Sociology - Topic 1D - Weberian explanations of social class inequality

Did Weber agree or disagree with Marx and why or why not ?

• Weber disagreed with Marx

• Weber did NOT believe that there were only two social classes

Define multiple tier system occupation.

• Instead of viewing jobs as just Working class or Capitialist , Weber saw jobs as more multi layered

What were the 3 key things Weber believed in ?

1) Multiple tier system occupation

2) Life chances

3) Opportunities for social mobility

What were the three things that Weber saw distinctions between ?

1) Class 

2) Status 

3) Party 

How did Weber treat Class , Status and Party in relation to each other ?

• Separate but related sources of power

• He believed these three things had direct effects on peoples life chances

Define and explain life chances.

• Life chances , refers to the idea that people born into a certain background will experience a certain event

• I.E

• Children born into a household where both parents are unskilled and unemployed , have a 1% chance of going to University

• Whereas 73% of children who’s parents are in professional jobs will go to university.

What does the idea of ‘Life Chances’ show us ?

• Inequality exists not just in terms of wealth and income but in other areas too

• Such as , education , healthcare , housing and the law

What factors other than social class could effect a persons life chances ?

• Gender

• Ethnicity 

• Age 

How did Weber treat social class ?

• As an economic matter 

What are the key distinctions between Marx and Webers views on class (market position ) 

• Like Marx ,. Weber believed that owning or not owning property was very important for class formation 

• But while Marx focuses more on the 2 class view of this 

• Weber preferred to look at the multi layered approach

How did Weber choose to define class ?

• In terms of position on the economic marketplace 

Discuss ideas regarding the economic market ?

• The market consists of a great many positions 

• these can vary according to the source and amount of income

• difference in occupational skill and educational qualifications.

Define status in accordance with weberian theory.

• The degree of honour or prestige 

• Which is attached to social groups in society

What do different status groups compete against each other for ?

A greater share of the social esteem

What might happen in a racist society in terms of social status ?

• A certain ethnicity may provide more or less status

What other factor did Weber believe could give people more status ?

• Their gender 

What might members of a status groups do to show their common values ?

• Use status symbols

• In order to show their common membership

• E.G. Stockbrockers speed around in porsches or skinheads wear Doc Martins

How does Weber connect social class and status ?

NOT ONLY THROUGH HOW YOU EARN YOUR MONEY but also through how you spend it. 

Define the idea of party in accordance with Weberian theory ?

• The exercise of power by pressure groups 

• Political parties

• Trade unions 

• or other organised interest groups

What can parties use to increase their economic wealth ?

Their power

What 2 things do not automatically confer each other ?

• Economic wealth DOES NOT confer power

Who is another sociologist that supports Weber’s idea of a multi-layered class system ?

• Savage et al

• Conducted the first British class survey in 2011 

• He came to believe that there were 8 class systems.

Why did Marxists criticised Weber ?

• Criticised him for making the issue too complex

• Weber is criticised by Marxists for playing into the hands of the bourgeoisie by making the issue too complicated and therefore harder for the proletariat to understand.

Define ‘boundry theory’ and the relation it has to both Marxist and weberian theory.

• Weber’s theory on market approach appears better equipped to deal with the idea of a middle class 

• Marxists have the boundary problem , a great issue in fitting in the idea of a middle class in their simplistic capitalist V workers theory.

What is Barron and Norris’ main argument ?

• Barron and Norris came up with the idea of a dual labour market theory

• They argued that the labour market was divided into two sectors 

1. A primary sector ( Consists of secure , well paid jobs with good prospects) 

2. A secondary sector ( consists of poor pay , insecurity and no ladder for promotion).

Who do Barron and Norris argue is more likely to end up in the secondary sector ?

• People with low levels of class , status or party 

Why would functionalists criticise Weberian theory ?

• They would criticisse Weberians for failing to see that some people end up in the secondary sector due to their lack of skill or merit

• Davis and Moore would argue that jobs in the primary sector require the most talented people. 

What theory does Parkin use and what does he use it to explain ?

• Social closure

• To explain why some people might be blocked from some areas of social life

• I.E. Gaining promotion or getting jobs

Why might a certain group use the exclusion strategy ?

• It may be used by groups anxious to protect their privileges from new recruits

• Groups may insist that certain people fit certain criteria so it restricts them fromnjoingn and gaining the group’s privileges

What is an example of exclusion strategy ?

• Rich people may use expensive elite private schools

• In order to allow their children privileges unavailable to others

• For example, cultural and social contacts which give them better life chances

What theory does Hutton discuss ?

Britain is diving into a 40/30/30 society

Describe Huttons idea of the 40/30/30 society.

1) there is a bottom 30% of the unemployed and economically challenged who are marginalised. The storm that people tend to do in this category may be part time or insecure. Unemployment may be interspersed by periods of insecure employment. HUTTON CALLS THIS GROUP THE Disadvantaged.

2) The next 30% relates to employment which is structurally insecure. The people in this category tend to be part time workers on contracts which could be easily terminated. HUTTON CALLS THIS GROUP THE MARGINALISED

3) Finally there are only 40% who can count themselves as holding permanent well paid jobs. Members of this group are likely to be protected by trade unions. HUTTON CALLS THIS GROUP THE PRIVELEGED