Weberian Theory Of Social Inequalities Flashcards
What are the 4 explanations of social class inequality
- A person’s social position is based on their social class amongst other factors but this has become more fragmented (Weber)
- Social class has become too complex, there are a range of social class categories preventing a unified experience of class (Draper)
- A person’s experience of inequality is influenced by the level of respect they receive from others (Weber and Parkin)
- A person’s power/party can influence how much influence they have within society (Weber and Beck)
- A person’s social position is based on their social class amongst other factors but this has become more fragmented
-Weber
-4 class model based on including amount of income, occupational skills and educational qualifications
-the propertied upper class, property-less white collar workers, the petty-bourgeoisie, manual workers = based on their “market position”
- Social class has become far more complex, there are a range of social class categories preventing a unified experience of class
-Draper
-new middle class is so diverse: one extreme is ‘super rich elite middle class’ whereas the other is a range of ‘low level routine’ occupations which are difficult to distinguish from working class in terms of income, status and general life chances = makes it difficult for middle class to share common interests over political situations that benefit some but don’t impact others
- A PERSON’S EXPERIENCE OF INEQUALITY IS INFLUENCED BY THE LEVEL OF RESPECT THEY RECEIVE FROM OTHERS
WEBER AND PARKIN -
-status refers to someone’s “social honour” which is the level of respect they receive from others and whether they are viewed as “superior” or “inferior”
-status is initially linked to someone’s social/occupational background but also explains that a person’s lifestyle, ethnicity, religion and gender may influence their position within society.
-someone may have a low social class due to their occupation but can still have a high status due to achievements such as in sport or raising money for charity = not necessarily about the job but the level of respect someone has.
-those who lack status can be subjected to prejudice and discrimination from those who do hold status.
-Parkin discusses ‘negatively privileged status groups’ which are people kept out of certain occupational positions.
-the bourgeoise use exclusionary closure to enforce this
- A PERSON’S “POWER” OR “PARTY” CAN INFLUENCE HOW MUCH INFLUENCE THEY HAVE WITHIN SOCIETY
WEBER AND BECK -
-Trade unions, pressure groups and campaigns provide people with more “party”
-Beck states that there is evidence of “power” being separate from class position/economic wealth.
-the role of political parties, pressure groups, trade unions and new social movements has led to the emergence of new political identities that are separate from a person’s social class background.
- WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO FACE LOWER CLASS POSITIONS THAN MALES DUE TO SOCIAL CLOSURE
WEBER-
-women experience social closure as the labour market is dominated by males in “top” jobs/positions and it could be argued that men “reserve” and protect these top positions in society for themselves so exclude women through the process
-face different types of inequality due to this such as the glass ceiling, forms of horizontal segregation and the leaky pipeline.
- WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO HOLD LOWER POSITIONS WITHIN THE MARKETPLACE
BARRON AND NORRIS-
-dual labour market which can be used to explain women’s employment patterns: primary and secondary labour markets
-women are disadvantaged due to stereotypical beliefs about the “unsuitability” of women as well as disrupted career development and they lack experience compared with men and often miss out on promotions when they do return to the marketplace.
-the legal and political framework supporting women’s rights within the marketplace is often weak and ineffective
- WOMEN HOLD LESS STATUS WITHIN THE LABOUR MARKET AND THEREFORE FACE A RANGE OF INEQUALITIES
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMISSION -
-explanations for the continued presence of horizontal segregation = individual differences, individual career choices based on their perceptions about different careers, discrimination by employers, barriers within organisations.
-women are vertically segregated and hold lower status within the labour market and therefore face a glass ceiling in certain professions as well as the leaky pipeline.
-men have hidden advantages such as gender stereotypes, women are often seen as making emotional decisions and the views relating to women’s childbearing and family obligations
- WOMEN ARE LESS LIKELY THAN MEN TO BE IN A POSITION WHEREBY THEY CAN EXERCISE POLITICAL POWER
ELECTORAL COMMISSION-
-women tend to participate less than men in groups that exert pressure and power in society
-‘political activism gap’ occurs where women are less likely than men to participate in campaigns/ join in with voluntary organisations.
-reasons include those who are in paid employment are more likely to be politically active. + age and ethnicity have different effects on men and women’s levels of activism.
-political activism gap is biggest in members of sports clubs where men take the lead or members of churches where women take the lead.
- A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF THE BLACK AND MINORITY ETHNIC GROUPS POPULATION CAN BE FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STRATIFICATION PYRAMID
REX AND TOMLINSON -
-the underclass are ‘trapped’ at the very bottom of the stratification pyramid
-due to racial inequality, black and minority groups have formed a separate part of the underclass that is located below the existing “white underclass group” as they face multiple forms of deprivation. = low pay or unemployment, poor housing and lack of equal access to education as well as facing racism.
-inequality is due to marginalisation caused under capitalism and not the group themselves. This was made up of people who feel marginalised, frustrated and alienated, worsened by the fact that they face racism and harassment.
-there is a ‘structural break’ between black people and the white working class. Black and minority ethnic groups are also forced into disadvantaged “housing classes” which shows that black people did not see the same privileges as the white working class.
-also shows that some young black people are socially excluded and do not have access to the same standard of living as most other members take for granted
- BLACK AND MINORITY ETHNIC GROUPS ARE MORE LIKELY TO HOLD LOWER POSITIONS WITHIN THE MARKETPLACE
BARRON AND NORRIS -
-there is a dual labour market which can be used to explain the position and employment patterns of minority ethnic groups as they fall into the primary labour market rather than the secondary labour market.
-ethnic minority groups are less likely than white workers to obtain primary sector jobs because employers may subscribe to racist beliefs and practice discrimination against them, employers may not respond to job applications, certain groups face a concrete ceiling and the legal and political framework supporting minority ethnic groups is often weak and ineffective.
- A PERSON’S EXPERIENCE OF INEQUALITY IS INFLUENCED BY THE LEVEL OF RESPECT THEY RECEIVE FROM OTHERS
PARKIN -
-discusses ethnic minority groups to be ‘negatively privileged status groups’ as they are kept out of certain positions
-status groups can be competitive and aim to achieve ‘social closure’
-the ethnic majority use social closure to keep ethnic minority groups out of positions of authority and status
-they face a concrete ceiling rather than a glass one.
- POLITICAL PARTIES AND TRADE UNIONS DO NOT REFLECT THE INTERESTS OF ETHNIC MINORITY GROUPS
WEBER -
-organisations such as trade unions, professional bodies and groups seem to be dominated by white members which can lead to ethnic minorities’ voices not being heard which shows that trade unions and pressure groups are ethnocentric because they work in the interests of the ethnic majority.
-e.g black lives matter
- A PERSON’S SOCIAL POSITION IS BASED ON A COMBINATION OF THEIR CLASS, STATUS AND PARTY - AGE DIRECTLY INFLUENCES A PERSON’S SOCIAL CLASS
WEBER -
-both the young and elderly lose status because of their age
-young people lack party and social class is affected by market position which is linked to qualifications, which young people may lack = lower market position.
-ageism is a reflection of a lack of status for both the young and elderly and is based on their poor social class position/’low market position’
- THE YOUNG AND SOME ELDERLY GROUPS ARE MORE LIKELY TO HOLD LOWER POSITIONS WITHIN THE MARKETPLACE
BARRON AND NORRIS-
-dual labour market theory to explain employment patterns of the youth and elderly
-middle age people are found in the primary labour market with youth and elderly people in the secondary labour market.
-the young and elderly are more likely to be found in the secondary labour market because they are at the start/end of their careers, they are less qualified/able to work in the primary labour market than the middle age and will work for less pay or less hours due to less responsibility.
