(SPE1) Bringing Class Back In: Making Further Sense of Social Inequities in the 21st Century

Even though economic inequality is one of the most visible and easily identifiable aspects of social differentiation, discussions of social class have very been limited in Canada. Why don't Canadians talk about social class? These researchers address the question directly and present evidence related to class differences based in paid work relations, social and cultural capital, and other areas. They also address class consciousness, including aspects of class identity and higher levels of oppositional and revolutionary consciousness. Connections between class and sustainable social movements focused on other forms of social inequities will also be addressed. Tags: Equality and Inequality, Policy

Organizers: D.W. Livingstone, OISE, University of Toronto, Michelle Maroto, University of Alberta; Chair: Terry Wotherspoon, University of Saskatchewan

Presentations

D.W. Livingstone, OISE, University of Toronto

Hidden Levels of Class Consciousness: Canadian Trends

Left intellectuals and activists often presume that transformation from capitalism requires that they instill revolutionary class consciousness in rank-and-file workers duped by dominant class ideologies. The presumption is dead wrong. Rare grassroots surveys show that many rank-and-file workers hold hopeful anti-capitalist future visions. The challenge is not instilling these visions but mobilizing them. This paper registers the relative absence of class analysis based on paid work relations since the 1980s, in conjunction with the neo-liberal offensive weakening organized labour as well as more obvious and extraordinary increases in labour force participation by visible minorities and women with children. The re-composition of the tripartite class structure of paid employment in Canada during this period is documented, including the rise of non-managerial professional employees. Levels of class consciousness are distinguished in terms of different class identities, opposed class interests and visions of the future. Many non-managerial workers are found to have a pragmatic or contradictory mixture of hopes and fears; but many more clearly desire transformation to a sustainable non-profit worker-managed economy than defend an obsessive profit-driven capitalism with managerial prerogative. Revolutionary labour consciousness is found to be much more widespread than hegemonic capitalist consciousness. Links between class position, class consciousness and the key policy issues of global warming and poverty reduction are explored, as well as their mediation by race and gender factors. Empirical analysis is based primarily on re-analysis of Clement and Myles 1982 Canadian Class Structure survey and on my national surveys of 1998, 2004, 2010 and 2016 (see: https://borealisdata.ca/dataverse/CanadaWorkLearningSurveys1998-2016 [1]). Further inquiries and mobilizing use of these findings are encouraged. The paper is grounded in and developed from Marx’s theory of class relations. The method of inquiry relies mainly on representative national surveys of the Canadian labour force. The reported research was undertaken with the explicit intent of bringing class-based paid work relations back into analysis of ecological/ economic/ political crises.

Michelle Maroto, University of Alberta

The Many Dimensions of Social Class in Canada: Early Evidence from the Great Canadian Class Study

What does social class mean in diverse 21st century post-industrial societies like Canada? How might social class be conceptualized to account for the complex and multi-dimensional social space of this country? Data from the Great Canadian Class Study – a mixed methods project including over 8,000 surveys 100 interviews across the country -- present a complicated picture of social class in Canada. By incorporating different types of economic, cultural, and social capital with subjective perceptions of social class standing into this survey, we are able to map different measures and show whether links occur. Interview data show that experiences of increasing economic insecurity across the class spectrum have further complicated people’s understandings of social class position. In addition to discussing some of the main theoretical conundrums regarding the concept of class, we bring to bear some of the most extensive data on the topic of social class collected in recent years in Canada. We intend for this to be the start of a much larger conversation.

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Non-presenting authors: Zohreh BayatRizi, University of Alberta; Guillaume Durou, University of Alberta; Delphine Brown, University of Alberta; Samuel Braden, University of Alberta

Guillaume Durou, Université de l'Alberta

Is The "Québec Model" Still a Thing? Social Inequalities and Class Analysis in The 21st Century

Inspired by the Scandinavian social democracy, the so-called Québec model emerged during the 60s and strongly changed the institutions and the society. This model was characterized by a strong intervention of the state and a fair redistribution of wealth among the population. Often perceived as a social innovation, Québec’s welfare state has fostered a better access to education and provided upward mobility for many individuals until today. However, with the reinforcement of neoliberal policies by the end of the previous century and, more specifically, after the economic debacle of 2007 from which massive austerity measures were taken across Western countries, the model slowly started to erode. More recently the post-pandemic recovery has revealed vast social inequalities such as the rental crisis, the difficult access to public health services and wage stagnation. Despite the lauded redistributive model, inequalities actually kept growing, leading to more social conflicts. This paper will focus on Québec’s social structure, class consciousness and inequalities combining censuses of 2016 and 2021 and data collected this year as part of the Great Canadian Class Study (GCCS). Our analyses will help us assess various class experiences and better understand the nature and persistence of socioeconomic boundaries that defines Québec today.