Class Inequality: Functionalist explanations of Class Inequality Flashcards
What do Functionalists say about inequality in society?
It is needed for society to keep running properly
Why do Functionalists believe there is social mobility?
They say if working class individuals work hard then they can achieve status
Which Functionalist said inequality was necessary to keep society healthy
Durkheim
Why does Durkheim say inequality is functional?
It helps society to run properly
Why does Durkheim say inequality is universal?
All societies face inequality
Why do Functionalists argue inequality is a good thing?
It would not exist otherwise
Why does Durkheim say inequality is inevitable?
Inequality will always exist in societies
What does the organic analogy say according to Durkheim?
All parts of society come together to create a healthy society
Does Durkheim say inequality is part of the organic analogy?
Yes
Which sociologists would argue data suggests class inequality is unhealthy for most societies?
Wilson and Pickett
How many times richer than the poorest 20% are the richest 20% in the UK?
7 times richer
How many times richer than the poorest 20% are the richest 20% in Finland?
4 times richer
Which country out of all of the ones Wilson and Pickett studied had the third highest crime rate?
The UK
What did Wilson and Picket find with crimes in countries with higher inequality?
They have higher crime rates
Which Functionalists said some jobs are of greater value to society than others?
Davis and Moore
Which institution does role allocation happen in?
The Education System
What process did Davis and Moore say will determine which roles people have in society?
Role allocation
What specific process in schools causes role allocation?
Exams
Why do the best paying roles require a lot of qualifications?
So that only the best people get these jobs
Does a cleaner need qualifications?
No
Does it take much time to train to be a cleaner?
No
How much are cleaners paid a year?
£17,000 a year
Name one of the qualifications a doctor needs
University degree in medicine
How many years does it take to train to be a doctor?
10 years
How much are doctors paid a year?
£70,000 a year
Which sociologist says the value of jobs explanation is too simplistic?
Tumin
What would Tumin argue about the value of a cleaner to society?
They can prevent people from getting diseases
What does Tumin say about certain jobs in society during Covid-19?
They were given key worker status
Name 2 key worker jobs during Covid-19
Teachers, Nurses
What did Parsons say is the main class inequality in society?
People have differing incomes
What did Parsons say many Americans follow to try and succeed?
The American Dream
What do Americans acknowledge they must do to achieve the American Dream?
Work hard
What does Parsons say should be the outcome for those who work the hardest?
They get the best rewards
Name a type of person Parsons would argue deserves good rewards for working hard
Business owners
Name 3 successful business owners and the companies they run
Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon. Elon Musk, founder of PayPal and Tesla. Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft
What is the networth of Elon Musk?
£400 billion
What is the networth of Jeff Bezos?
£200 billion
What is the networth of Bill Gates?
£100 billion
What would Marxists argue causes class inequality instead?
Capitalism
Which 2 social classes does Marx say have class inequality between them?
Marx
According to Marx, which 2 classes are unequal to each other?
The Proletariat and the Bourgeoisie
What does Marx say is the solution to bringing an end to class inequality?
The proletariat should rise up and overthrow the bourgeoisie
What did Parsons say about the structure of society in relation to working hard?
Society is meritocratic
What does Parsons argue about the impact of class on education if it is meritocratic?
If students work hard enough then they can all succeed
How many points lower in Attainment 8 score do students entitled to FSM have according to DfE Data (2020)?
14 points lower
Which class would Functionalists argue work hard in education?
Middle class students
What do Functionalist studies on cultural deprivation for working class pupils suggest?
If working class pupils worked harder, they would achieve success in school
Who created the concept of status frustration?
Cohen
What did Cohen find initially with a group of working class boys?
They worked hard
Why did the working class boys in Cohen’s study stop working hard?
The work became to difficult
When the boys in Cohen’s study failed in education, what did they experience?
Status frustration
What is status frustration?
When working class students feel they cannot improve their position in their society due to their ascribed status
What did the boys in Cohen’s study do in response to the status frustration?
Joined an anti-school subculture
Name 2 behaviours of the boys in the anti-school subculture in Cohen’s study
Vandalism, Violence
What would Functionalists argue for the working class boys in Cohen’s study?
If they worked harder, they would have succeeded in education
Which Functionalist argued working class students have inferior norms and values to middle class students?
Sugarman
What are the 4 values Sugarman identified that are inferior working class values?
Fatalism, Immediate gratification, Collectivism, Present time orientation
Explain how Fatalism leads to lower attainment for working class pupils
They will think they are unable to improve their social position so will not work hard in education to try and improve it
What would Marxists say about capitalist societies in relation to meritocracy?
They are not meritocratic
Which Marxists argued the myth of meritocracy was enforced on working class pupils?
Bowles and Gintis
According to Bowles and Gintis, who will working class students blame when they do not do well in exams?
Themselves
Who would Bowles and Gintis say working class students should blame for their failure?
Capitalism
According to Bowles and Gintis, what form of deprivation do working class students experience?
Material Deprivation
What is material deprivation?
When students are unable to afford things that are necessary to succeed in school
