Wealth and Income

Wealth and Income

IGCSE Sociology

Lesson Objectives

• Define wealth and income

• Explain the connections between wealth and income

• Explain how wealth and income relate with social inequality

• Reflect on social stratification and inequality in society​

IGCSE Sociology

Open Ended

Recap:

What is meant by the term 'life chances'?

• Life Chances include opportunities for:

  • employment

  • education

  • good health and well-being

  • housing

  • social mobility

  • life expectancy​

Activity

In April 14, 1912, her maiden voyage, the luxury ocean liner Titanic struck an iceberg. 1500 people died and only 30% (4/12) survived.

Sinking of Titanic

Scenario

You are on a luxury liner and the ship’s captain announces the following message. “Please do not panic! The ship has just hit an iceberg and we are about to sink. Unfortunately, there is not enough room on the lifeboat to save everyone. Because we won’t sink for at least another ten minutes, we must decide who among us will be saved. Only four of us will survive.”

• President of the Shipping line (Jerry)

• President's spouse (Josephine)

• President's baby (Joey)

• Engineer (Milky)​

• Soldier (Peter)

• Elementary school teacher (Vanny)​

• Retired Person (Audrey)

• Ship's captain (Aurora)

• Physician/Doctor (Branca)

• Nurse (Cherry)

• Migrant worker (Dawn)

• Mother (Esmeralda)

• Senator (Hurdinence)

Roles

Discuss as one group (10 mins)

Begin the discussion by first identifying yourself to the other group members. Tell them who you are and try to convince them why you should be allowed to get on the lifeboat. Remember that everybody wants to live and you are fighting for your life!

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Discuss as one group (10 mins)

After the introductions and appeals, your group must decide how it will make its decision as to who is to survive.​

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The group should then discuss who should be permitted to get on the lifeboat. Keep in mind that each person selected for the lifeboat means one less seat for you.

Time is up.

Open Ended

Who were the survivors selected by the class?

(Let Vanny upload the names of the survivors and their roles)

Open Ended

How did you personally reach a decision on who you thought should survive?

Open Ended

In your group deliberations, what were some of the comments made about some group members?

Open Ended

Are there certain people in society who are more important than others? If so, who are they? Do you think this was a consideration in your group's choices of who should live and who should die?

The inequality between groups in a stratification system, for example income and wealth.

Social Inequality

Characteristics of Wealth

• An important indicator of social status;

• Wealth is often inherited;

• It is distributed unevenly.

Open Ended

What ideas struck you about wealth?

Did you know?

People do not receive all their income because they need to pay tax and other deductions, such as national insurance, pensions, etc...

Open Ended

What ideas struck you about income?

Poll

How confident are you?