Social stratification Flashcards
What is power?
The ability of individuals and/or social groups to influence decisions about themselves and other people. It is excercised through the use of sanctions by those in positions of power.
What is an informal source of power?
Families, schools and workplaces.
What is the feminist view of power?
In the past women had considerably less power in the family. In Victorian times, women had little say and men were the heads of household. Feminism has challenged this and women have much more equality now.
What are the strengths of the feminist view on power?
Feminists explain how men are able to be dominant in society.
What are the weaknesses of the feminist view on power and authority?
Men have less power than women, in some aspects of familial life, including custody battle of children. Women’s push for positions of power and authority results in children in nurseries and daycare which the new right see as bad as adequate socialisation has not been provided in such cases.
What is the marxist view on power and authority?
Marxist would see workers as having too little power compared with bosses. Trade unions have tried to fight against this situation by joining workerstogether as a group to resisist the power of bosses. In recent years, the power of trade unions has been reduced through changes to laws, particularly those restricting the ability of workers to go on strike.
What is a strength of the conflict marxist view of power and authority?
It shows the great inequalities of power between social classes.
What are the weaknesses of the marxist view on power and authority?
Social class, may not be as important in the past. It ignores gender differences in power.
What are examples of formal sources of power?
Those held by the people in charge of our society. This includes local councils, MP’s and the queen. These formal sources of power have agencies of social control to deal with those who break rules or laws.
When is formal control needed?
When informal sources of power fail, society uses formal sources of power to keep social control.
What is authority?
Having the power and the right to make decisions.
How is authority linked to age?
In many situations, an older person is expected to be in charge and make decisions. However, in the UK, people at a certain age are expected to let go of their authority and give it to someone of a younger age.
How is authority linked to gender?
In Victorian Britain, men were expected to be the head of the family, rich or poor. Men were also MPs and very much in charge. Up until 2015, a woman would only become queen if she had no brothers.
What does Max Weber say about authority?
He argued that there were 3 main ways that people gain authority. By this he meant there were three reasons why most people accept authority.
What are the 3 types of authority Max Weber talks of?
Traditional authority, charismatic authority, rational-legal authority.
What is traditional authority?
Traditional authority is a person’s right to rule based on long-established customs. For example, the British royal family - a royal bloodline that can be traced back hundreds of years.
What is charismatic authority?
Where a person is followed and respected because of their personality. These leaders tend to gain high levels of popular support and have very loyal followers. For example, MLK, Gandhi, Jesus
What is rational-legal authority?
The right to make decisions based on logical and well-organised systems, for example geral elections in the UK.
Strength of Weber’s view on power and authority?
Can explain authority throughout human history from ancient Egyptians and Romans to today. Can explain and justify why people have the authority to use power.
Weakness of Weber’s view on power and authority?
Marxists would criticise Weber’s view as it does not consider the influence of wealth and the power of the rulingclass.
Who argues we live in a classless society?
John Major, a conservative PM in the 90’s, suggested that we lived in a classless society now. New Right sociologists, like Peter Saunders, would agree with you.