Stratification
THEORIES VIEW ON STRATIFCATION
Feminism
Millet – RADICAL argues that whilst men might be physically
stronger, the strength of patriarchy lies in ideological control. A mans
patriarchal power is both psychological and physical.
Both genders are socialised into their superior/inferior roles and the family
is a key institution for performing this role and women can be blamed for
the constitution of patriarchal ideas because they are the main
socializers .
Walby – RADICAL believes tat women are still less likely to be found
in positions of power and influence despite legislation (such as the sex
discrimination act – polices still suggest that women & men have different
roles eg. Maternity for women outweighs maternity for men).
Walby identifies 6 patriarchal structures: paid work, household, state,
mass media, sexuality and violence against women
Firestone – RADICAL argues biology is the basis of women’s
inequality & domination of men in all societies. Identified sex class system
and that men & women occupied sperate classes which were imposed on
women due to biology. Women have to give birth and so sometimes are
physically dependent
Oakley - LIBERAL
Sue Sharpe – LIBERAL did a study on the attitudes of female girls
in the 70s and the 90s and found that there’s been a change in the goals
and aspirations of young girls from wanting to be a wife/mother to focus
on education and careers
Engles – MARXIST suggested that in the past people lived in
promiscuous hordes where sexual relationships weren’t fixed and that this
affected inheritance & property
Coontz and Henderson – MARXIST FEMINSIT suggested that
patriarchy was more likely to occur in societies that were patrilocal (living
near husbands’ parents) rather than matrilocal
Ansley – MARXIST FEMINIST argued that women are takers of shit
as they were their to calm down men who came back home angry and
stressed from work
Marxist Feminist AO3/EVAL
,Don’t explain the fact that patriarchy has existed in all known societies,
not just capitalist societies as radical feminists point out – patriarchy
predates capitalism
It is men not just capitalism who benefit from women’s subordination and
men are the ones who enjoy position of power and status and so they are
the instruments of oppression
Lorber – POST MODERNIST FEMINSIM the problem is the very
notion of gender itself & progress for women and men requires rebellion
against tyranny of gender categories
See gender as entirely fluid and based on individual choice
Functionalism
Durkheim
Wrote in time of western Europe industrial revolution
Argued class stratification existed because it was functional and beneficial
for social order. He saw modern societies as characterised by specialised
occupational division of labour (people have different jobs based of skills
and ability)
Argued it is beneficial because it sets limits on competition and peoples
aspirations as it clearly links skills and qualifications to particular roles this
stops people from being over ambitious and therefore disappointed and
resentful if they fail or don’t do as well as they had
Davis and Moore
Stratification is a device by which societies perform role allocation –
ensure that the most important positions are filled by the most qualified
people
Based on meritocracy
Certain jobs and positions are more functionally important than
others to society. Rewards are given to those which have a greater
value attached to each occupation
Stratification is functionally necessary for society - All societies
must have some degree of inequality built into them, which is
functional as people accept it as fair
AO3/EVAL
Functionalist AO3/EVAL
Tumin – concluded that stratification by nature cant adequately perform
the functions which Davis and Moore assigned to it. Argued that those
born into the lower strata can never have the same opportunities for
realising their talents as those born into a higher strata
, Marxism and Neo Marxism
Marx
Focuses on social class conflict between the bourgeoisie and proletariat
Society is organised based on an individual’s relationship to the means of
production.
Argues social relation between the rich and poor are unequal and
exploitative and creates a class conflict
Capitalisms relentless pursuit of profit means that wages are kept as low
as possible and the bourgeoisie pockets the differences between what
they pay their workers and the values of goods
Marx’s predicted a revolution to overthrow the capitalist system and
replace it with a classless, equal society
Capitalism will eventually be replaced by communist society – means of
production will be communally owned
Creates a society divided into 2 classes
The capitalist class (bourgeoisie) minority who own the means of
production (land, factories, offices). Make money by exploiting
workers
The w/c (proletariat) forced to sell their labour for low wages.
Have no means of production and are exploited
The base and superstructure model
Superstructure maintains and shapes base (the power of the rich
and the exploitation of the poor). Ideology through art, family,
religion, media, culture, education
Base shapes and maintains superstructure through means of
production (factories, offices, land, machines) and relations of
production (aristocracy, private property, petty bourgeoisie and
bourgeoisie)
Superstructure exists to transmit bourgeoises ideology and make
sure that society subscribes to ruling class ideas about how society
should be organised and does not complain too much about
inequality
Wright – NEO MARXIST
Used the term ‘petty bourgeoises’ – a corruption of Marx ‘petit
bourgeoises’ – means a class with some limited influence over the means
of production
Middle classes share things in common with ruling and working class and
so may experience a sense of contradiction or dissonance because of the
complexity of their position in society
THEORIES VIEW ON STRATIFCATION
Feminism
Millet – RADICAL argues that whilst men might be physically
stronger, the strength of patriarchy lies in ideological control. A mans
patriarchal power is both psychological and physical.
Both genders are socialised into their superior/inferior roles and the family
is a key institution for performing this role and women can be blamed for
the constitution of patriarchal ideas because they are the main
socializers .
Walby – RADICAL believes tat women are still less likely to be found
in positions of power and influence despite legislation (such as the sex
discrimination act – polices still suggest that women & men have different
roles eg. Maternity for women outweighs maternity for men).
Walby identifies 6 patriarchal structures: paid work, household, state,
mass media, sexuality and violence against women
Firestone – RADICAL argues biology is the basis of women’s
inequality & domination of men in all societies. Identified sex class system
and that men & women occupied sperate classes which were imposed on
women due to biology. Women have to give birth and so sometimes are
physically dependent
Oakley - LIBERAL
Sue Sharpe – LIBERAL did a study on the attitudes of female girls
in the 70s and the 90s and found that there’s been a change in the goals
and aspirations of young girls from wanting to be a wife/mother to focus
on education and careers
Engles – MARXIST suggested that in the past people lived in
promiscuous hordes where sexual relationships weren’t fixed and that this
affected inheritance & property
Coontz and Henderson – MARXIST FEMINSIT suggested that
patriarchy was more likely to occur in societies that were patrilocal (living
near husbands’ parents) rather than matrilocal
Ansley – MARXIST FEMINIST argued that women are takers of shit
as they were their to calm down men who came back home angry and
stressed from work
Marxist Feminist AO3/EVAL
,Don’t explain the fact that patriarchy has existed in all known societies,
not just capitalist societies as radical feminists point out – patriarchy
predates capitalism
It is men not just capitalism who benefit from women’s subordination and
men are the ones who enjoy position of power and status and so they are
the instruments of oppression
Lorber – POST MODERNIST FEMINSIM the problem is the very
notion of gender itself & progress for women and men requires rebellion
against tyranny of gender categories
See gender as entirely fluid and based on individual choice
Functionalism
Durkheim
Wrote in time of western Europe industrial revolution
Argued class stratification existed because it was functional and beneficial
for social order. He saw modern societies as characterised by specialised
occupational division of labour (people have different jobs based of skills
and ability)
Argued it is beneficial because it sets limits on competition and peoples
aspirations as it clearly links skills and qualifications to particular roles this
stops people from being over ambitious and therefore disappointed and
resentful if they fail or don’t do as well as they had
Davis and Moore
Stratification is a device by which societies perform role allocation –
ensure that the most important positions are filled by the most qualified
people
Based on meritocracy
Certain jobs and positions are more functionally important than
others to society. Rewards are given to those which have a greater
value attached to each occupation
Stratification is functionally necessary for society - All societies
must have some degree of inequality built into them, which is
functional as people accept it as fair
AO3/EVAL
Functionalist AO3/EVAL
Tumin – concluded that stratification by nature cant adequately perform
the functions which Davis and Moore assigned to it. Argued that those
born into the lower strata can never have the same opportunities for
realising their talents as those born into a higher strata
, Marxism and Neo Marxism
Marx
Focuses on social class conflict between the bourgeoisie and proletariat
Society is organised based on an individual’s relationship to the means of
production.
Argues social relation between the rich and poor are unequal and
exploitative and creates a class conflict
Capitalisms relentless pursuit of profit means that wages are kept as low
as possible and the bourgeoisie pockets the differences between what
they pay their workers and the values of goods
Marx’s predicted a revolution to overthrow the capitalist system and
replace it with a classless, equal society
Capitalism will eventually be replaced by communist society – means of
production will be communally owned
Creates a society divided into 2 classes
The capitalist class (bourgeoisie) minority who own the means of
production (land, factories, offices). Make money by exploiting
workers
The w/c (proletariat) forced to sell their labour for low wages.
Have no means of production and are exploited
The base and superstructure model
Superstructure maintains and shapes base (the power of the rich
and the exploitation of the poor). Ideology through art, family,
religion, media, culture, education
Base shapes and maintains superstructure through means of
production (factories, offices, land, machines) and relations of
production (aristocracy, private property, petty bourgeoisie and
bourgeoisie)
Superstructure exists to transmit bourgeoises ideology and make
sure that society subscribes to ruling class ideas about how society
should be organised and does not complain too much about
inequality
Wright – NEO MARXIST
Used the term ‘petty bourgeoises’ – a corruption of Marx ‘petit
bourgeoises’ – means a class with some limited influence over the means
of production
Middle classes share things in common with ruling and working class and
so may experience a sense of contradiction or dissonance because of the
complexity of their position in society
