Topic Sociologist/Theory Key findings
Types of Closed to open Traditional society where customs are passed on from one generation to the next creates a rigid and often stagnant society
stratificationsociety e.g. caste system/feudal system. Moved to a complex society that requires the most skilled individuals for the most skilled
jobs. Hence must be opened to allow anyone to meet these requirements. This has created social class - groups of people
that share a similar economic position in terms of occupation, income, and ownership of wealth.
Class systems vs 1. Not based on religion, law, or race, but on economic factors. BUT racial discrimination is a barrier.
previous systems 2. No clear distinction between social classes – difficult to say where working class finishes, and middle classes begin. BUT
ignores subjective class identity and working-class habitus/attitudes and values.
3. All members of society have equal rights. BUT historically, women and minorities denied equal rights.
4. No legal restrictions on marriage between classes. BUT most people marry within their own class.
5. Individuals can move up and down the social cross structure. BUT limited mobility especially in recent decades due to the
reproduction of inequality via education.
Functionalism Durkheim Harmony = key. Class conflict due to the early stages of industrialization and transition to modern society, acceptable if
reflection of natural inequalities = requires meritocracy. Conflict end after industrialisation. Movement from one type of
social solidarity (empathy, identification, and sense of belonging = production) to another.
Mechanical solidarity - cohesion and integration comes from homogeneity (sameness) of individuals. Operates in
traditional small-scale societies - based on kinship ties or familial networks.
Organic solidarity - interdependence that arises from specialisation of modern, industrial societies. Social cohesion is
based on the dependence individuals have on each other = advanced societies, with an extensive division of labour.
People rely on each other to perform specified tasks.
Parsons Class conflict = endemic in capitalist society and functional, sorts people naturally and creates a harmonious, stable society.
1. Competition for occupation prestige produces winners and losers- winners are arrogant, losers adopt a sour grapes
attitude (resentment).
2. Division of labour requires discipline and prestige- generates resistance (people don’t like being told what to do).
3. The powerful exploit the weak.
Social stratification = moral evaluation of people. Based on respect, prestige, social approval, and disapproval. Possessions
and power are secondary to this, and economic is derived from it e.g., good individuals = wealthy, bad individuals = poor.
BUT what people do for a living is an economic category, rather than a moral category so we can't measure status
objectively.
Davis and Moore Inequality and incentives are needed to motivate people to innovate and work hard. The most functionally important
positions must be filled with the most talented people, with income and status as motivators for sacrifice.
Class societies = meritocracies. Education enables individuals to be allotted to suit their abilities. So, most people agree
stratification is necessary, because they accept the meritocratic principles on which society is based.
Stratification encourages all members of society to work the best of their ability and ensures that the ‘functional
prerequisite’ of effective role allocation and performance in society is satisfied.
, Evaluation - Some socially, functional jobs aren’t rewarded e.g., bin men.
- Opportunity hoarding by elites prevents downward mobility of their children - which isn't necessarily meritocratic.
- Elites - use their position against the will of the majority, others live off unearned wealth.
- Davis and Moore - ignore how poverty creates major problems and those levels of inequality differ.
New Right Saunders Economic growth raised standards for all - inequality is a small price to pay. Neoliberal ideology - role of the state is to
promote private enterprise and remove government regulation, poverty exists, but the poor are better off than under
other social systems.
Capitalist societies offer incentives to those with talent and enterprise in the form of material wealth. Without these
incentives, innovative goods would not have been developed.
Stratification, rather than force, is a good way of ensuring role allocation they aren’t inevitable, but they are desirable
because the alternatives are worse.
Marxism Causes of conflict Conflict exists between the financial interests of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Common financial interest in the
workplace but each can only obtain more money at the expense of the others exploitation.
1. Forces of production – the resources needed to produce and distribute goods we need to survive.
2. Social relations of production –the way in which roles and responsibilities are allocated amongst those involved in
production e.g., boss and worker.
Superstructure Economic base- the way a society is economically organised e.g., politics, law, the family, education, mass media will then
shape, reflect, and influence the superstructure - institutions that influence people’s behaviour and outlook.
Surplus value Wages are kept as low as possible, and the bourgeoisie pockets the difference between what they paid their workers and
value of the goods produced by workers. This ‘surplus value’ (difference between labour cost and ‘new value’ of goods
created by the workers), forms the basis of capitalist’s wealth.
Alienation When work dominates a person’s self and they become separated from the products of their labour power. This is because
worker is low skilled and repetitive = lack of control.
Marx and social Class in itself- the objective category of being working class, based on their ability to sell labour power (false class
class consciousness).
Class for itself- when workers subjectively see themselves as an exploited class. Their class consciousness means they
don't believe society is organised in their interest; they will fight for their own interests against other social groups in
society. Eventually, the proletariat would initiate a revolution to overthrow capitalism e.g., trade unions, strikes.
Marxism vs Functionalists = individual viewpoint on poverty (successful individual versus flawed/failed individuals) BUT Marx argues
Functionalism that poverty is in built within the economic structure of capitalist society.
Without most citizens on low wages the structure couldn't generate profits for business owners. Poverty is rooted in the
economic structure, so to abolish poverty the economic system would have to be replaced with a socialist society.
Structural causes Western wealth is built on unpaid labour of the working classes. Capitalism is powerless to deal with widespread low wages,
of poverty because they are a prerequisite (must exist) for capitalist businesses to prosper. The same is true for inequalities between
nations. Poverty is caused by the way society is economically organised rather than down to inadequate individuals e.g.,
Types of Closed to open Traditional society where customs are passed on from one generation to the next creates a rigid and often stagnant society
stratificationsociety e.g. caste system/feudal system. Moved to a complex society that requires the most skilled individuals for the most skilled
jobs. Hence must be opened to allow anyone to meet these requirements. This has created social class - groups of people
that share a similar economic position in terms of occupation, income, and ownership of wealth.
Class systems vs 1. Not based on religion, law, or race, but on economic factors. BUT racial discrimination is a barrier.
previous systems 2. No clear distinction between social classes – difficult to say where working class finishes, and middle classes begin. BUT
ignores subjective class identity and working-class habitus/attitudes and values.
3. All members of society have equal rights. BUT historically, women and minorities denied equal rights.
4. No legal restrictions on marriage between classes. BUT most people marry within their own class.
5. Individuals can move up and down the social cross structure. BUT limited mobility especially in recent decades due to the
reproduction of inequality via education.
Functionalism Durkheim Harmony = key. Class conflict due to the early stages of industrialization and transition to modern society, acceptable if
reflection of natural inequalities = requires meritocracy. Conflict end after industrialisation. Movement from one type of
social solidarity (empathy, identification, and sense of belonging = production) to another.
Mechanical solidarity - cohesion and integration comes from homogeneity (sameness) of individuals. Operates in
traditional small-scale societies - based on kinship ties or familial networks.
Organic solidarity - interdependence that arises from specialisation of modern, industrial societies. Social cohesion is
based on the dependence individuals have on each other = advanced societies, with an extensive division of labour.
People rely on each other to perform specified tasks.
Parsons Class conflict = endemic in capitalist society and functional, sorts people naturally and creates a harmonious, stable society.
1. Competition for occupation prestige produces winners and losers- winners are arrogant, losers adopt a sour grapes
attitude (resentment).
2. Division of labour requires discipline and prestige- generates resistance (people don’t like being told what to do).
3. The powerful exploit the weak.
Social stratification = moral evaluation of people. Based on respect, prestige, social approval, and disapproval. Possessions
and power are secondary to this, and economic is derived from it e.g., good individuals = wealthy, bad individuals = poor.
BUT what people do for a living is an economic category, rather than a moral category so we can't measure status
objectively.
Davis and Moore Inequality and incentives are needed to motivate people to innovate and work hard. The most functionally important
positions must be filled with the most talented people, with income and status as motivators for sacrifice.
Class societies = meritocracies. Education enables individuals to be allotted to suit their abilities. So, most people agree
stratification is necessary, because they accept the meritocratic principles on which society is based.
Stratification encourages all members of society to work the best of their ability and ensures that the ‘functional
prerequisite’ of effective role allocation and performance in society is satisfied.
, Evaluation - Some socially, functional jobs aren’t rewarded e.g., bin men.
- Opportunity hoarding by elites prevents downward mobility of their children - which isn't necessarily meritocratic.
- Elites - use their position against the will of the majority, others live off unearned wealth.
- Davis and Moore - ignore how poverty creates major problems and those levels of inequality differ.
New Right Saunders Economic growth raised standards for all - inequality is a small price to pay. Neoliberal ideology - role of the state is to
promote private enterprise and remove government regulation, poverty exists, but the poor are better off than under
other social systems.
Capitalist societies offer incentives to those with talent and enterprise in the form of material wealth. Without these
incentives, innovative goods would not have been developed.
Stratification, rather than force, is a good way of ensuring role allocation they aren’t inevitable, but they are desirable
because the alternatives are worse.
Marxism Causes of conflict Conflict exists between the financial interests of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Common financial interest in the
workplace but each can only obtain more money at the expense of the others exploitation.
1. Forces of production – the resources needed to produce and distribute goods we need to survive.
2. Social relations of production –the way in which roles and responsibilities are allocated amongst those involved in
production e.g., boss and worker.
Superstructure Economic base- the way a society is economically organised e.g., politics, law, the family, education, mass media will then
shape, reflect, and influence the superstructure - institutions that influence people’s behaviour and outlook.
Surplus value Wages are kept as low as possible, and the bourgeoisie pockets the difference between what they paid their workers and
value of the goods produced by workers. This ‘surplus value’ (difference between labour cost and ‘new value’ of goods
created by the workers), forms the basis of capitalist’s wealth.
Alienation When work dominates a person’s self and they become separated from the products of their labour power. This is because
worker is low skilled and repetitive = lack of control.
Marx and social Class in itself- the objective category of being working class, based on their ability to sell labour power (false class
class consciousness).
Class for itself- when workers subjectively see themselves as an exploited class. Their class consciousness means they
don't believe society is organised in their interest; they will fight for their own interests against other social groups in
society. Eventually, the proletariat would initiate a revolution to overthrow capitalism e.g., trade unions, strikes.
Marxism vs Functionalists = individual viewpoint on poverty (successful individual versus flawed/failed individuals) BUT Marx argues
Functionalism that poverty is in built within the economic structure of capitalist society.
Without most citizens on low wages the structure couldn't generate profits for business owners. Poverty is rooted in the
economic structure, so to abolish poverty the economic system would have to be replaced with a socialist society.
Structural causes Western wealth is built on unpaid labour of the working classes. Capitalism is powerless to deal with widespread low wages,
of poverty because they are a prerequisite (must exist) for capitalist businesses to prosper. The same is true for inequalities between
nations. Poverty is caused by the way society is economically organised rather than down to inadequate individuals e.g.,
