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Social Class Inequality Explanation (marxism (social structure of modern…
Social Class Inequality Explanation
functionalism
parsons
stratified systems are a product of consensus
some members are deserving of greater rewards because they are more skilled
in modern societies most members of society agree that those who run businesses are functionally important to economy and social order = create jobs, wealth and therefore deserve greater rewards than ordinary workers
davis and moore
agree with stratification = need to ensure most functional and important position are fulfilled with talented people and efficiently
class societies are meritocracies = high rewards in the form of income and status are guarenteed in order to motivate gifted people
functions of social institutions like education is to allocate all individuals to an occupational role which suits their abilities
peoples position is a fair reflection of their talents
role allocation produces stratification = in the form of economic and social inequality - because not everyone is equally skilled
stratification encourages all people to perform best to their ability
CRITICISMS OF STRATIFICATION
functionalists may have exaggerated the degree of consensus about rewards
unequal rewards may be the product of the power of some groups to increase their rewards regardless of so called consensus
not all those who occupy top jobs are the most skilled
marxism
social structure of modern societies because it argues this has had a negative effect on human behaviour in the sense that it has resulted in one powerful minority bourgeois class exploiting the labour of the majority working class (proletariat)
marxism is critical of the functionalist theory and stratification
the economic system is dominated by the wealthy and powerful minority - the bourgeoisie or ruling capitalist class - who owns and control the means of production
the relationship between the bourgeoisie and proletariat is known as 'the social relations of production'
this exploitation is tolerated by the polateriat because o the existence of a superstructure which is made up of important social institutions; family, education, mass media, political system
function of superstructure is to transmit ruling class ideology
working class suffer from false consciousness = kept in state of ignorance by the ruling class
divide and rule = the capitalist class fears a united working-class and therefore seeks to fragment it by 'persuading' some sections of that class that they should ear other parts
weberian
criticised marx who he claimed over emphasised the influence o the economic in his insistence on social class as the main source of social inequality
many sources of inequality and conflict organised around differences in status and power
stratification system organised around; status, social class, party
feminism
critical of theories of social class stratification and studies of social mobility for ignoring women
'glass ceiling'
new right
murray = underclass
saunders = equality of oppurtunity = the idea that everybody regardless of social background should enjoy the same oppurtunities
func = agree with stratification
marxism = bourgoisie v proletariat
working class suffer from false consciousness