Weber and Stratification

What is Weber’s view of stratification?

Symbolic interactionist.

He believed people gain their position into the social strata according to their identities - how they are seen by others in society.

Identified 3 key aspects of identities - Class, status, power, socio-economic status.

What does Weber say class is based on?

• Your occupation and your market position.

• Market position is your earning potential. A key indicator of someone’s class and position in the social strata.

What does Weber say about status?

• How important your occupation is seen as being in society.

• Some jobs have higher status than others, but don’t always come with the same rewards/pay.

What does Weber say about power?

• Power is the ability to influence things.

• Power can be obtained by belonging to groups outside of your job.

  e.g. member of political party, school governor or a trustee.

How does Marx and Weber’s views differ?

Weber’s view is more complex as it considers class, as well as status and power.

What is power?

The ability to influence things and get things done.

Informal power is used to encourage conformity to norms.

Formal power is used when informal sources fail. Power by force.

power requires sanctions - formal/informal and positive/negative.

What is social control?

Making sure we maintain order in society.

Agents of social control - e.g. police, courts, family, peers, education etc.

Formal agents - police use formal sanctions.

Informal agents - peers use informal sanctions.

What is authority?

Having the power to give orders or make decisions.

by studying the differentiation between social groups we can see some groups have more power, social control, authority than others.

What is Weber’s view of authority?

• Traditional authority

• Charismatic authority

• Rational-legal authority.

What is traditional authority?

Authority gained based on long-established tradition, birth right and ascribed status.

e.g. King Charles, royal family.

What is charismatic authority?

Authority gained through someone’s personality and ideas. People follow the ideas of charismatic individuals.

e.g. Martin Luther King.

What is Rational-legal authority?

Authority gained having ‘gone through the system’ and been chosen for the role which gives authority.

e.g. someone who gets a job on the merits of their CV. Gareth Southgate.

What is identity?

The way you view yourself and the way that others view you. Can be based on class, power, authority.