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GS Week 5 - Social division and stratification (Functionalist perspective…
GS Week 5 - Social division and stratification
5 main features of stratification
Historical formation
2 Structural characteristic
3 Different strata, different access to resources
4 Boundaries between layers may be more or less permeable
5 Members of society can be categorized in different strata, making social stratification a characteristic of society itself
Open and closed systems of stratification
in closed systems, moving from one strata to another deems very difficult - no permeability; slavery and caste systems
Stratification based on inherited status or ascription
No opportunity for social mobility
Industrialisation lead to some specialisation which then lead to some more access of social mobility
Exchange mobility; mobility not induced by change in system
Structural mobility; due to changes in class composition
Social class
Inter-generational social mobility
Takes place over the course of generations
Intra-generational social mobility
Takes place in the course of an individual's life
Four ways in which social inequality is maintained
Social mobility is desireable for those with upward aspirations > those in upper classes prefer the status quo; they promote an ideology that legitimates their superior position making those in less fortunate positions accept this
Since people have different skills, some inequality seems fair
Habitualisation
Coercion and violence
Ideology
Subjugation
Functionalist perspective on social inequality
Belief in meritocracy
Differential rewards motivate people to do better, work harder, hence inequality increases productivity.
Inequality of rewards is seen as ‘fair’ if it
is coupled with equality of opportunity
The school system is seen as a neutral, objective institution entrusted with selecting students into different curricula and allocating them into most suitable positions
Unsuccessful people can blame themselves
Davis & Moore
Conflict perspective on social inequality
Inequality is not functional, logical or beneficial
Social stratification prove advantages to some people on the behalf of others
In reality, the stratification was more complex than marx two class model