Download Social Class and Social Inequality

Social Class
and
Social Inequality
How is “Society” Organized?
• All sociologists would agree that “society” is not a
monolithic arrangement- it has parts.
• Society can be divided among:
–
–
–
–
Interdependent institutions
Genders
Various groups and networks
… and many, many other elements.
• The “Conflict Approaches” in sociology see
society as comprising inequality and conflict
among its elements.
Principles of Social Stratification
• “Stratification” refers to a system of inequality.
Society is stratified.
• Five principles:
– It’s social, not “natural.”
– It’s persistent, even as societies change.
– It’s omnipresent in nearly all social settings, even in
socialist systems.
– It’s supported by ideology.
– It’s micro- as well as a macro-level.
Systems of Stratification
• Ascription vs Achievement: Both are at
work in social stratification.
• Caste: A purely ascription-based system.
• Class: A combination of ascription and
achievement.
• Meritocracy: A purely achievement-based
system.
Cultural Conflict Theories
• Sellin and others look to culture as the
stratifying principle.
– Culture=a social group’s beliefs, values, ways
of adapting to their natural environment, etc.
– Cultural conflict occurs through immigration,
changes in borders, etc.
– Dominant cultural groups “win” in conflict by
assimilating the less-powerful group or treating
it as deviant.
Group Conflict Approaches
• Developed by Weber and his heirs (eg
Dahrendorf)
• Society consists of various interest groups that
vary in power.
• These interests groups are defined by:
– Financial situation (CLASS- and there are many classes
according to Weber)
– Prestige (STATUS)
– Political position (PARTY)
• “Power” can entail any of these dimensions and
for some people all three of them.
Marxist Approaches
• Marxian vs Marxist
• Marx simplified view of society as consisting of
two at-odds groups under capitalism, the
“proletariat” and the “bourgeoisie.”
• Bourgeoisie’s interests dominate in ALL areas of
social life and private life too.
• Contemporary Marxists differ on certain
fundamental definitions:
– Instrumental Marxists
– Structural Marxists
Feminist Approaches
• Gender is the stratifying principle.
• Feminist approaches are varied:
– Marxist/Socialist feminism
– Radical feminism
– Liberal feminism