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Perspectives on Stratification (Marxist Views (Marx disagreed inequality…
Perspectives on Stratification
Functionalist Views
It is a good thing that there is a chance people can be at the bottom of society and have fewer opportunites, because society needs poverty in order to motivate people to work.
Some jobs are paid more than others to encourage people to do them, because these jobs take years of training and practice.
Davis and Moore :star: argued that stratification is necessary to have a smooth society and it matches people to the right jobs for them. They say rewards make sure people try their best at their jobs and put in effort
Davis and Moore argue that because society is based on consensus, inequality of the stratification system is fair and necessary
New Right Views
Peter Saunders :star: argues that society wouldn't work without stratification because progression through social classes only comes from intelligence and hard work. He believes that the UK is almost a meritocracy
Melvin Tumin :star: disagrees with functionalists. He claims that not everyone has an equal chance and that not all jobs come with rewards they deserve. eg. a nurse and teacher are very important to society but not well paid
Marxist Views
Marx disagreed inequality was harmonious. Every society in history was divided into two groups : masters and slaves (ancient times), lords and serfs (medieval times), ruling classes and working classes (modern times)
The modern societies are capitalist, and the bourgeoisie exploit the proletariat, and it wil always end in conflict
Marx argued that the ruling classes will always want a profit, so will pay the working classes less money
The workers will realise how badly they've been exploited and would rise up and take power from the ruling classes. This is the basis of communism
Weber :star: agreed society was divided in two and said there were big divisions within the two classes. Weber disagreed that professionals with highly paid jobs (doctors) in the same class as people with unskilled, low paying jobs (cleaner)
Weber said how much money you earned had a big impact on your market position, which impacts your lifestyle, wealth and life-chances
Status decided someone's market position too, and some positions in society are seen as more important than others (police officers and nurses)
Power was also important to class, and Weber said people with influence over important decisons had higher class.
Feminist Views
When sociologists defined social class, they used the occupation of the head of the household (the man). Feminist sociologists accused sociology of being sexist and male-dominated
In 1970 the Equal Pay Act was passed and in 1975 laws were passed to stop discrimination against women applying for jobs. Even now, feminists do not believe that women recieve equal treatment
Feminists argue that women are lower down the stratification system than men, so they have less power, wealth and status, reducing their life-chances