The conceptual part of the paper specifies globalization into global processes, of the enduring weight of global history, of global flows of goods and services, of capital, of people, and of information and ideas, and, finally, of global entanglements of national and global institutions and organizations. Together with national processes this set of processes make up an explanatory model of global outcomes of inequality. Inequality is specified into three kinds, vital, existential, and resource inequality, and four basic mechanisms of inequality are identified, distanciation, exclusion, super/subordination, and exploitation. The explanatory model is then applied to long\|term developments of vital and economic inequality in the world. The former, as measured by infant mortality and life expectancy, has decreased substantially in the second half of 20 th century, whereas income inequality has widened. Global flows of medical knowledge seem to have played a crucial role in reducing vital inequality. The weight of global history, measured by GDP per capita in 1820 and in 1900, and national processes of political economy appear to account for most of today’s global resource inequality.
Sociology in essence is the social science that studies social construction. This essay presents a systematic analysis of the frames and contents of the Western theories of social construction, including the theories of Social Solidarity, Social Integration, Social Conflicts, Social Justice, Social Welfare, and Risk Society. These theoretical perspectives and their implications for social policy-making are extremely beneficial to the building of a harmonious, socialist society in China.
