Citizens' Income - Essay Example

Running Head: Citizens' Income To what extent would the introduction of a Citizens' Income alleviate existing social inequalities of the writer] [Name of the institution] To what extent would the introduction of a Citizens' Income alleviate existing social inequalities Can it be possible for a society with a market economy to be just In the case a society protects citizens' basic rights and liberties and if that society's social and economic inequalities are to the greatest benefit f the smallest amount f advantaged and attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions f fair equality f opportunity, then it could be considered a society with justice. By stressing the importance on the means to achieve the life we choose, the issue f a citizens' income becomes central to the idea f real-freedom-for-all. A citizens' income is an unconditional and non- withdrawable income to every person as his or her right f citizenship. The class structure f contemporary Britain has changed significantly since the writings f Karl Marx and Max Weber in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. As far back as 1959 the Crowther Report identified a link between low incomes and low attainment levels. This was followed in 1963 by the Newsom report that found many secondary modern schools were deficient and argued that the less privileged 50 per cent f children did not receive their fair share f resources. Recent research from the Institute f Education has shown that children from poorer families are no more likely to gain qualifications than they were a generation ago. A study carried out by Barbara Jefferis, a research fellow at the Institute f Child Healthfound a strong link between social background and cognitive development. The research carried out found the gap between educational attainment between the richest and the poorest in society widened as time went on. For some children the first step in education is nursery education. Although not compulsory nursery education is now available to all three and four year olds. A scheme set up by the government provides nursery vouchers for all three and four year olds. These vouchers are used to purchase OFSTED inspected nursery education. State run nursery schools are available in many areas, although these may not have the same resources as private ones. High quality nursery education may be available although only parents with a higher income may be able to afford the extra costs than those provided by the voucher scheme. Many educational experts consider that pre school education is a vital foothold in education. If a child is unable to achieve the best possible start in education it may reflect on their educational achievement. The government's response to this is the Sure Start scheme. Sure Start is aimed at pre school children which as well as focusing on education focuses on health. In recognizing that a child's early years are vital to their future success, Sure Start provides better opportunities for young children. Support is also offered to parents in preparing them to assist their child to succeed. As most parents f children living in poverty may have a limited education themselves support for parents is essential in helping their child succeed. Very early education begins in the family home through interaction, as education can break the cycle f poverty, parental education and parenting skills may be more important than economic factors. (Feinstein 1998, 625-658) Deprivation may effect a child's education in many ways. Children that live in poverty often live in the most deprived areas f a neighbourhood. These areas often have schools which may be at the lower end f performance league tables. League tables show that schools in areas f social housing or with high numbers f private rented accommodation perform less well than schools in more affluent areas. Schools whose pupils are mostly from large inner city council estates are often referred to as sink state schools, hardly aspiring for those pupils that attend them. As the parents or parent f these pupils have limited income they are not in the position to move to a better area which has access to a better school. If they were able to secure a place in a better performing school outside the area, they may be unable to afford the travelling expenses. Families with higher incomes are able to move into catchment areas f the better schools. Parents are often willing to pay more to live near a high achieving school. Selective education is available in Britain, although most f this is in fee-paying Independent schools. Others are known as 'grant maintained schools', and they may use their own methods f selection. This often excludes children from low income families and particularly those from the worst areas. School performance League table's 2000 show that the top one hundred schools for GCSE results were either Independent or Selective, with just one exception, Thomas Telford School that is comprehensive. [Education league tables 2000 D.f.E.E.] Reports show that attainment varies according to the socio-economic backgrounds f children. In 1998, only 45 per cent f 11 year-olds in schools with high numbers on free school meals reached the Government's attainment targets in English and Maths, whilst more than 60 per cent reached that target in other schools. (O'Brien 1978, 1-56) The government has introduced some policies in education to help reduce inequality. These include Education Action Zones; these were established in areas f high deprivation. Along with money from private-sector sponsors and government they can attract better teachers through higher salaries. Homework clubs are set up, enabling pupils a quite place to study and the necessary resources. Barnardos an organization that works with children recognise the link between educational attainment and poverty. Currently they are involved in various projects with children from deprived families; one f these is setting up homework clubs in schools and libraries around the country. Children from low income families may not have access to books in the home or educational toys. A quiet place to do homework or studying may be unavailable. Family visits to museums and other places f educational interest may be unavailable in households f low income. These types f visits encourage and motivate children to succeed. Public libraries can provide a valuable resource in assisting a child's learning. As well as providing free access to books many hold reading hours and various forms f fun learning. Computers are now widely available for free use in many public libraries with access to the internet. (O'Brien 1996, 213-49) As computers are now widely used in schools, having access to one at home would certainly improve a child's ability in school. Pupils from low income families are less likely to have access to a computer in the home. When online resources are available in school they may also be less able to make use f them than pupils who have experience f using the internet at home. The government did introduce a scheme for poorer families, enabling them to purchase recycled computer at low cost, however this never got further than a pilot scheme amid allegations f poor management. Financial problems may increase stress amongst parents which may reduce their ability to assist in adequate educational support. Parental stress has been identified as a factor towards truancy. It maybe considered that certain background characteristics are linked with truancy. Children are more likely to truant if they are from low income families, live in social housing or live with only one or neither parent. Research carried out at Cambridge University established a link between truancy and poverty in primary school children. The study looked statistics on truancy in London boroughs between 1997 and 2000. Council education welfare officers and 98 parents on low incomes were also interviewed. Researcher Ming Zhang says the parents who were questioned said they sometimes forget about their younger children's schooling when they hit financial trouble. References O'Brien, P.K., "Path Dependency, or Why Britain Became an Industrialized and Urbanized Economy Long Before France," Economic History Review, 2nd series, 1996, Vol. 49, pp. 213-49. Allenm, RC, "Agriculture during the Industrial Revolution," in R. Floud and P. Johnson, eds., The New Economic History f Britain, forthcoming. O'Brien, P.K. and C. Keyder, Economic Growth in Britain and France, 1780-1914: Two Paths to the Twentieth Century, 1978, pp. 1-56. Lindert, P. H. (2000), "Three centuries f inequality in Britain and America" in Atkinson, A.B. and Bourgignon, F., Handbook f Income Distribution. Feinstein, C.H. (1998) "Pessimism Perpetuated: real wages and the standard f living in Britain during and after the Industrial Revolution", Journal f Economic History, (58), 3, pp. 625-658. Read More