outline and assess the functionalist explanations of social inequality Flashcards
intro
Functionalists believe that inequality is not really surprising or accidental in a country like Britain. Rather, it is something that is systematically generated by the way society is structured and organised. Moreover, a certain level of inequality is necessary or desirable.
evidence 1
A long running debate on the functions of stratification was opened up by Davis and Moore .They observe that stratification is a permanent and universal feature of human societies and conclude that this is because it is functionally necessary. Stratification is inevitable because every society faces the task of ‘placing’ people (ensuring that the most important positions are filled by suitable people).
point 1 (2nd)
Functionalists call this role allocation. Also, it needs to motivate these people (they must perform their duties in a responsible and conscientious manner). In order to achieve this, societies offer higher rewards (eg income, status) for the most important jobs. Davis and Moore offer certain guidance on how we can identify these jobs. Normally they are ‘unique’ (no other occupation can substitute for them).
eval 1
Davis and Moore assume there is a general consensus on the pattern of rewards. How, then, do we explain the widespread resentment about the unequal distribution of income and wealth? Inequality is a continuing source of conflict in most modern societies
Davis and Moore seem to regard power as a social resource which is distributed throughout society in such a way that it works for the common good. They overlook the way power is used as a weapon by some groups to further their own material interests.
point 2
Functionalists argue that the main changes to the class structure are a result of an effective meritocracy that is increasingly capable of differentiating between who work hard and those who do not work hard. One of the results of such differentiation is the emergence of a distinct underclass.
evidence 2
Murray (New Right) coined this term to mean a groups of people who were likely to have some or all of the following characteristics – unemployed, work shy, welfare dependent, drug or alcohol dependent, sexually promiscuous, single parents, criminal, teenage pregnancies and lacking in morals.
eval 2
Various studies such as those by Morris (1993) and Gallie (1994) have examined the extent to which the poor possess cultural differences that may account for their situation. They find that there is little evidence of an underclass culture and, if anything, find the most disadvantaged groups have greater commitment to the concept of work than many other groups.
point 3
functionalists see Britain as a basically stable, homogeneous and orderly society with a high degree of consensus over values and norms. This equilibrium was disturbed by the arrival of immigrant ‘strangers’ who subscribed to different sets of values.
evidence 3
Roberts states that cultural explanations of the economic differences between Asians and African-Caribbeans are plausible. Asian immigrants brought strong entrepreneurial traditions with them and these soon found expression in the establishment of ethnic businesses. But the traditional cultures and networks of African-Caribbean’s had been weakened by their bitter experience of colonialism and slavery. Indeed, some commentators argue that there is an ‘anti-enterprise’ attitude among African-Caribbean groups.
eval 3
Paul Gilroy is highly critical of what he calls the fallacy of ‘ethnic absolutism’: the assumption that ethnic cultures are somehow ‘fixed’ and ‘final’. This fallacy mistakenly assumes that each ethnic culture has a permanent ‘essence’ which never changes and that every member of the culture is bound forever to it. Against this, Gilroy argues that cultures are dynamic rather than static - they are always evolving. Second, they are not mutually exclusive: they frequently borrow from one another, and there is great overlap.
conclusion
in conclusion, functionalists support the idea of a meritocracy. A meritocratic system assumes it is the task of social institutions (e.g. schools, workplace) to set up a ‘contest’ to identify and select the most talented people. However some ask; How easy is it to determine the functional importance of a job? Isn’t a dustman just as important to our health as a doctor?
