2. What is a theory?
Theory: a specific statement or interrelated
set of statements designed to explain some
particular phenomenon
Theory should be evaluated on the extent to
which it explains the phenomena in question
and can be empirically tested.
3. Value Assumptions
Value assumptions in theories of social
stratification:
1. Degree to which stratification is inevitable
2. Optimistic vs. Pessimistic view of human
nature
3. Theory vs. Praxis
5. Communist-Socialism and the End of
Human Conflict
Marx said: Communism would be the end of human conflict.
Why?
Communism takes away conflict over economic goods and
services through communal ownership. In sum, communism
would eliminate the main reason why people and groups
conflict.
6. Mode of Production
Mode of production = A society’s combined level of technological
development combined with the overall organization of its economy,
including the division of labor.
Consists of Means of Production and Relations of Production
Means of Production asks “How does the society produce goods and
services?”
Consists of (1) Technology and (2) Society’s physical environment
(landlocked, sea-based, etc.)
7. Mode of Production
Mode of production = A society’s combined level of technological
development combined with the overall organization of its economy,
including the division of labor.
Consists of Means of Production and Relations of Production
Relations of production asks “Who owns and controls society’s
resources?”
Consists of (1) Forms of ownership and (2) Relationships between
groups
8. Marx and Social Change
How does social change occur?
Societies change by resolving their “internal contradictions.”
Mode of Production
Type of Society Means Form of
Ownership
Degree of
Inequality
1. Primitive
Communism
H/G Collective Low
2. Ancient Society Agriculture Private High
3. Feudalism Agriculture Private High
4. Capitalism Industrial Private High
5. Socialism Industrial Collective Low
9. Transition to Socialism
Although society’s means of production remains the same, the
economy itself has contradictions to resolve:
Private ownership of the means of production.
monopoly capitalism = growing accumulation of wealth in a few
hands.
capitalism demands that profits put ahead of “humanity.”
Workers will see they are being exploited, realize their interests,
and rebel.
10.
11.
12. A Polish citizen is trying to protest against
the Communist regime; he throws leaflets
around Plac Zamkowy. Secret Police agents
arrest and question him, then they observe
that there was nothing on the papers: they
were all plain white. The Secret Police
agents ask him why the papers are white.
The prisoner replies:
"It's obvious anyway, why should I write it
down?"
13. Marx and Class
Class position is rooted in the relationship to the means of
production.
Unidimensional view of stratification, two-strata conception of
class:
Bourgeoisie = owns and controls
Proletariat = does not own and control
Relations between bourgeoisie and proletariat characterized by
exploitation:
Exploitation = an economic process that occurs when one party
compels another to give up more than it receives in return.
In capitalism, the bourgeoisie exist and enjoy a common lifestyle
BECAUSE of their exploitative relationship with the proletariat.
14. Max Weber (1864 – 1920)
Differences between Weber and
Marx:
Weber read Marx and sought to
elaborate on some of his ideas.
Weber had many ideas of his own,
though.
Weber attributed social change
much more to changes in the
ideological superstructure. Many of
Weber’s theories have an
ideological conception of history.
15. Weber’s Conception of Class
A grouping in which
(1) A number of people have in common a specific
causal component of their life chances,
(2) Insofar as this component is represented
exclusively by economic interests in the possession of
goods and opportunities for income,
(3) And is represented under the conditions of the
commodity or labor market.
16. Weber’s Conception of Class
Note:
Economic basis for determining class position, a la
Marx.
Includes position in the labor market, unlike Marx.
However, Weber argues that property includes both
your material goods AND your labor skills. So, like Marx,
Weber believes that class position is dependent on
ownership and control of “property.”
17. Status
Status = the degree of deference (respect) accorded to an individual or group.
Weber thought of status as “social honor”:
Your status situation is often related to your class position.
Both the propertied and the non-propertied may enjoy a similar status
situation. Both professional basketball players and nuclear physicists have high
prestige, yet they are in different class positions (see Weber’s definition of class).
Status inconsistency is when your class position is not in-line with your
status position. For instance, you are African American middle class and are
discriminated against by realty companies and subtly barred from buying a home
in a white neighborhood (or are targeted for subprime loans).
Status position may preclude entry into a class position. This is best seen in
our discussions on gender and race/ethnicity.
18. PartyParty..
Power = the probability a person or a group has to realize their will
despite the resistance of others.
Parties are social groups that share similar power capacities. To
Weber, parties represent the interests of those with similar class
and/or status situations. Parties act to acquire more power or
influence the actions of others.
e.g. When business professionals in a capitalist society vote for
certain political parties in a certain way, they constitute a “party.”
e.g. When parents in a middle class suburb argue that creationism
and evolution should be taught in high school biology classes, they
constitute a “party.”
19. Legitimation of Authority
Three Ideal Types of Authority
1. Traditional: Authority entirely comes from the fact authority
has always rested in that person or position.
2. Charismatic: Contrasted with traditional authority. The
authority of charismatics resides entirely in their personal
attributes. Weber argues that these are people who present
themselves as people who possess “special gifts,” almost or
exactly supernatural. Their position is predicated on the
continuing proof of their special powers.
3. Legal-Rational: Authority by codified law. Whomever holds the
position is entitled to authority and carries with them the
capacity for power. Usually held in bureaucracies.
