The Social Environment - Essay Example

Sociology If one takes a close look at the social environment, one will be able to notice that it consists of several areas each of which is of great importance since it contributes to the overall stability. One of such areas is the economic system. It would be particularly helpful to analyze the activities of some of the biggest players, such as major corporations in order to see their influence from different points of view. To begin with, one might point out that the above mentioned companies are able to influence the prices as well as demand since they are in charge of the supply of the products. In order words, the customers might think that they push the industry forwards, as in the example of smart phones, but in reality the industry makes the customers pay more, producing new gadgets and contributing to growth of the economy. A similar situation might be witnessed in the world of politics: the practice of lobbying has become a routine and many major companies, like Dell or AT&T, spend a considerable amount of money in order to make sure that they interests will be legally protected (Carroll and Buchholtz 373). There is no doubt in the fact that this is likely to have a tremendous impact on the political decision making of the United States of America. In addition to that, major companies have their representation abroad which also makes them important actors in the foreign markets. As a result, a single company will be able to affect not only the domestic economy, but also a foreign one, making it an important figure in global economy. 2. It would not be a mistake to point out that living in a social environment should be considered to be an important prerequisite for the development of inner potential of a person. However, sometimes a person struggles with poverty and is not able to live a full social life. One might argue that the poor are not likely to take an active part in the political system as they are too busy making a living and they do not have time for some abstract values such as fulfilling a duty of a citizen. In addition to that, people who are living in unfavorable conditions have lost faith in the social equality and the duty of the government to achieve it. In other words, they are largely self dependant and consider participating in the political process to be a waste of time. This kind of attitude might explain the reason why poor people do not usually vote. The voting often takes place on Tuesday which is the beginning of the working week. If a person who struggles with poverty has a choice between voting and earning many, the choice is obvious. Moreover, in the morning there are long queues, so a poor person would not have to waste time (Mary 104). All this results in the fact that participation in the political system and process is usually opened to people who belong to higher strata, i.e. they have time and financial funds to afford paying some attention to such abstract matters such as voting. 3. Citizenship is an important institute in the social life as it reflects the connection between the abstract notion of government as a particular human being which is manifested in support and protection. However, some people might take this relationship for granted. In the United Stated of America the citizenship is granted to people who were born on its territory. In other words, a person does not have to make any effort in order to make a connection between him or her and one of the most powerful states in the world. That is why there is no wonder that so many people take their citizenship for granted, thanking the circumstances of their birth. Contrary to that, people who have undergone the process of naturalization have a completely different view on this issue: they remember how many struggles that they had experience in order to be recognized as a valid citizen. What is rather interesting is that people who belong to both categories that were mentioned above pay extra attention to the idea of citizenship when in comes of illegal immigrants (Bardes and Shelley 146). In this case they adhere to the approach according to which citizenship represents a unique relationship between a person and the state; so it should not be granted so easily. As one can clearly see, there are numerous thoughts about the nature of the citizenship of the United States. However, there is no doubt that this concept represents an important notion in life of the society. 5. When it comes to analyzing the idea of globalization, the image of McDonald’s is among the first things that come to mind. In the article that is titled A Brief History of McDonalds Abroad Randy James analyzes the way the above mentioned company was able to influence international stratification. First of all, he points about that McDonald’s is able to boast an impressive representations: it operates in 118 countries in the world which makes it almost impossible to find a developed country without this franchise (James). This means that people all over the world are able to enjoy the taste of the famous burgers and feel connected to each other. However, the author also points out that there were some set backs in its development, when it had to leave the markets of countries the population of which was not wealthy enough to generate enough profit for this company, as in Bolivia or Jamaica (James). One might argue that in this case it introduced some changes in the international stratification. Nevertheless, keeping in mind the success of this company, one should note that McDonalds is responsible for introducing a certain fast food standard that is largely recognized in many countries. Indeed, sometimes disciplines, such as Economics, use it in the form of Big Mac Index. In other words, the overall influence of McDonald’s might be characterized as a positive one with regard to international stratification as it provided the world with a common ground that many people can relate to. 6. It is beyond any doubts that achieving a homogeneous society may be a rather difficult task. What is more important is that a part of it, namely the so called elite, will oppose to such efforts. That is why the latter is largely responsible for maintaining social stratification. The first tool that is used for it is power. The times when the elite physically oppressed the rest of the society are long gone, but they approach did not change: at the present moment the force that it uses is the economic force. Indeed, an employer provides many employees with work, allowing them to make a living, but not accumulate money. Another tool that they use is ideology. The latter is designed to justify the differences that are not based on any logic, but appeal to the established social order in stead (Kornblum and Smith 240). In other words, ideology does not allow any room for an objective analysis of the state of affairs. Finally, new technology might be used as an effective tool for maintaining the status quo that will be favorable for them. Thus, the advancements will allow them to perform different processes fasting, leaving more personal time, while people from lower strata will have to spend more time in order to achieve a similar result. Having examined the above mentioned tools, it becomes clear that the elite will use all of them in order to secure their dominant place and eliminate any risk to their supremacy in the society. Works Cited Bardes, Barbara A., and Mack C. Shelley. American Government and Politics Today: The Essentials. Belmont: Thomson Wadsworth, 2008. Print. Carroll, Archie B., and Ann K. Buchholtz. Business & Society: Ethics, Sustainability, and Stakeholder Management. 8th ed. Australia: South-Western, Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. James, Randy. "McDonalds Abroad." Time. Time Inc., 28 Oct. 2009. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. . Kornblum, William, and Carolyn D. Smith. Sociology in a Changing World. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1988. Print. Mary, Miss. Just Because We Are the 99%. S.l.: Trafford On Demand Pub, 2012. Print. Read More