Social Class Inequality

Question 1

Define ‘stratification’.

Answer 1

The hierarchical layering of society into distinct groups with different levels of wealth and status.

Question 2

What is Marxist’s definition of ‘social class’?

Answer 2

Our relationship to the means of production in which we are either the owner or the worker.

Question 3

What is Weber’s definition of ‘social class’?

Answer 3

Our market position, status, and party.

Question 4

List 2 social class scales.

Answer 4

1) Registrar General’s Classification

2) The Great British Class Survey (2013)

Question 5

Give 2 strengths of the Registrar General’s Classification.

Answer 5

1) Easy to compare due to long-term use

2) Simple

Question 6

Give 3 weaknesses of the Registrar General’s Classification.

Answer 6

1) No upper class due to assumption they don’t work
2) No underclass for people who are long-term unemployed
3) Occupations changed status overtime

Question 7

Give 2 strengths of the The Great British Class Survey (2013).

Answer 7

1) More detailed classification

2) Not specific to occuptations

Question 8

List 5 theories who explain the changes to social class systems.

Answer 8

1) Functionalism
2) New Right
3) Marxism
4) Weberianism
5) Postmodernism

Question 9

Identify Functionalism’s explanation for changes in the social class system.

Answer 9

Parsons identified it as being due to different professions having different rewards, e.g. lawyers and nurses. There would therefore be more incentive for certain jobs with more functional jobs being in higher demand due to changing society, moving away from industrialisation.

Question 10

Identify New Right’s explanation for changes in the social class system.

Answer 10

Murray (1980s) and Saunders (1990s) stated that the underclass was created due to people choosing not to work due to being too lazy and creating a dependency culture due to relying on the welfare state.

Question 11

Identify Marxism’s explanation for changes in the social class system.

Answer 11

Marx predicted a polarisation between upper and lower class with the prediction of the gap widening.
Braverman (1974) stated that technology replacing working class makes them deskilled and leaves them behind so they cannot progress.

Question 12

Identify Weberianism’s explanation for changes in the social class system.

Answer 12

Emergence of middle class due to new jobs post-war with these jobs controlling knowledge and labour market to their advantage and so lower class jobs don’t demand higher rewards due to their inability to do the same.

Question 13

Identify Postmodernism’s explanation for changes in the social class system.

Answer 13

Concept of social class is dead due to Bauman’s idea of ‘liquid modernity’ allowing for constant changes in society affecting the different choices we make with Baudrillard stating patterns of consumption identify our class instead of jobs.

Question 14

Define ‘social mobility’.

Answer 14

The upward or downward movement/opportunities of movement between different social classes.

Question 15

List 4 different types of mobility.

Answer 15

1) Intergenerational mobility
2) Intragenerational mobility
3) Absolute mobility
4) Relative mobility

Question 16

Define ‘intergenerational mobility’.

Answer 16

The upward or downward movement between generations within workplace.

Question 17

Give an example of ‘intergenerational mobility’.

Answer 17

A son’s upward mobility from working class (due to father’s factory job) to middle class.

Question 18

Define ‘intragenerational mobility’.

Answer 18

The movement of an individual within the workplace.

Question 19

Give an example of ‘intragenerational mobility’.

Answer 19

An individual wokring their way up as a teacher.

Question 20

Define ‘absolute mobility’.

Answer 20

The overall number of people from specific origins ending up in different classes.

Question 21

Define ‘relative mobility’.

Answer 21

The chance of someone being born in one class and ending up in a different one, through comparison with different generations to establish meritocracy.

Question 22

Give a piece of evidence relating to social mobility.

Answer 22

Oxford Mobility Study (1972) - found that middle class children were 4x as likely to get middle class jobs as their working class counterparts.

Question 23

List 5 theories about social mobility.

Answer 23

1) New Right - Intelligence Theory
2) Neo-Marxism - Myth of Meritocracy
3) Bourdeiu - Cultural Capital
4) Feminism
5) Ethnicity

Question 24

Describe the New Right’s theory on social mobility.

Answer 24

They believe in absolute mobility with society being meritocratic in the notion that it is unequal but fair due to people achieving being rewarded. Murray (1984) introduced ‘intelligence theory’ in that it is a predictor of mobility instead of class with the reality of it giving people motivation to move up.

Question 25

Describe the Marxist theory on social mobility and how that creates inequality.

Answer 25

Meritocracy is a myth that serves the interest of the ruling class by keeping lower classes under false class consciousness through the illusion that if they work hard they will rise and so keeps the workers motivated.
Savage and Egerton state that there is inequality in education due to it reflecting middle class values.

Question 26

Describe Bourdeiu’s theory on social mobility and how that creates inequality.

Answer 26

Middle class children have the benefit of their backgrounds due to having more cultural capital that equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to do well in education which causes inequality due this not being available for lower classes.

Question 27

Describe the Feminist theory on social mobility and how that creates inequality.

Answer 27

Critical of mobility due to most of them comparing sons with their fathers, ignoring the role of women as Goldthorpe stated there was no need to look at women's mobility due to men being the breadwinner and so their class is defined by them. Wilkinson stated that there is a shift in women's attitudes now that calls for their relative mobility and own class.
Inequality identified by Abbott as men leave women behind due to the head start, climbing the ladder at their expense.

Question 28

Describe the impact of ethnicity on social mobility and how that creates inequality.

Answer 28

Platt (2005) argued that immigrants experience downward mobility due to taking manual labour even when qualified for more. The only cause of upward mobility is due to changes in the market, not society becoming more meritocratic.
Roberts (2001) stated that non-whites experience an ‘ethnic penalty’ causing them inequality.

Question 29

What is the conclusion of social mobility and social class inequality?

Answer 29

There is evidence of meritocracy in society due to evidence of social mobility as a result of changes in the economy and jobs. However this doesn’t mean that someone born in the working class has equal opportunities for upward mobility as someone in the middle class. There has also been evidence to suggest that social mobility is slowing down

Question 30

Describe Functionalism’s reasons for social class inequality.

Answer 30

Inequality is functional due to motivating people to improve their situation and those who experience the most inequality don’t work hard enough to improve their situation. The highest paid jobs are for the hardest workers.

Question 31

Identify 3 criticisms of Functionalism’s reasons for social class inequality.

Answer 31

1) Often the highest paid are of the least value to society (e.g. singers and celebrities)
2) Those with inherited wealth may not have to work to achieve so not meritocratic
3) Justifies inequality by saying it is necessary

Question 32

Describe the New Right’s reasons for social class inequality.

Answer 32

Murray’s intelligence theory states that inequality is created as some will achieve more than others due to their IQ which limits the life chances of those who are less intelligent. Also in that bad parenting can cause inequality due to not motivating their child to achieve more and get high paid jobs that can provide private healthcare to stop them relying on the state.

Question 33

Give a piece of evidence to support the New Right’s idea of lone parent households.

Answer 33

60% of children living in a lone parent households are below the basic level of maths proficiency
- Amato et al (2015)

Question 34

Identify 3 criticisms of the New Right’s explanation for social class inequality.

Answer 34

1) No evidence for their argument of the underclass having different norms that cause their ‘lack of motivation to work’
2) No evidence for their argument of poor parenting leading to inequality
3) Application of the New Right policies negatively impact the poor (e.g. austerity) causing further inequality and limited life chances

Question 35

Describe Marxism’s reasons for social class inequality.

Answer 35

Exploitation that prevents people from realising their false class consciousness cause inequality for them due to limited chance of improving situation because of this. These mechanisms come from the state that the ruling class control with Althusser’s concept of the ideological state apparatus.

Question 36

Identify 3 criticisms of Marxism’s explanation for social class inequality.

Answer 36

1) Views social class inequality as almost everyone being in the working class or upper class when there are in fact layers
2) Cannot be effectively applied to contemporary society due to stating people are only either ‘owners’ or ‘workers’
3) Doesn’t identify middle class as being significant which limits the improvements that can be identified of working classes moving to middle

Question 37

Describe Weberianism’s reasons for social class inequality.

Answer 37

Inequality due to divisions in labour market that cause some to have more life chances than others through connections and some lower due to having skills but experiencing ethnic and gender discrimination.

Question 38

Identify a criticism of Weberianism’s explanation for social class inequality.

Answer 38

Stating inequality being caused by many things interacting (e.g. gender and social class) makes it hard to study.

Question 39

Describe Feminism’s reasons for social class inequality.

Answer 39

Liberal Feminists argue exploitation of women in economy due to less opportunity for women to work when competing against men. Radical Feminists state that a patriarchal society oppresses women, lowering their opportunities. Marxist Feminists argue women are exploited by capitalist class as they are the reserve army of labour.

Question 40

Identify 3 criticisms of Feminism’s explanation for social class inequality.

Answer 40

1) Opportunities differ for females in different situations
2) Evidence that there is no longer a glass ceiling
3) Radical Feminist solution of separating males and females creates more inequality and is not viable

Question 41

Describe Postmodernism’s reasons for social class inequality.

Answer 41

Inequality is through status divisions not social class due to the lines between them being blurred from fluidity in society and freedom to make choices. Therefore inequality is due to access to economic resources.

Question 42

Identify 2 criticisms of Postmodernism’s explanation for social class inequality.

Answer 42

1) Not a helpful way of understanding the real divisions between people of different social class backgrounds
2) Statistic evidence shows that class matters in terms of employment in education and life chances

Question 43

Describe how Labelling Theory can explain social class inequality.

Answer 43

• Stereotypes of a social class place labels on their behaviour (e.g. working class being unintelligent)
• These labels may cause other people to interpret their behaviour as conforming to this
• This then leads to social class inequality as the false perception of this group can limit their opportunities (e.g. getting a more qualified job)

Question 44

Give a piece of evidence to support labelling theory affecting education.

Answer 44

38% of working class pupils who receive free school meals gained 5 GCSE A*-C grades compared to 65% of other pupils.
- Teach First report (2014)

Question 45

Describe intersectionality as a conclusion to social class inequality.

Answer 45

It is not just social class that dictates how much inequality a person experiences as many other factors (such as ethnicity and age) can affect this, showing that the relationship is more complex.