Sociological Study of Acceptance and Reproduction of Economic Inequality in Everyday Life. A Case Study of Upper-middle Class in Tehran
Author: Ali Ragheb, ali.raagheb@gmail.com
Department: Sociology
University: University of Tehran , Iran
Supervisor: Dr. Javadi Yeganeh
Year of completion: 2024
Language of dissertation: Persian
Keywords:
economic inequality
, Iranian upper-middle class
, perception of inequality
, ethnomethodology
Areas of Research:
Stratification
, Social Classes and Social Movements
, Poverty, Social Welfare and Social Policy
Abstract
In the economic crisis of recent years in Iran, we have witnessed a widening class divide. Among the lower classes crushed under the weight of inflation, the middle class slipping into poverty, and the wealthy who are free to purchase private jets, there exists an upper-middle class that maintains a relatively stable position. The central question is: How do people in their daily lives endure and justify the overwhelming economic inequality that is constantly being reproduced? To answer this, three distinct studies were conducted: a) Through a documentary and library-based approach, the perspectives of approximately 30 foreign thinkers in the field of political economy of inequality were analyzed, leading to a theoretical model explaining the reasons for the acceptance of inequality. b) Using a historical method, the most significant elements of archetypal mentalities and collective attitudes of Iranians regarding injustice were extracted from the literature on "national character studies" and proverbs. The resulting theoretical model was then reflected in secondary analyses of national surveys conducted over the past four decades. c) Within the framework of ethnomethodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 members of the upper-middle class in Tehran to explore their perceptions of economic inequality. The key findings of the research reveal that these individuals are largely unaware of the extent of economic inequality. They contribute to the reproduction of economic inequality in their daily lives through their belief in the myth of individual effort and the culture of poverty, placing themselves in a paradoxical position of being both "oppressed oppressors." Severe economic pressure and the resulting selfishness, fear of repression, despair and hopelessness, collective mentalities, and cultural roots, alongside the benefits derived from the status quo, are the primary factors leading to the acceptance of economic inequality. For this group, which also believes in fate and destiny, compliance with domination is less costly than protest and resistance. Inequality is not fundamentally a concern for them, and while they oppose it as a primary cause of social harms, their opposition is not rooted in humanitarian reasons. Thus, their reaction to structural inequality is merely a form of "Benevolent-Submissive Acceptance."
