Society is - by definition - a diverse range of people living together in a more or less ordered community, with communal values and ethics. Simply put, an egalitarian society is one that strives for equality amongst its citizens. Whether or not contemporary Australian society is egalitarian is debatable, depending upon your position in society. Australia is governed by democracy, a concept that allows for a system of government to be elected based upon a single, and fair vote by each and every citizen. Australian common law, by its very nature, aims to provide just and reasonably equal results in an unbiased manner. Australian law also affirms that it abides by the natural rule of law, in which no man is above the law - no matter his status,
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Marxist theory suggests that the basic root of a person’s class is that individuals relationship to the “means of production” (Trainer, T. (2015). Marx argued that the economic situation of an individual or entity could easily overpower its social institutions, such as the system of law and parliament. Hence Marxists demand attention be paid to which groups in society benefit most from the status quo, or whose interest government policies serve the most. Weber's definition of class is based upon the concept of “class situation”, which is based upon one’s position within a given economic order. Weber believed that classes are stratified according to their relations to the production and procurement of goods; thus “concepts of economic action and markets provide a central basis for the concept of class” (Clegg, S. 1990 p.105). Marxists attest that in modern society, those who own and control the means of production receive a incommensurate share of a society’s power, privileges, wealth and status. Thus Australia, being a capitalistic society governed somewhat by the interests of the elitist ‘1 Percent’, finds its social institutions and systems working in the interests of the wealthy capitalist class and forsaking those of lower social …show more content…
In Marriner’s report (2015, p. 1), the Attorney-General George Brandis has proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act, with plans of scrapping section 18C, which “makes it illegal to offend or intimidate someone because of their race, colour, or national or ethnic origin.” Sociologist Waleed Aly dubbed the proposed amendments ''the whitest piece of legislation,'' as it would interpret whether something was racial vilification ''by the standards of an ordinary reasonable member of the Australian community, not by the standards of any particular group within the Australian community'' (Marriner, C. 2015 p. 1). Thereby meaning the opinions of the white privileged majority, not the ethnic minorities, will determine what is racial
Marxist theory suggests that the basic root of a person’s class is that individuals relationship to the “means of production” (Trainer, T. (2015). Marx argued that the economic situation of an individual or entity could easily overpower its social institutions, such as the system of law and parliament. Hence Marxists demand attention be paid to which groups in society benefit most from the status quo, or whose interest government policies serve the most. Weber's definition of class is based upon the concept of “class situation”, which is based upon one’s position within a given economic order. Weber believed that classes are stratified according to their relations to the production and procurement of goods; thus “concepts of economic action and markets provide a central basis for the concept of class” (Clegg, S. 1990 p.105). Marxists attest that in modern society, those who own and control the means of production receive a incommensurate share of a society’s power, privileges, wealth and status. Thus Australia, being a capitalistic society governed somewhat by the interests of the elitist ‘1 Percent’, finds its social institutions and systems working in the interests of the wealthy capitalist class and forsaking those of lower social …show more content…
In Marriner’s report (2015, p. 1), the Attorney-General George Brandis has proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act, with plans of scrapping section 18C, which “makes it illegal to offend or intimidate someone because of their race, colour, or national or ethnic origin.” Sociologist Waleed Aly dubbed the proposed amendments ''the whitest piece of legislation,'' as it would interpret whether something was racial vilification ''by the standards of an ordinary reasonable member of the Australian community, not by the standards of any particular group within the Australian community'' (Marriner, C. 2015 p. 1). Thereby meaning the opinions of the white privileged majority, not the ethnic minorities, will determine what is racial