Social Change in Late modernity 08
- 1. Social Change in Late Modernity University and The Good Life
- 2. “ I wrote last month about the fact that over the last 20 years the employment rate gap between ethnic minorities and society as a whole had widened – stated another way, the majority of people from ethnic minorities are worse off in terms of employment now than they were two decades ago. I called on government to take stronger action within its own immediate grasp, most importantly by ensuring that the companies they make their billions of pounds of annual purchases from have credibly diverse workforces.” The Guardian, 19th October 2009
- 3. Campaigners have welcomed an idea to give poorer students a two grade "head start" to help them get places at the leading universities. Business Secretary Lord Mandelson is looking at the idea, and a variety of others, to increase social mobility. Les Ebdon, of university think tank Million+, said it was important to widen the social mix in universities. ... Mr Ebdon said: "I think what all universities are in the business of looking for is potential among the students rather than achievement."
- 4. Katie Ivens, of the Campaign for Real Education, said the plan was positive discrimination. She said: "It is not fair on those who study hard , it is not fair on the schools that actually produce a good quality education. "You cannot just push people into university because they come from a certain background and hope that will solve the problem." The Guardian 9th August 2009
- 5. Kant and Rawls developed modern theories of justice that try to detach the ideas of justice and rights from the ideas of moral desserts and virtue. Kant: a priori categorical imperatives lead to principles of a fair society. Rawls: a hypothetical contract agreed to from behind a veil of ignorance will lead to principles that create a fair society.
- 10. Inheritance tax should only be paid by the richest, by the millionaire, it shouldn't be paid by people who've worked hard and done the right thing in their lives. We should in this country be trying to encourage people and reward people for doing the right thing. And to people who are queueing up who want to do the right thing and obey the rules, they're being punished. That's one of the things that's wrong in our country at the moment. We need a different set of values, and this is not them. It doesn't make sense. Anna, I have every sympathy with you because, frankly, today in our country, people who try and work hard and save, and obey the rules, and do the right thing.
- 11. maximising welfare respecting freedom promoting virtue