A Fair Go for All
A fair go for all
In Australia we pride ourselves as a country that is built on the concept of a ‘fair go’ for all, yet this does not appear to be the case for many minority groups who are continually subjected to anything but a fair go. The concept of a fair go is based loosely around equal opportunity for everyone to achieve there goals and the providing of access to basic needs such as education, healthcare and the right to welfare for those in need. It has long been Australian tradition to support the underdog, yet are we entirely supporting the underdog when the underdog is not your “typical” white Australian? Why do the socially disadvantaged continue to be socially disadvantaged? A survey of Australians conducted by Roy Morgan Research for the Australian Council of Social Sciences (2006) found 91% of respondents thought ‘a fair go for all Australians’ was an important factor when defining Australian values. This paper will seek to discuss the main question of why certain minority groups within our society experience extreme and persistent disadvantage that sets them apart from the rest of our society? (Wise, S. 2011).
First we will seek to establish some of the main causes behind social disadvantage and why it is a problem to our society. Social disadvantage is caused by a number of factors that influence ones life, perhaps the largest of these being ones social class and where an individual is situated within the social class ladder. Weber (1978) would argue that social class has three components class, status & power or to be more easily referred to as power, prestige and property. The amount of power, prestige and property one acquires or looses will place them in a relevant position on the social class ladder. With those at the top the ladder being the least socially disadvantaged given for example the increased quality of life style choice available to them and their increased access to health care. Meanwhile those at the bottom of the ladder who
In Australia we pride ourselves as a country that is built on the concept of a ‘fair go’ for all, yet this does not appear to be the case for many minority groups who are continually subjected to anything but a fair go. The concept of a fair go is based loosely around equal opportunity for everyone to achieve there goals and the providing of access to basic needs such as education, healthcare and the right to welfare for those in need. It has long been Australian tradition to support the underdog, yet are we entirely supporting the underdog when the underdog is not your “typical” white Australian? Why do the socially disadvantaged continue to be socially disadvantaged? A survey of Australians conducted by Roy Morgan Research for the Australian Council of Social Sciences (2006) found 91% of respondents thought ‘a fair go for all Australians’ was an important factor when defining Australian values. This paper will seek to discuss the main question of why certain minority groups within our society experience extreme and persistent disadvantage that sets them apart from the rest of our society? (Wise, S. 2011).
First we will seek to establish some of the main causes behind social disadvantage and why it is a problem to our society. Social disadvantage is caused by a number of factors that influence ones life, perhaps the largest of these being ones social class and where an individual is situated within the social class ladder. Weber (1978) would argue that social class has three components class, status & power or to be more easily referred to as power, prestige and property. The amount of power, prestige and property one acquires or looses will place them in a relevant position on the social class ladder. With those at the top the ladder being the least socially disadvantaged given for example the increased quality of life style choice available to them and their increased access to health care. Meanwhile those at the bottom of the ladder who
References: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2009, Migrant data matrices January 19, viewed 1 April 2011 Betts, K. Ernest, H. 2006 ‘Lebanese Muslims in Australian and social disadvantage’ People and Place, vol. 17, no. 1 pp. 24 - 40 Cuneen, C. 2001, Conflict, police and crime: Aboriginal communities and the police, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, Sydney Gough, D. 2006 ‘Australians value a 'fair go ' highest’ The Age, 12 November, viewed 10 April 2011, The Age article database Humphrey, M. 1988, ‘Muslim Lebanese’ in ed. Jupp, J. The Australian people. North Ryde, NSW, Angus and Robertson Karapanagiotidis, K 2010, ‘Fair go for all’, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, 18 November, viewed 10 April 2011, Roy Morgan Research 2006, Is a fair society a happy society? Australia Fair – advance or retreat?, Sydney, Australia Weber, Max, Economy and Society. G Roth & C Wittich, eds. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1978. First published in 1992 Wise, S. 2011 ‘Advance Australia Fairly’ Sydney Morning Herald. January 14, 2011 Joshua Naughtin Understanding Society Sky Hugman