Functionalist and New Right Perspectives of Stratification

Question 1

Durkheim

Answer 1

Organic analogy describes society as a body and every institution is an organ. Showing the significance of each institution to the functional running of society.

Each society has functional prerequisites in order to run smoothly. E.g. families socialise children for school who require socialised children.

Includes offering differential rewards based on the importance of the
occupation.

Due to value consensus people should accept hierarchy and inequalities as those rewarded higher are valued more.

Hierarchy of occupations are beneficial and essential to society.

The time that Durkheim was around was industrialisation in Western Europe.

He believed that in that period society was based on achieved status.

Aspirations are made up of levels of skills, qualifications, experience. Therefore those unsuccessful due to lack of one of those wouldn’t be jealous.

Question 2

Durkheim Key Concepts

Answer 2

• Organic analogy
• Functional Pre Requisites
• Differntial rewards
• Division of labour
• Hierarchy of occupations

Question 3

Herbert Spencer

Answer 3

Comparisons of social institutions to organisms suggesting that they evolve due to natural selection.

Have evolved from simple to complex structures. Via a process of ‘internal differentiation and integration from simple homogenous to advanced heterogenous social systems’.