unit 12 - lecture notes Flashcards
social class and stratification
What is the basis of sociological understanding of stratification?
status and role
What are four types of stratification systems? What is the basis for each system? Is there social mobility?
- slavery - law; none
- caste - religion; some
- clan - family; some
- class - wealth; much
How are stratification systems sustained?
They are sustained through ideology
All societies view their own stratification as what?
They view it as human nature and not constructed by people.
Where are three places that disagreement comes from regarding inequality?
- Value judgments
- Self interest
- Ideology
What are three notions of fairness? And why are there three?
- Equality
- Equity
- Relative Needs
There are three notions of fairness because society deems them to be fair at different levels of society.
What is the belief of conservative ideology in regards to fairness?
Conservative ideology wants to conserve the inequalities of the past as well as argue for the preservation of social inequality.
A well ordered, well structured society allows for transparency regarding an individual’s place within society.
What is the belief of liberal ideology in reference to fairness?
Liberal ideology believes the best way to replace social and hereditary inequalities is to open society to allow for achieved inequalities as opposed to ascribed inequalities.
What is the belief of socialist ideology in reference to fairness?
Socialist ideology is concerned with the advancement of the common good especially for those who are oppressed or exploited by the current system.
They argue against family inherited wealth and status.
In regards to social inequality, functionalists would argue what?
Functionalists would argue that social inequality is universal therefore it is necessary and beneficial; stratification is evidence of progress.
How would a functionalist would explain stratification?
Differing tasks results in differing rewards.
What kind of questions could be posed in opposition to the functionalist ideology regarding social inequality?
- What about those who inherent their wealth or status?
- What about the barriers to competition? - Stratification is viewed as open social competition.
- What about the importance of entertainers? - they receive vast amounts of wealth
- What is the amount of money necessary to motivate?
- What about the problem of power? - Those who have power can use it to perpetuate their status and privilege regardless of if they deserve it
In regards to social inequality, what is the argument made by conflict theorists?
Stratification is the result of domination and exploitation.
What are four ways a conflict theorist would explain stratification?
- Marxist economic concepts
- classes according to Marx
- Capitalism
- Social Democratic modification - middle ground between socialism and capitalism
In a brief sentence, functionalism believes what about societal inequality?
The rich and powerful earned wealth and power because they contribute more to society and therefore are rewarded more than others.
Meritocracy
In a brief sentence, conflict theorists believe what regarding societal inequality?
The rich and powerful take advantage of the poor; they have the power to take what they want whether it is fair or not.
What were the two major ideas provided by Weber? Who did he expand off of?
Weber used Marx’s ideology and expanded off of it.
His contributions include an expanded understanding of:
1. The economy
2. Hierarchy
What are Weber’s three additional economic conflicts?
- Owner to worker-“fair wage?”
- Creditor to debtor- “fair interest?”
- Producer to consumer- “fair price?”
What were the two additional dimensions of hierarchy, that Weber added, that exist independent of wealth?
He agreed with Marx that property is based on economic wealth.
He added:
1. Prestige - A symbolic resource a social honor; part of “cultural class”
2. Power - Based on the right or ability to make decisions; part of “political class”
What is negative prestige?
Dishonour
When explaining inequality of condition, how can the three most formative sociologists be used to describe the phenomenon?
Inequality of condition is a:
- material social fact (Durkheim)
- that is more formative than ideology (Marx)
- and determines our actual “life chances” (Weber).
What is the general consensus when understanding the effects of equal opportunity and inequality of conditions?
Equality of opportunity is hollow without equality of condition.
What are the seven categories of social class?
- Upper upper- “old” money
- Lower upper- newly rich
- Upper middle- professionals or business managers etc
- Lower middle- technical and lower management
- Upper working- may earn as much as the middle but it’s manual labour
- Lower working - the working poor
- The underclass - most are on welfare
Which social class is most affected by fluctuations within the economy?
Upper working
What is one fallout of industrialization?
Houselessness/Homelessness
When understanding the correlates of social class, what is the effect of new technology?
Favors the rich and disfavours the poor.
When understanding the correlates of social class, what is the expectation of physical and mental health?
All aspects of physical and mental health are reduced at the lower class when compared to the upper class.
When understanding the correlates of social class, what are the effects on family life?
Higher classes- because of the mass sum of wealth, parents may be more involved in the love life of their children
Lower classes divorce is higher due to a lack of stability, less to lose, higher levels of tension among spouses, and higher rates of abuse.
What is the difference between the middle and lower class and their patterns of parenting?
Middle- socialize their children with the attitudinal internalization of cultural values.
Lower- socialize their children into behavioral compliance.
When understanding the correlates of social class, how do the classes lean politically?
Upper- more conservative regarding economic issues but liberal on social issues
Lower- historically more liberal and socialistic but usually vote and participate less.
When understanding the correlates of social class, how is crime engaged in?
Upper- White collar crime
Lower - street crime
What are two mechanisms of social stratification? What is the general consensus in regards to these mechanisms?
- Equality of opportunity- an ideology that organizes social life
- Inequality of condition- acknowledging that the existing distribution is not equal.
Consensus: Most people agree that meritocracy is justified and equities of fair distribution but the current conditions are unequal.
