Key Sociologists - Social Strat

Question 1

Davis and Moore - Social Stratification as a Universal Necessity

Answer 1

Functionalist perspective.

Davis and Moore argued that social stratification was a ‘universal necessity’ for every known human society. They believed that for any society to survive and operate efficiently it was necessary for the following to happen:

1: all roles must be filled

2: they must be filled by those best able to perform them

3: necessary training must take place

4: roles must be performed conscientiously.

The ‘mechanism’ that allows these things to take place was, in their view, a system of social stratification that attached unequal rewards and privileges to the different positions in society. They believed that this system served to match the most able people with the functionally most important positions in society.

Criticism:

Nurses provide vital functions and yet are not rewarded with pay.

Question 2

Devine - Proved Lockwood Wrong about Privatised Instrumentalism

Answer 2

Devine tested Lockwood’s idea that ‘privatised instrumentalism’ would become common among the working class. This term means that social relationships are focused on the home, and work is just a means to an end.

Lockwood thought that when well-off workers teamed up with their colleagues, they did so for personal gain to improve their wages and working conditions, not out of a sense of unity or solidarity.

During her study, she didn’t find evidence for ‘privatised instrumentalism’. Her sample’s lifestyle wasn’t as communal as the traditional working class, but it also wasn’t as focused on home life and privacy as predicted.

Criticism:

Devine’s study might be criticised for having a narrow focus, not accounting for variations within the working class, such as differences due to gender, ethnicity, or region.

Question 3

Marx - False Class Consciousness, The 4 Stages of History

Answer 3

Marx saw social stratification as a way for a few privileged people to exploit the many. He believed it came from how social groups relate to production (like land and machinery). He described history through four stages:

1: Primitive communism

2: Ancient society

3: Feudal society

4: Capitalism.

Marx said the subject class accepting ruling class ideology makes them a victim of false class consciousness. He believed class struggle drives social change and that capitalism is unstable due to conflicts between exploited workers and exploiting capitalists.

Criticism:

New Right theorists criticise Marxism and highlight the benefits and social mobility opportunities of capitalism.

Question 4

Murray - Growing Underclass, Welfare Benefit Dependency

Answer 4

Murray argued that American society has a growing underclass dependent on government benefits. He believed welfare policies discouraged self-sufficiency, leading single parents and young people to lose interest in getting jobs. He said this underclass threatened society by being a burden on taxpayers and increasing crime rates. Murray’s ideas align with New Right theories, which blame the benefits system for creating dependent groups.

After visiting Britain in the late 1980s, Murray claimed Britain was also developing an underclass. He pointed to rising illegitimacy, crime rates, and youth unwillingness to work as signs. He believed the underclass was undermining traditional values like honesty, family life, and hard work, replacing them with a tolerance for crime and anti-social behaviour.

Criticism:

Heavy focus on behaviour ignores economic factors creating the underclass.

Many in the underclass have conventional attitudes, wanting stable relationships and jobs. Some view the underclass as victims of social inequality, not the cause of social problems.

Question 5

Townsend - Personal Choice Equates to Poverty? Not Eating Meat Doesn’t Make You Poor

Answer 5

Townsend’s Three Poverty Definitions:

1. State’s Standard: Based on eligibility for certain benefits, but Townsend thought it was arbitrarily set by the government.
2. Relative Income Standard: Identifies households with income below the average, but Townsend found it arbitrary and inadequate, as it didn’t consider welfare payments or actual lifestyles.
3. Relative Deprivation: Townsend’s preferred measure. He believed people are in relative poverty if they can’t afford the diet, activities, and living conditions common in their society.

Criticism:

Critics argue that his deprivation index was inadequate and potentially misleading. For example, not eating fresh meat or cooked meals might be a choice, not a sign of poverty.

Question 6

Walby - The 6 Structures of Male Dominance in Patriarchal Society

Answer 6

From a feminist perspective, Walby argued that patriarchy is key to understanding society. She identified six structures that restrict women and maintain male dominance:

1. Paid Work: Despite laws for equality, women face disadvantages in the job market due to cultural expectations about their roles.
2. Production: Men benefit from women’s unpaid housework.
3. Culture: Women face different social standards than men, even with more freedom.
4. Sexuality: Women have more freedom but are judged by double standards.
5. Male Violence: Violence or the threat of it discourages women from challenging men.
6. The State: The state is less patriarchal but still does little to protect women, with wage gaps and weak enforcement of equality laws.

Walby argued that patriarchy in Western society has evolved. In the past, private patriarchy involved direct control by fathers or husbands. Now, public patriarchy exists where women have access to public life but are often in low-paid, low-status jobs, collectively exploited by male-dominated society.

Criticism:

Lack of Agency. Walby’s perspective portrays women as primarily victims of patriarchal structures, potentially overlooking their agency and ability to navigate, resist, and change these structures.

Question 7

Weber - The 3 Sources of Power

Answer 7

Weber provided a more complex view of social stratification than Marx. He defined a class as a group with a similar position in the economy, sharing similar life chances.

Unlike Marx, Weber saw no evidence for class polarisation and believed the middle class expands with capitalism. He also rejected the idea that political power comes only from economic power, identifying three sources of power: charismatic, traditional, and rational legal.

1. Traditional: Traditional authority is based on established customs, traditions, and inherited status. People obey traditional authority figures because they respect the long-standing norms and values associated with their position or role in society.
2. Rational Legal: Rational-legal authority is based on the acceptance of shared impersonal rules and regulations. It derives from the belief in the legality and legitimacy of a system of rules and laws, and people obey authority figures because they hold positions within this legal framework, rather than because of their personal qualities or traditional status.
3. Charismatic: Charismatic authority is based on the exceptional qualities and personal magnetism of a leader. People follow them because they are inspired by the leader’s personality, vision, or abilities rather than any established rules or traditions.

Criticism:

Criticised by New Right theorists for bias and for ignoring the social mobility and opportunities created by capitalist societies.