Relevance: Sociology: Social Stratification: Deprivation
What is Deprivation?
“Deprivation” is one of the concepts closely associated with the discussions of social inequality. Sociological analysis defines deprivation broadly as inequality of access to social goods. It includes poverty and wider forms of disadvantage. It refers to denial of access to resources required for self-development and fulfilment of basic necessities. Resources can be social, economic and cultural and basic necessities vary from one culture to another.
- “In general, deprivation refers to a condition in which people lack what they need” …the lack of economic and emotional supports generally accepted as basic essentials of human experience. These include income and housing, and parental care for children,”
How it is different from Poverty?
- The above mentioned definitions make it clear that some human needs such as income, care, shelter and security are very basic and their fulfillment leads to fuller and more comfortable life experience. Satisfactory fulfillment of these needs is believed to contribute to more complete Development of the individual’s potential.
- Globally, poverty is more often than not, expressed in economic terms, while deprivation can have other dimensions as well. According to Pierre Bourdieu, it is lack of adequate social, cultural, symbolic and economic capital.
Thus, deprivation is a broader phenomenon than poverty. When compared to exclusion, deprivation is of resources, exclusion is from social participation.
One may face deprivation despite relatively good economic condition. People in war torn areas, like West Asia and some African countries, suffer from multiple deprivations in the form of non-access to health, education, sanitation, housing, etc. due to absence of a peaceful political atmosphere. In other cases, cultural norms can lead to deprivations.
For example, in Islamic countries and many other orthodox patriarchal societies, women are not allowed to take education and other social activities. Some traditional societies like India also have rigid social stratification like caste, which also lead to multiple deprivations for those in the lower strata. Similarly, racism and ethnocentric practices also deprive one section of population from amenities of life as it is still a case in South Africa. Thus, deprivation can also be due to structural factors.
Types of deprivation:
Absolute Deprivation and Relative Deprivation :
- Absolute deprivation refers to the lack of life necessities i.e. food, water, shelter and fuel. It means the loss or absence of the means to satisfy the basic needs for survival – food, clothing and shelter.
- Relative deprivation refers to deprivations experienced when individuals compare themselves with others. In this case, individuals who lack something compare themselves with those who have it, and in so doing feel a sense of deprivation.
- Consequently, relative deprivation not only involves comparison, it is also usually defined in subjective terms. The concept is intimately linked with that of “reference group” – the group with whom the individual or set of individuals compare themselves.
Why the concept of Relative deprivation is useful?
Deprivation or disadvantage is measured not by objective standards but by comparison with the relatively superior advantages of others, such as members of reference group with whom one desires to emulate. Thus, the mere millionaire can feel relatively disadvantaged among his multi-millionaire friends.
The concept of relative deprivation has been used in the study of social movements and revolutions, where it is argued that relative, not absolute deprivation is most likely to lead to pressure for change..
Social stratification is an inherent character of all societies. It is historical as we find it in all societies, ancient and modern; and it is universal as it exists in simple or complex societies. The social differentiation on the basis of high and low is the historical heritage of all societies.
These social strata and layers, divisions and subdivisions have over the time been accepted on the basis of sex and age, status and role, qualification and inefficiency, life chances and economic cum political ascription and monopolization, ritual and ceremony and on numerous other basis. It is of varied nature. It is no less based on the considerations of superiority and inferiority, authority and subordination, profession and vocation.
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