Weberian Theories Of Inequality Flashcards
Webber’s definition of power
The ability to impose ones will over others. Power is made up of three types:
. Class power- wealth
. Party - political power
. Status - respect
Webber and pluralism
Means power is distributed between a variety of different groups I’m society in differing amounts. Other groups have more power than others.
Differences between Marx and Weber
. Marx says social classes will polarise into the very rich and very poor .Weber says there will be increasing social fragmentation
. Marx says the dynamic governing society is the economy .weber says that power is significant and is formed by class party and status
. Marx says inequality is part of the social structure . Weber says inequality is part of societal culture
. Marx is deterministic as he says people’s life’s are affected by social class . Weber says people can shape their own lives e.g moving up the class system through hard work
The different types of class: fragmentation
. Propertied class - money,class and political power
. Professional class - status money and some power
. Petty bourgeoise - less status/money/power but are significant i own communities
. Working class - no status class or power. Although some groups have more wealth because they have skills thst are in higher demand than others.
What are Neo- weberians
Sociologists who have tried to adapt Webber’s ideas to modern society
Goldthorpe
Used Webber’s ideas to measure social class. Instead of focusing solely on income goldthorpe introduced variables such as employment relationships., conditions of work and life chances into his classification of class.
Barron and Norris
Dual labour market. There are two forms of labour. Middle Ages ruling class are in the primary market. The secondary labour market is for low status lack of power jobs usually commandeered by women and ethnic minorities. Few women are promoted as men hold stereotypical beliefs. The same can be said for not employing ethnic minorities for top jobs.
Giddens
Middle class have recognised skills based on educational,professional and social qualifications that advantage them in the workforce whereas the working class only sell their labour. They are vulnerable to technological change which means working class are not valued and there job prospects are insecure
Rex and Tomlinson
Argue ethnic minorities experience low class and low status in British society. This low class and status are compounded by racism so that ethnic minorities lack class party and status. As a result a black underclass has developed.
Assessment of weberian theory
. Difficult to measure some forms of power such as status. Stats is subjective
. Concept of multiple classes makes it difficult to organise a specific classification system
. Many people do not identify with broad social groupings such as bing welsh or working class and take pride those status groups as being an identity so they are not fragmentary
. Some people are so rich and powerful that they are nit comparable and the idea of social competition is not useful.
. People can elongate in a number of different status groups at the same time
. Strength of weberianism is that it offers a more realistic view of the complexity of the class system in modern society than Marxism.
Devine and savage
Research on the British class structure claimed that the class structure of the uk has been fragmented by the loss of industrial jobs, migration patterns, mass unemployment and changes in the layout of cities. Used quantitative methods and asked a sample of 161000 people questions about incomes and property as well as cultural values.the study identified several social classes
