Introduction
Class struggles appeared during the development of early marketing relations between people. The modern conflict primarily exists between the owners of industries and various forms of business, the affluent people, and their labor force, who belong to the lower and middle class (Corrigall-Brown, 2020). In fact, Karl Marx, the founder of the conflict theory, claimed that capitalist society is built on the principles of exploitation (Corrigall-Brown, 2020). Hence, it will eventually be replaced by socialism or the “dictatorship of the proletariat” (Corrigall-Brown, 2020, p. 101). Although his ideas were popular in the Soviet Union and still applied in China, few countries are ready to change their social structure because they seem comfortable with it. For instance, according to Corrigall-Brown (2020), many Canadians consider themselves middle-class representatives and believe in meritocracy, which means that everyone earns what one deserves. However, it does not mean that all individuals are equal in this country; thus, this essay aims to discuss whether Canada is an egalitarian state. Although some examples demonstrate the correctness of this ideology, it does not indicate that Canadian society is equal in terms of resources and opportunities for attaining success.
Main body
Meritocracy maintains the hope for a social ladder that works for hard-working individuals, but it does not prove equality in Canada. However, this ideology appears to ignore that resources are not equally distributed in society; therefore, opportunities for better healthcare, education, connections, and employment are not the same (Corrigall-Brown, 2020). Indeed, Marx claimed that workers in the capitalist society tend to develop false ideas that benefit the ruling class and prevent the proletariat from rising against them (Corrigall-Brown, 2020). Still, stating that most of Canadian society is suppressed and lives in poor conditions would be inaccurate because people form unions that negotiate better working conditions, pay, and social benefits with employers and the government. Furthermore, as Corrigall-Brown (2020) claims, “Canadian labor laws and public policies have been more supportive of unions” (p. 112). Nevertheless, people cannot be viewed as equal if power distribution is skewed because it defines access to different opportunities.
Another argument for supporting the statement that Canadian society is not equal is the existence of social status. Indeed, like in any capitalist country, people in Canada are informally assigned to a social group that can be high or low based on one’s occupation (Corrigall-Brown, 2020). For instance, lawyers or business people have high status, while a worker in a fast-food chain is perceived to have a lower position. The main reason for such distinction is probably low income in the latter, which may earn $36,000 per year, and high in the former group with an average annual income of $100,000 (Corrigall-Brown, 2020, p. 116). Although economic mobility is common in Canada based on hard work, some groups of people have poor living conditions because of the inability to receive proper education and employment. In fact, every seventh Canadian live in a state of constant scarcity (Corrigall-Brown, 2020). Consequently, the population in Canada is not equal in terms of their income and social status.
Summary
In summary, although people in Canada can rise on the social ladder, this country’s society does not have equal access to various opportunities. Individuals are informally assigned to higher or lower social class and status based on their income and profession. Moreover, some portion of Canadians are poor and seem to be trapped in the vicious cycle of low-paying jobs and the inability to get access to better healthcare, education, and employment. Therefore, despite the widespread meritocratic belief in this country, Canadian society cannot be considered equal.
Reference
Corrigall-Brown, C. (2020). Imagining sociology: An introduction with readings (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.