Answering the question (Evaluate Weberian explanations of social inequality. ) 40 marks. was awarded 37/40 A+
Sociology a-level component 3: power and stratifications.
Evaluate Weberian explanations of social inequality. 40 marks
Max weber stated that the social class position is important when explaining
social inequality and that the social class position is determined for each
individual based on what he does. Since people can move up and down
through social mobility. For example, if a teacher works within a school for a
certain number of years, he will get a promotion and a higher payment and if
he keeps working longer for the school, he will climb the system of the school
to be a head of a department and move into management next. This means
moving from the working class to the Middle and even upper class. This
suggests that people can move up & down social classes by working hard on
themselves to improve their social position. Therefore, according to Weber,
social class inequality is necessary in the society as it ensures that everyone is
working hard to enhance their social class position.
Functionalists would support this view as Durkheim in the division of labour
stated that certain jobs have higher status than others with greater reward and
power and that people would accept this as long as they see the system as fair.
Parsons built up upon his theory by saying that the value consensus is what
holds the society together and these values make people share common goals
i.e., working hard to achieve success. This suggests that people would accept
the fact that there are others in higher positions than them e.g., surgeons or
politicians, only if they know that they have the opportunity to be in their
places if they worked hard. Therefore, providing support for Weberian
explanations that social inequality is necessary and beneficial for the society to
function and that it raises up standards and pushes people to work hard and do
their best all the time.
Weber also looked at the status when explaining. As Crompton said that the
ruling class in the UK practise social closure, as they work to maintain their
place in the market and only socialise with those who share with them the
same social status, for example, old rich social groups aren’t in favour of new
rich social groups, unless they are the children of old rich individuals. And that
they also use their money to reinforce these senses of belonging to a certain
social status group i.e., designer cloth. And thus, we respect individuals with
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