as ‘wealthy’ or ‘upper class’. However since the recession hit the social status regarding the wealth of the country has deteriorated. It appears now that a larger number of the population are working or middle class and only a minority group remain in the upper classes of society. The growing unemployment rate has forced many people, including well educated individuals to rely on state benefits. This has been a huge factor in the rapid decrease in the social status of the country. Social mobility in Ireland appears to be going in the wrong direction.
Not only is the social stratification in Ireland defined by its economic status, but also by a number of other factors; for example; a person’s religion. In the past the influence the Catholic Church had on people determined the way they lived there life. Catholic priests were understood to be very well respected figures in society and anyone of the catholic religion were accepted as part of the community however individuals of a different faith were viewed as outsiders. Nowadays a person’s faith does not have as big an influence on their social status and many people from different religious backgrounds are accepted in Irish communities.
Some may argue that gender is not an issue in relation to social stratification in Ireland; others may argue that it is men who think this. It is clear that men as a whole hold a higher social status then women. ‘In 2007, a woman's wage was on average about two-thirds of a man's and after taking into account the longer hours put in by men, the hourly rate for women's wages is about 87% of men's’. ( http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/gender-inequality-rife-in-ireland-2055019.html). Not only are men earning more than the average women, it is also comprehensible that very little women are
The social stratification in Ireland today is undefined. During the Celtic Tiger it was perceived that Ireland as a whole was very wealthy and many people were classed as ‘wealthy’ or ‘upper class’. However since the recession hit the social status regarding the wealth of the country has deteriorated. It appears now that a larger number of the population are working or middle class and only a minority group remain in the upper classes of society. The growing unemployment rate has forced many people, including well educated individuals to rely on state benefits. This has been a huge factor in the rapid decrease in the social status of the country. Social mobility in Ireland appears to be going in the wrong direction.
Not only is the social stratification in Ireland defined by its economic status, but also by a number of other factors; for example; a person’s religion. In the past the influence the Catholic Church had on people determined the way they lived there life. Catholic priests were understood to be very well respected figures in society and anyone of the catholic religion were accepted as part of the community however individuals of a different faith were viewed as outsiders. Nowadays a person’s faith does not have as big an influence on their social status and many people from different religious backgrounds are accepted in Irish communities.
Some may argue that gender is not an issue in relation to social stratification in Ireland; others may argue that it is men who think this. It is clear that men as a whole hold a higher social status then women. ‘In 2007, a woman's wage was on average about two-thirds of a man's and after taking into account the longer hours put in by men, the hourly rate for women's wages is about 87% of men's’. ( http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/gender-inequality-rife-in-ireland-2055019.html). Not only are men earning more than the average women, it is also comprehensible that very little women are