4. Sociology and Social Policy

Which sociologist distinguishes between sociology and social policy and how does he do so?

• Worsley provides a clear distinction between social problems and sociological problems

• He says social problems are social behaviour which causes public misery eg: poverty, educational failure

• Sociological problems are any pattern or behaviour which calls for a sociological explanation. Society may not view these as issues eg: why people are law-abiding

What do positivists and functionalists believe about sociology and social policy

• Functionalists and positivists both view sociology as a science with social problems and solutions

• They see society as based on value consensus, serving the interests of society as a whole by implementing policies eg: comprehensive system to make education more meritocratic

• They favour policies which may be referred to as “piecemeal social engineering” promoting gradual change and tackling 1 issue at a time

What is the social democratic perspective on social policy? Evaluate

• Favours social policy that aids the redistribution of wealth to reduce poverty and promote fairness

• Townsend argued sociologists should be involved in researching social problems and making policy recommendations to era

• For example the Black Report → free school meals for all children and improved working conditions. However, these recommendations weren’t implemented due to cost

• However, Marxists argue social problems are too deep routed - recommendations won’t solve the issues and the government won’t implement recommendations anyway

What is the Marxist perspective on social policy and sociology? Evaluate

Argue the state serves the needs of capitalism by providing:

• Ideological legitimisation - welfare state gives capitalism a human face

• NHS maintains the labour force for further exploitation

• Prevents revolution - policies such as the minimum wage make the WC creates the illusion of helping workers

They argue sociologists must reveal the exploitation underpinning society, however this is unrealistic and ignores positive policies

What do feminists believe about social policy? Evaluate?

• Policies can promote gender equality for women e.g: liberal feminists advocate social policies on equal pay and domestic violence support

• Radical feminists see some policies as reflecting patriarchy and reinforcing gender roles so they want separatism e.g: married couples tax allowance, maternity leave

However, critics argue that the feminist view generalises all women's experiences and ignores progress made

What do the New Right believe on social policy and evaluate?

• The New Right advocate minimal state intervention

• Sociology should criticise policies that create welfare dependency and undermine personal responsibility

• E.g: Murray argued that welfare benefits create “perverse incentives” weakening the families self-reliance creating an 'underclass' dependent on the state

• However, this view is seen as blaming the poor for inequality and ignoring the structural causes of problems

What factors may affect whether or not policy makers use sociologist’s research findings?

Electoral popularity, ideological preference of government, interest groups, globalisation, critical sociology, cost, funding sources