Chapter 7 Flashcards
(25 cards)
Social Stratification
Relatively fixed hierarchical arrangement and
classification of people into groups based on
shared socio-economic conditions
Note: an objective observation
Social Inequality
the long term existence of significant
differences among social groups in access to goods and services
Social Class on Relational
Reflects ones relation to the means of production (Marx)
Capitalists (bourgeoisie)
Own and control means of production, achieve wealth through capital
Working Class (proletariat)
- capital of materials used
- Labour time exchanged for wages
- Produces surplus Worth (value)
LTV: c+L = W
Economic Base
Foundation of society is its economic base. Controlling the base is where power lies
Organic Identity (part of social identity)
a shared sense of common
membership and purpose
Class consciousness
awareness of what is in the
best interests of one’s class
False Consciousness
the belief that something is in one’s best interests, when in fact it is not
Marx on Religion:
workers had false
consciousness through religion - prevents ability to see their own exploitation
Marx’s class paradigm in Canada today:
People do not fit well in to the old class
scheme, Small business owners with low income, and workers with extremely high income eg mcdavid.
Dominant capitalist class
own/control production
Middle class
educated, small business, credentialed
wage earners
Working class
low-paying wage jobs, lack resources
apart from ‘labour power’
Weber & Social Stratification
More than just social class as relation to means of production, class not supreme factor in stratification.
1. Economic position (class)
2. Hierarchies of prestige (status)
3. Political inequalities (power)
Socio-Economic Status (SES)
“the combination of economic and social
circumstances that shape one’s experiences as a member of
a given class”
- Way to measure and understand social stratif. and inequality
- Income, Education, Occupation (prestige), Wealth
High SES means higher privileges
Low SES means higher risks
Ideology
relatively coherent set of interrelated
ideas/beliefs about society and the people in it
Dominant ideology
set of beliefs put forward
by, and supportive of, the dominant culture and
or classes in a society
“Class consciousness of the ruling class”
Promotion of trickle down thinking
Free market economy, economic globalization
* Assumes: benefits will eventually trickle down to
everyone – e.g. UCP investment in oil economy = jobs
Based on liberalism
focuses on the individual as a more or less independent player
social mobility
the ability of one to realize the ‘American Dream’ (Meritocracy) “Kevin O’Leary”
- Blaming the victim
Neoliberalism
Primary bond between humans is not
social, cultural, familial - it’s purely economic
Freedom from government intervention
strong state to bring about market-like reforms in every aspect of society
- Privatization of public sectors
- Deregulation of private corporations
- Reduced spending on public works
- Free movement of capital
Counter Ideology
critique of the dominant ideology, Challenges the justice and applicability of the dominant ideology, Proponents seek significant social change
