The Problem of Social Inequality by Scott G. McNall

Author:Scott G. McNall [McNall, Scott G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, General, Sociology
ISBN: 9781317333432
Google: QqU0CwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2015-12-07T06:00:28+00:00

In summary, as Table 5.3, makes clear: Trust is strongly related to ethnic homogeneity (in, for instance, states such as Norway, Finland, Australia, and China) and to the rule of law. There are three exceptions among the high trust nations in terms of the rule of law. China and Vietnam are one-party dictatorships and Indonesia has experienced clashes between Muslims and Christians that have lead to the suspension of many civil rights. One reason for the relationship between ethnic homogeneity and trust is that when a country is ethnically homogeneous, there is likely to be less discrimination based on ethnicity. Ethnicity, when coupled with inequality, reduces trust. Trust is also reduced when a country suffers from crime or other forms of internal conflict. It should be no surprise that people in Trinidad and Tobago (Table 5. 3, column 1) do not trust one another because it is a country wracked by drug crimes and related violence. Where crime and corruption are high, trust is low.58

Trust is strongly related to ethnic homogeneity and the rule of law.

The relationship between trust, rule of law, and democracy, and ethnic diversity is not invariable. There are many countries with diverse ethnic populations that are democracies or are on their way to becoming full democracies. For example, Indonesia has upwards of 300 different ethnic groups. Malaysia has twenty different ethno-linguistic groups and Indonesia’s multi-ethnic population is made up of Chinese, native Malaysians and Indians. Ethnic diversity does not in itself lead to a breakdown of democracy. It does so when people are excluded from government and economic opportunities because of their ethnicity. Discrimination wastes resources and leads to conflict.59

The sociologist Andreas Wimmer and his colleagues have linked the outbreak of civil wars and political unrest to ethnic discrimination in multi-ethnic societies.60 Halvard Buhaug of the Peace Research Institute in Oslo and others have also shown that differences in economic inequality between ethnic groups and political discrimination drives violence.61 It should come as no surprise that when people are shut out of participation in societies that privilege some at the expense of others, the dispossessed will use violent and non-democratic means to acquire power.

Ethnic groups, tribal groups, and clan networks are trust networks. As the sociologist Charles Tilly has argued, trust networks must be integrated into the state, if it is to assume a democratic nature.62 Ethnic groups and clans will resist being incorporated into the state unless they derive benefits from doing so or can see that all groups will be treated equally before the law. Political and economic systems that are closed, as we can see from the above tables, are ones where people do not trust one another. Trust can be easily destroyed by corrupt institutions.

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