Social class inequalities 40 marker SI

Question 1

social stratification

Answer 1

refers to a system by which a society ranks social groups in a hierarchy

Question 2

functionalists

Answer 2

observe that social stratification of some kind is a feature of all human societies and therefore conclude that it is functionally necessary

Question 3

The stratification of society by class

functionalists

Answer 3

• creates an open society where status and hard work can be achieved
• gives us insentive to talented individuals to compete for the most functionally important jobs

Question 4

Parsons - society is a meritocracy

functionalists

Answer 4

• society is stratisfied by class
• status is achieved through hardwork and effort
• equality of opportunity
• education system operates on meritocracy
• eg Alan Sugar
• functional because most hardworking individuals get most important jobs

Question 5

Davis and Moore

functionalists

Answer 5

• strata of people with different power and pay ensure effective role allocation
• encourages society to be hardworking

Question 6

Ensure effective role allocation

Davis and Moore functionalists

Answer 6

• hardworking individuals get best jobs
• essential for these positions to come with benefits for insentive
• eg society needs talented doctors but training is demanding so to motivate people there needs to be higher reward

Question 7

functional uniqueness

Davis and Moore functionalists

Answer 7

a job is this when only a small amount of people carry the role eg a surgion compared to a porter

Question 8

the degree of dependance on others

Davis and Moore functionalists

Answer 8

eg people who run businesses deserve higher salaries because people depend on ther talent

Question 9

new right explanations

Answer 9

Focus on blaming inequality on the ‘inadequate’ n&v of the underclass. Class inequality is also argued to be beneficial for society as economic insentives are necessary to motivate talented people.

Question 10

Murray - the underclass

new right

Answer 10

• welfare benefits to unemployed and single parent families created a dependancy culture
• thus creating the underclass
• the underclass are a drain on tax payers and fail to adequately socialise their children

Question 11

Saunders - class inequality is beneficial

new right

Answer 11

• people will be motivated to inovate and develop new products as they might be rewarded financially eg James Dyson
• living standards are raised as there is more economic growth due to a high degree of class inequality in the economy as of the competitive nature

Question 12

the stratification of society based on social class leads to the exploitation of the working class

Answer 12

Marx believed that the capitaist society created two classes and the upper class exploit the ruling class

Westergard and Resler
- ruling class was still being exploited
- little evidence of class divisions in the UK disapearing

Question 13

marxists argue that society is not a meritocracy as the w/c face many obstacles to successs

Answer 13

research by the social mobility commission found that w/c have 2.5x less chance

Bourdieu - economic, social, cultural capital

Can be supported by Smith and Noble as there are a lack of funds for low income families school supplies

Question 14

marxists argue that even though society is not a meritocracy, we are duped into believing that it is

Answer 14

Althusser - superstructure
- function of superstructure is to legitimise class inequality by convincing workers that is a meritocracy

Question 15

The ‘status aparatus’

Answer 15

• the repressive state apparatus RSA includes the government and the legal and criminal justice systems
• the ideological state apparatus ISA including the media and education