Class Inequalities Flashcards
john Goldthorpe
Hope Goldthorpe classification: 7 classifications
-semi skilled/unskilled manual
-skilled manual
-low grade technician/ supervisor
-self employed
-routine non manual
-low professional
-High professional
NS socio-economic classification
8 classifications
-long term unemployed
-semi routine
-routine
-low supervisor
-intermediate
-small employer/ account owner
-high manager and prof
-low manager and prof
charles murray
UNDERCLASS: emerged below working class, poorest of society, unemployed lone parents families, chronically ill, disabled etc. are dependent on benefits
Subjective social class:
marshal et al
savage et al
1) many ppl in research identified with wc despite working white collar jobs which are mc jobs.
2) many refused to identify with class as class identity was ‘relatively muted’
Class and life chances:
Weber: how some people in society have better opportunities in life e.g be healthy live long, good education, well paid job, own home etc.. the higher the class the more life chances
Are wealth inequality based on meritocracy?
Tony Atkinson (2013): an increasing number of national income comes from inherited wealth.
National Bureau of economic research 2016
found that investment managers from low income backgrounds consistently achieve better results for clients than colleagues from affluent backgrounds
low income background worker were minority in investment companies.
low income ppl are only promoted if they outperform their colleagues not based on status.
managers are more likely to employ those from middle class backgrounds.
social class inequality in rewards of employment.
financial rewards: low status jobs= low bonus no holiday, high status jobs= large bonus
status: better position means treated with more respect, uniform( indicative of level of status)
power and control: senior staff= control over hours, holiday, how job is done lower staff= no control
opportunity for advancement: manual jobs= climb career ladder slow vs skilled work climb fast.
job satisfaction: higher status jobs means more satisfaction and visa versa
job security: higher job status means more job security
Mack and Lansley:
listed items regarded as necessities
asked pop how many they had to go without due to lack of money.
households which lacked 3+ were classed as poor.
items listed:
heating. damp free home
hobby for children
regular savings for rainy days
house insurance
fruit and veg.
Wilkinson and Pickett
countries with higher levels of income have lowest levels of social mobility
functionalism: parsons
argues social stratification is inevitable, functional and fair. he believed society was meritocratic especially in education. all these reflected the value consensus.
Functionalism: Durkheim
in a complex industrial society the devision of labour is functional, occupations should be graded on their value to society. therefore the class system is functional as it limits peoples aspirations and still gives incentives to works hard.
