explaining class inequalities

Question 1

functionalism - parsons (1951)

Answer 1

value consensus and stratification
- some individuals are better than others at achieving thingsm they are regarded as worthy
- entrepreneurs and executives deserve higher rewards

Question 2

functionalism - davis and moore (1945

Answer 2

social stratification ensures the most important positions in society are filled with most able people by offering high rewards
- people then perform to highest standards

Question 3

functional uniquenes

Answer 3

how different the role is from others in society

Question 4

degree of dependance

Answer 4

measurement of importance based on how its needed in society

Question 5

functionalism critique of davis and moore - Tumin

Answer 5

• ability to determine functional importance
• consensus about rewards
• power and rewards
• pool of talent
• training as a sacrifice
• motivation
• dysfunctions of stratification

Question 6

ascribed status

Answer 6

hereditary status passed down or given

Question 7

achieved status

Answer 7

given due to personal achievements/ meritocracy

Question 8

new right

Answer 8

new approach in politics
- believes that the economic system worked best when on a free market
- emphasise the importance of the individual and free choice

Question 9

new right - saunders (1990)

Answer 9

a society based on social equality is only possible with considerable force
- rejects equality of outcomes
- inequality motivates competition
- equalising attempts interferes with amrket forces and reduces incentive for rich investments

Question 10

new right - murray (1984)

Answer 10

the underclass - government policies provide welfare benefits lead to dependancy
to reduce poverty - reduce welfare benefits

Question 11

new right - critique of murray

Answer 11

• studies of poor suggest only a minority portray the attitudes that murray describes as irresponsible
• unclear who is responsible for problems created by underclass
• makes no connection to wider pattern of social class inequality

Question 12

marxism

Answer 12

early societies based on primitive communism
developed into feudalism
capitalism + false class consciousness

Question 13

class conflict - polarisation

Answer 13

divide between working class and capitalist grows wider from bourgeoisie driving down wages

Question 14

class conflict - alienation

Answer 14

workers lack satisfaction at work because they do not have control
- satisfaction outside of work comes from consumerism

Question 15

marxism - overthrowing capitalism

Answer 15

working class have the potential to overthrow capitalism
- false class consciousness prevents them
communism would replace capitalism where all resources would be shared

Question 16

marxism westergaard and resler (1976) - iimportance of inequality

Answer 16

inequalities are only understood as a result of capitalism operations and have widened since 1970s

Question 17

marxism braverman 1974 - polarisation

Answer 17

the polarisation is due to middle class carrers have been de-skilled due to advancing technology

Question 18

neo marxism - gramsci (1971)

Answer 18

hegemony explains why the working class hasnt broken into revolution
- the ruling class use cultural and political means to encourage enough of the working class to side with the ruling class

Question 19

marxism - globalisation and TNC

Answer 19

nation states find it difficult to control TNCs, they have greater power than national governments
TNC controllers become global ruling class

Question 20

evaluation of marxism

Answer 20

economic determination: people may act differently because of cultures - ignores important inequalities
the middle class: dismissed importance as they have grown
class consciousness: communist revolutions have occurred in underdeveloped societies - western culture has little evidence of consciousness
success of capitalism: w/c enjoy rising standard of living

Question 21

weberianism - stratification weber (1948)

Answer 21

class, party and status

Question 22

weberianism - social class

Answer 22

people who share similar market situation and life chances
economic division between property owners and those selling labour

Question 23

weberianism - social class 4 main

Answer 23

1. propertied upper class
2. property-less workers
3. petty bourgeoisie
4. manual working class

Question 24

weberianism - status

Answer 24

common status situations form strongers group identities
- status links to economic position or aspects of identity
- individuals are more connected to status than class
- wealth and income are major sources of status

Question 25

weberianism - party

Answer 25

groups that exercise power and have strong influences
- trade unions
- represent status groups
- stonewall campaign for LGBTQ+

Question 26

weberianism - barron and norris (1979)

Answer 26

dual labour market
- primary job market has well paid secure jobs with benefits and promotional prospects
- secondary job market has insecure lower paid jobs with low promotional aspects

Question 27

weberianism - lockwood

Answer 27

market situation: sell our skills at any given time, class position of any occupation is distinguished between material rewards from situations and the symbolic rewards from status situation

Question 28

weberianism evaluation

Answer 28

-allows complex and multidimensional models of stratification
- marxists: focusing on multiple dimenisons of inequality obscures fundamental importance of class divisions
- status distinctions are discouraged

Question 29

feminism

Answer 29

focused on gender inequalities
- women are englected in studies into social inequaltities
- women struggle more in poverty

Question 30

feminism - abbott 1990 criticises goldthorpe

Answer 30

study of soical mobility ignores women in research
- they have a different experience
- women have lower rates of social mobility adn less chance of reaching top jobs

Question 31

feminism - the surrey occupational class schema

Answer 31

developed by feminist sociologists as an alternative to the patriarchal biased classifications
1. higher professionals
2. employers and managers
3. lower professionals
4. secretarial and clerical
5. supervisors and self manual
6. - sales and perosnal services
- skilled manual
7. unskilled

Question 32

postmodernism

Answer 32

• class is losing significance
• individuality growth rather than class personality

Question 33

postmodernsim - pakulski and waters 1996

Answer 33

advanced capitalist societies are stratified by cultural differences
symbolic values are used to classify a group of people

Question 34

postmodernism - beck 1992

Answer 34

the conflicts of early industrial societies concerned the distribution of wealth
risk society - central problem of society is no longer walth by managing risks by technology