Social Stratification and Gig Economy (Essay Sample)

Social Stratification and Gig Economy Student’s Name Institution Affiliation Course Code Instructor Date Social Stratification and Gig Economy Social stratification involves the grouping of individuals within a society. Social stratification aims to describe people's "place" in a society. Through social stratification, society is categorized into a hierarchy. Groups at the top of the hierarchy enjoy power and privilege, while groups at the lower ranks face direct and indirect discrimination. Examples of Social Stratification Social Class Discrimination According to Marxist theorists' social class is categorized into the upper class, middle class, and working class. The upper class consists of rich individuals who enjoy the power and privilege of being in a capitalist society. On the other hand, the middle class comprises educated individuals with well-paying jobs sufficient enough to meet their basic needs and offer stability. Additionally, middle-class individuals are likely to have a home and mortgage and often go on vacations. Lastly, the working class comprises a wide set of individuals with risky, hard, and low-paying jobs. Working-class individuals are likely to face inequality as a result of their low income or class culture. Race and Ethnic Discrimination Race and ethnic inequality against individuals have always been systemic problems. Race and ethnic discrimination involve placing individuals into categories based on their appearance. When individuals seem to be from a recognizable race or ethnic group, they are categorized immediately, and they face a hard time setback the stereotypes in individuals minds. Gig Economy A gig economy is a free market structure with common temporary positions, and organizations employ independent workers for short-term contracts. The phrase "gig" is a slang term to describe employment or a job that lasts a particular period. The phrase gig has been used traditionally by musicians to describe a performance commitment (Lutkevich & Gillis, 2022). The gig economy consists of freelancers, project-based workers, part-time workers, and independent contractors. Apps and digital software connect buyers and sellers in the gig economy. Advantages of the Gig Economy The gig economy is good as it enables a high percentage of the workforce to be mobile, and tasks are done remotely through digital platforms. The gig economy has enabled work and location to be isolated, meaning that freelancers can take on a project or work from any part of the world. Additionally, employers can choose the best-qualified individual for a particular task from a large pool of workers or freelancers (Lutkevich & Gillis, 2022). The cultural effect of the gig economy keeps on changing. For example, the COVID-19 epidemic has impacted the hiring trend. According to the Pew Research Center survey, 16% of U.S. adults have generated income via online gig platforms. Issues such as racial and ethnic differences exist in the online gig economy. Questions of who takes the job and negative experiences are some issues online gig workers face. 30% of Hispanic adults have once earned income via an online gig platform. In contrast, 20% of Black adults have earned income through online gig platforms, while 19% of Asian adults have earned income online, with 12% of white adults having earned income online (Gelles-Watnick & Anderson, 2021). Additionally, 24% of non-white gig workers are more likely to experience unwanted sexual encounters while working, while 13% of White gig workers are likely to experience sexual advances. According to recent studies, the gig economy is not the best solution for gender-based pay differences despite equal ingress to work and similar working hours. Rather, traditional behaviors that portray themselves in the traditional labor force exist in the gig economy. According to a study by Israeli professors Arianne Renan and Anat Ben-David, gender-based differences in the online gig platform have persisted. Women earn 37% less than men across a broad scope of professions while considering factors such as education level, experience, customer feedback, and working hours. Arianne and Anat have attributed the difference in pay to women acc...