Introduction
This change proposed plan is a formal initiative to implement changes in Australia to address problems with inequality. Given that this proposed plan will center on the concept of inequality, the researcher will be considering the types of inequality that are present in Australia, which include gender, social, and income inequality. The aim of this proposed plan for change is to take into account the approaches where the people can make a difference and evaluate the feasibility of the change proposal plan in the recent socio-political context. The change proposal plan for the inequality in Australia should specify the problems that are in need of change; the approach for implementing change; the expected benefits that the change may bring, and the weaknesses of the change proposal plan for inequality.
Description of the Issue
The existence of inequality in Australia resulted from the country’s acceptance of globalization. In particular, globalization brought Australia into entire ranges of new realities. Australia embraced the concept of economic liberalism and experienced economic growth and financial stability for 14 years straight, which is impressive by any standards. However, others who are less optimistic in regards to globalization perceive that acceptance of globalization as a means for accepting the inequality (Conley n.d). The widening inequality is dangerous simply because it underpins the social cohesion and affects the capacity of the individuals to participate in economic and social opportunities. In addition, inequality is harmful to the economy as it results in resources being confined in the hands of fewer individuals. This means there is a decrease in economic activity. Inequality exists in a country because the individuals are denied even in their most basic human rights and are not provided with legal protection to secure those rights (ACOSS 2015).
Income Inequality
Australia is notable for its socially mobile state in the organization for economic cooperation and development (OECD). The income inequality in Australia is related to the widening gap between the lowest and highest income household, including the income distribution to the population that earn wages. The income inequality in Australia is a complicated issue. It affects several factors, which increase because of the unwanted social factors. These include the changes in the benefits. It also reduces the initiatives or impact of the whole social welfare, which could lead to desirable social changes. Some scholars argued that policy makers should not focus or concentrate too much on the income inequality of the country; rather, they should focus more on reducing poverty. However, scholars in the Australian National University, namely Professor Podger and Whiteford, argued that a certain inequality level is different in that it improves the employment level , reduces poverty, enhances the engagement and participation level in a community, and implements a just system of taxation. The policy target for the levels of inequality itself is different from certain objectives of reducing poverty in Australia. Instead, policy makers should focus on the particular factors that contribute to the changes in the levels of inequality and what certain policies can be used to address these specific causes (Commonwealth of Australia 2014).
The inequality in income poses challenges both for the economic and political sectors. The wider the gap between the rich and the poor contributes to the danger of political power falling in the hands of the few rich individuals. Income inequality contributes to the failure of human resources where individuals are being paid less than what they have labored (OECD n.d).
Social Inequality
Social inequality exists in all countries as a result of the socio economic status of an individual and the amount of their household income. There are several factors that contribute to social inequality in Australia, and these are social marginalization, social capital, deservedness and meritocracy, and individual habitus. Social marginalization involves a series of aspects and individuals or groups who were marginalized by society as a result of social omission, ethnicity and race, disability, disadvantaged groups, and gender. Individual habitus refers to the habits of a person that develops over time because of their cultural and social surroundings. Given that these remained in existence and are lived experiences, more and more individuals are starting to accept the possibility of their disadvantaged condition resulting in the normalization these discussions.
People begin to blame themselves for the existence of inequality. The misconception with the social constraints and disadvantage leads to one’s feeling of outlook, which appears to reproduce these social constraints. On the other hand, deservedness and meritocracy involve the position of an individual in a society. The opportunity of an individual to succeed is open to everyone, depending on their capacity and talent. However, the principles of meritocracy can be an issue in the educational system because it is generally associated with the concept of deservedness. In deservedness, the members of a meritocratic society who perform poorly are considered as someone who does not deserve any better. Lastly, social capital is from the word ‘capital.’ It is utilized by the superior class and is acquired from combined relationships, which enable one to sustain a position where they can possess power within the society in general (Tyler 2011).
Proposal for Change
The inequality in Australia can be reduced by proposing a strategy for change. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the existence of inequality can be reduced by designing the institutions as well as the policies for the market labor; removing the regulations on the market products that strangle market competition and that contribute to the decrease of the inequality in the labor income through recharging the employment. The system of transfer and tax also play a significant part in reducing income inequality. In the same manner, the policies for education can be used to improve the number of individuals who graduate from higher secondary and tertiary education. This encourages equal accessibility to everyone; thereby dropping of number of cases on inequality. As well, policies and regulations can be used to promote the integration of immigrants in society, which in turn combats any form of discrimination (OECD 2012). The proposed change will be beneficial for the economy, the community, and the individuals, particularly those groups and individuals who are victims of inequality within the system. In addition, the increasing inequality in Australia can be addressed through the allocation of adequate budgets and the implementation of efficient policies that provide legal protection to individuals rather than through an increase in the government’s social spending, which does not always result in the alleviation of the poverty and the reduction of inequality (OECD n.d).
The proposed change should be implemented because inequality affects everyone, and it does not choose its host. Inequality poses threats to the political sector, economical sector, as well as the society. Despite the enthusiasm of policy makers and other relevant organizations that aim to reduce the level of inequality in the system, inequality still remains in place up to this day. Inequality matters because it occurs everywhere and if the government, policy makers, and other relevant authorities of Australia fail to address it, it may destroy the overall system of the country.
The predominant type of inequality in Australia is the income inequality. The incomes in Australia are not distributed evenly, resulting in the wastage of human resources and the lack of skilled workers. Income inequality affects the overall productivity of the workforce and the organization’s financial performance, in turn leading to the organization’s financial instability. On the other hand, social inequality promotes the marginalization of society in which individuals and/or groups are discriminated and marginalized based on their race, color, language, gender, and socio-economic status. Finally, social capital is used by a few wealthy individuals in order to retain their position within the community.
The proposed change is effective and matches the problem because inequality can be reduced through the implementation of efficient policies that would protect the basic human rights of an individual. The proposed change has a higher chance of being successful because the method has been proven by other countries. For instance, the government of Germany increased their social spending to alleviate poverty and again decreased their social spending from 27 percent to 20 percent. However, the poverty level remained constant despite the increase and decrease of spending. Therefore, the increase in social spending does not result in the decrease of inequality. Rather, the government should implement efficient policies and regulations in response to inequality in Australia.
Conclusion
The proposed change in response to the inequality in Australia can be successfully achieved only if the government would implement effective policies. The government plays a significant role in reducing inequality since they are in charge of implementing the policies in which the success of the proposed change depends on. The proposed change can only be achieved if the government will examine the inequality problems in the country; consider the suggestions mentioned in the proposed change; and incorporate them into the policies that they will implement.
References
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Commonwealth of Australia, 2014. Bridging our Growing Divide: Inequality in Australia. [pdf].
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Conley, T., n.d. Globalization and Rising Inequality in Australia: Is Increasing Inequality
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OECD, Are we Growing Unequal?: New Evidence on Changes in Poverty and Incomes over the
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Tyler, S., 2011. Transforming Inequality in the Classroom: Not as Easy As it Sounds. Journal of
