Social Class Inequality Flashcards
Define ‘stratification’.
The hierarchical layering of society into distinct groups with different levels of wealth and status.
What is Marxist’s definition of ‘social class’?
Our relationship to the means of production in which we are either the owner or the worker.
What is Weber’s definition of ‘social class’?
Our market position, status, and party.
List 2 social class scales.
1) Registrar General’s Classification
2) The Great British Class Survey (2013)
Give 2 strengths of the Registrar General’s Classification.
1) Easy to compare due to long-term use
2) Simple
Give 3 weaknesses of the Registrar General’s Classification.
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
Give 2 strengths of the The Great British Class Survey (2013).
1) More detailed classification
2) Not specific to occuptations
List 5 theories who explain the changes to social class systems.
1) Functionalism
2) New Right
3) Marxism
4) Weberianism
5) Postmodernism
Identify Functionalism’s explanation for changes in the social class system.
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.
Identify New Right’s explanation for changes in the social class system.
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.
Identify Marxism’s explanation for changes in the social class system.
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.
Identify Weberianism’s explanation for changes in the social class system.
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.
Identify Postmodernism’s explanation for changes in the social class system.
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.
Define ‘social mobility’.
The upward or downward movement/opportunities of movement between different social classes.
List 4 different types of mobility.
1) Intergenerational mobility
2) Intragenerational mobility
3) Absolute mobility
4) Relative mobility
Define ‘intergenerational mobility’.
The upward or downward movement between generations within workplace.
Give an example of ‘intergenerational mobility’.
A son’s upward mobility from working class (due to father’s factory job) to middle class.
Define ‘intragenerational mobility’.
The movement of an individual within the workplace.
Give an example of ‘intragenerational mobility’.
An individual wokring their way up as a teacher.
Define ‘absolute mobility’.
The overall number of people from specific origins ending up in different classes.
Define ‘relative mobility’.
The chance of someone being born in one class and ending up in a different one, through comparison with different generations to establish meritocracy.
Give a piece of evidence relating to social mobility.
Oxford Mobility Study (1972) - found that middle class children were 4x as likely to get middle class jobs as their working class counterparts.
List 5 theories about social mobility.
1) New Right - Intelligence Theory
2) Neo-Marxism - Myth of Meritocracy
3) Bourdeiu - Cultural Capital
4) Feminism
5) Ethnicity
Describe the New Right’s theory on social mobility.
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.
Describe the Marxist theory on social mobility and how that creates inequality.
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.
Describe Bourdeiu’s theory on social mobility and how that creates inequality.
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.
Describe the Feminist theory on social mobility and how that creates inequality.
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.
Describe the impact of ethnicity on social mobility and how that creates inequality.
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.
What is the conclusion of social mobility and social class inequality?
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
Describe Functionalism’s reasons for social class inequality.
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.
Identify 3 criticisms of Functionalism’s reasons for social class inequality.
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
Describe the New Right’s reasons for social class inequality.
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.
Give a piece of evidence to support the New Right’s idea of lone parent households.
60% of children living in a lone parent households are below the basic level of maths proficiency
- Amato et al (2015)
Identify 3 criticisms of the New Right’s explanation for social class inequality.
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
Describe Marxism’s reasons for social class inequality.
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.
Identify 3 criticisms of Marxism’s explanation for social class inequality.
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
Describe Weberianism’s reasons for social class inequality.
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.
Identify a criticism of Weberianism’s explanation for social class inequality.
Stating inequality being caused by many things interacting (e.g. gender and social class) makes it hard to study.
Describe Feminism’s reasons for social class inequality.
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.
Identify 3 criticisms of Feminism’s explanation for social class inequality.
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
Describe Postmodernism’s reasons for social class inequality.
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.
Identify 2 criticisms of Postmodernism’s explanation for social class inequality.
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
Describe how Labelling Theory can explain social class inequality.
- 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)
Give a piece of evidence to support labelling theory affecting education.
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)
Describe intersectionality as a conclusion to social class inequality.
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.
