Different Forms of Oppression, Essay Example

Different forms of oppression take place on multiple levels constantly throughout our society. An argument can be made that the entire function and operation of our society is a result of oppressive forces. One form of oppression that has been a fundamental part of creating societal structure throughout all cultures, epochs and historical transitions is classism.

Classism is discrimination based on social class. According to ‘Class Action’, a non-profit organization who works to end classism, classism involves the “systematic assignment of characteristics of worth and ability based on social class”. Examples of classism can be seen on a institutional, group and individual level.

Discrimination based on social class has existed since the development of the first civilized society. In some cultures classism presents itself as an acceptable ‘organization’ of society. The caste system in India has been the prevailing form of societal organization for centuries and still exists in many cases. A person’s caste, known as jati, is not a matter of choice but is fixed on the basis of birth.

The United States prides itself as the ‘land of equal opportunity’, however due to the enormous inequality between people of socioeconomic status, that slogan often does not ring true. In a 1979 study from the Carnegie Council on Children, entitled “Small Futures: Children, Inequality, and the Limits of Liberal Reform”, researcher Richard de Lone found that a child’s future was largely determined by social status, not brains. Since that time research has shown that the class divide in the U.S. has widened, along with the inequality which accompanies it.

Social class affects more than wealth and professional opportunities. It affects health, relationship patterns, identity and overall belief systems. Classism creates a situation where the lower and upper class truly exist in different realities.

Mortality rates are higher and life expectancy shorter for those of lower economic status. Numerous studies have show a positive correlation between higher risk of chronic disease, such as cancer, diabetes and autoimmune disease for lower socioeconomic status levels.

A recent study by researchers at the University of Geneva in Switzerland and published in the Journal of the American Cancer Society showed that compared with patients of high socioeconomic status, those of low socioeconomic status were less likely to have their cancer detected by screening, had more advanced stages of cancer at diagnosis, and underwent fewer tests to characterize their cancer. These differences caused the patients with low socioeconomic status to have a 2-fold increased risk of dying from prostate cancer compared with patients of high socioeconomic status.

At the University of Houston, classism shows itself in many ways. Due to the fact that the student body is rather homogeneous in make up, the school is full of many people of the same socioeconomic status. Most students are upper middle class and have, therefore, experienced a certain amount of privilege in their lives. Often many students have not had to work as hard for their successes and take much of what has been given them for granted.

On the other side of the spectrum are the students who come from lower class families. These students are very grateful for the opportunity to be able to attend a institute of higher learning and often take their studies very seriously. The two groups do not mix well, since they have had such different experiences and world views. Classism is almost impossible to legislate. Accusations of discrimination are highly subjective and few concrete laws exist. Several non-profit and government organizations, such as ‘Class Action’, work to educate people about classism and develop programs to help even out the playing field.

The functioning and operational structure of our society is based upon a system of classism.  This makes it impossible to completely eliminate this type of oppression. The best we can do is work to further opportunities available for lower income citizens and ensure have the same rights and options of their higher income neighbors.

References

Domhoff, G. William. Who Rules America? Power and Politics. New York: McGraw Hill, 2002.

Smith, James P. “Healthy Bodies and Thick Wallets: The Dual Relation Between Health and Economic Status. J. of Economic Perspectives. 13.2 (1999): 145-166

de Lone, R.H. Small Futures: Children, Inequality, and the Limits of Liberal Reform, New York, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1979

Dirks, Nicholas B. Castes of Mind: Colonialism and the Making of Modern India. New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 2001.