Inequality Flashcards
Name the Functionalists of inequality
Durkheim
Davis and Moore
Parsons
Cummings and Henry
Explain the Functionalist Durkheim’s theory
The Division of Labour
Those in similar jobs and class positions feel solidarity
All groups feel solidarity with each other as everyone is striving to achieve better and have a desire to mix
Explain the Functionalist Davis and Moore’s theory
Role Allocation
Not all jobs are equally important - the most important jobs need more rewards in order to encourage people to do them e.g. brain surgeons
Explain the Functionalist Parson’s theory
Assimilation theory
Immigration can cause anxiety amongst the host country - but once the immigrants have assimilated to the culture e.g. worked hard in education and get jobs they will be accepted
Explain the Functionalists Cummings and Henry’s theory
Disengagement theory
The elderly need to be disengaged from the workforce to make space for new, young, more productive workers. This also allows for the elderly to take on new roles, become more family orientated with care of grandchildren
Give an evaluation of Durkheim’s theory
Ignores the negative aspects of being poor
Give an evaluation of Davis and Moore’s theory
Less important roles like celebrities are most well paid
Give an evaluation of Parson’s theory
The host culture doesn’t always allow them to assimilate - blames them for social problems
Give an evaluation of Cummings and Henry’s theory
Ignores the psychological impacts of being pushed out of work
Name the Marxists and Neo-Marxists of inequality
Karl Marx
Hall et al
Althusser
Explain the Marxist Karl Marx’s theory of Capitalism
The M/C own the means of production - inherit factories etc
The W/C have nothing to sell but their labour, meaning they have to work long hours for little pay in order to survive - this leads to a sense of alienation, their little pay means they can’t work towards anything and lack a sense of togetherness from the M/C
Explain the Marxist Karl Marx’s theory of the Reserve Army of Labour
Capitalism needs unemployment - during an economic boom companies need to employ more people. During a recession companies need workers they can easily get rid of
Explain the Neo-Marxist Hall et al’s theory
Black muggers - The Bourgeoise turn the Proletariat against each other by blaming capitalism’s issues on ethnic minorities, therefore the W/C turn against each other instead of turning against the Bourgeoise
Explain the Neo-Marxist Althusser’s theory
Capitalism controls society through ideological and repressive apparatus
Ideological control - media/education
Repressive control - police/military
The state controls these apparatus in a way to stop society challenging capitalism - makes us believe our inequality is our own fault
Give an evaluation of Karl Marx’s Capitalism theory
He blames Capitalism for inequality but Communism also fails in practice
Give an evaluation for Karl Marx’s Reserve Army of Labour theory
Similar to 0 hour contracts which still exist
Give an evaluation of Hall et al’s theory
Still relevant - immigrants blamed for ‘taking’ jobs
Give an evaluation of Althusser’s theory
It ignores free will
Name the Feminists of inequality
Sue Sharpe
Benston
Walby
Ann Oakley
Explain the Feminist Sue Sharpe’s theory
Liberal Feminist - Changing Aspirations
Women now have greater educational success than men, both men and women share childcare duties, women now aspire for careers. However she still acknowledges Patriarchy
Explain the Feminist Benston’s theory
Marxist Feminist - women benefit Capitalism
Women raising children, doing housework means men can go to work more refreshed and work harder
Women raise the next generation of workers and housewives, with no extra cost to Capitalism
Women are more vulnerable to the Reserve Army of Labour because their main duty is housewife
Explain the Feminist Walby’s theory
Capitalism and Patriarchy both exploit women - the Patriarchy has evolved from private to public
Women are discriminated by the Patriarchy through -
Work - the ideology ‘women belong in the home’ means women are discriminated against through low pay/status
Home - female labour is exploited through housework
State - weakness of laws protecting women e.g. domestic violence
Sexuality - double standards for women regarding their sex lives
Explain the Feminist Ann Oakley’s theory
Sexual Division of Labour
Inequality of women in work is due to the continuing dominance of the mother/housewife rule for women
Give an evaluation of Sue Sharpe’s theory
Backed up by schemes like GIST and WISE encouraging girls into science and technology
Give an evaluation of Benston’s theory
Women being housewives harms Capitalism. If women worked there would be more competition in jobs, meaning the wages could be lower and the profits of Capitalism would be higher
Give an evaluation of Walby’s theory
Backed up by the weak legal protection for victims of domestic abuse
Give an evaluation of Ann Oakley’s theory
Female professional workers are 3 times more likely to not be married than their male counterparts
Name the New Right of inequality
Thatcher
Murray
Saunders
Sugarman
Explain the New Right Thatcher’s theory
Trickledown Economics
The rich spending money in shops etc benefits the poor
Explain the New Right Murray’s theory
The Underclass
Welfare allows the nuclear family to break apart, single mothers inadequately socialise children, children then grow up without working values, they don’t try hard in school, don’t get jobs and survive on welfare - this creates inequality
Explain the New Right Saunders theory
You can be economically successful if you are bright, motivated and intelligent no matter what class you’re from. The distribution of ability is more in the M/C
Explain the New Right Sugarman’s theory
Instant Gratification
The W/C don’t have working values they’d rather have instant gratification rather than deferred, meaning they don’t do well in school and don’t get good jobs
Give an evaluation of Thatcher’s theory
The wealth of the rich doesn’t reach the poor, it stays in circulation of the rich
Give an evaluation of Murray’s theory
Ignore the benefit trap - it’s more expensive to work, pay tax/rent etc than to survive on benefits
Give an evaluation of Saunders theory
Ignores material deprivation
Give an evaluation of Sugarman’s theory
Assumes all W/C share the same values, ignores the W/C that achieve highly
Name the Weberian’s and Neo-Weberian’s
Weber
Barron and Norris
Rex and Tomlinson
Explain Weber’s theory of class power
Agrees with Marx on the basis that being born into ownership of property means you have better life chances
However he believes that your market situation e.g. skills you bring to society and work situation e.g. perks to a job mean you can live a high class life
Explain Weber’s theory of status
The respect you may hold for a person. If they have respect they don’t need a well paid job/money for a high quality life e.g. religious people - monks
Explain Weber’s theory of party (political) power
Having the political power to effect decisions means you have higher social status despite not having a high wage e.g. governors
Explain the Neo-Weberian’s Barron and Norris’ theory
Dual Labour Market
Primary labour market - well paid, high status, with progression opportunities - white, male, M/C
Secondary labour market - low pay, low status, no progression - BME, female, W/C, young
Explain the Neo-Weberian’s Rex and Tomlinson’s theory
The black underclass
Ethnic minorities have low power/status in society, leads to a black underclass feeling frustrated and alienated from society
Give an evaluation of Weber’s class power theory
Unlike Marx he takes into account more factors that can affect life chances
Give an evaluation of Weber’s status theory
You can belong to more than one status group - respect isn’t dependent on one level of status
Give an evaluation of Weber’s political party power theory
Groups don’t have an equal chance at power when some e.g. Rupert Murdoch are so rich/powerful others can’t compete
Give an evaluation of Barron and Norris’ theory
38% of people on 0 hour contracts are young
Give an evaluation of Rex and Tomlinson’s theory
Relevant today - stop and search rates are higher for black males
Name the Postmodernists of inequality
Beck
John Lee
Explain the Postmodernist Beck’s theory
Zombie theory - previous theories are no longer relevant, we should focus on individualism
Explain the Postmodernist John Lee’s theory
Death of grand narratives - not one theory can explain all inequality
Give an evaluation of Postmodernists
They don’t provide any solutions to social inequality
