Neo Weberian

Question 1

John Goldthorpe
Measuring Social Class

Answer 1

Believes there is 7 social classes

Introduced variables such as:

Occupation - wealth

Social Capital - social relationships

Cultural Capital - interests/hobbies

Question 2

Barron & Norris
Dual Labour Market

Answer 2

Primary labour market:
-professional jobs and those in middle class are in this labour market, where conditions are good and pay scales are high
-these types of jobs have a career structure and depend on qualifications
-this includes law, banking, medicine

Secondary labour market:
-low status, lack of power jobs, like retail, cleaning, care workers or zero hours work
-women and ethnic minorities tend to find themselves in the secondary labour market, whereas white men dominate the primary market for work

Question 3

Anthony Giddens
Middle Class Advantage & Technological Changes

Answer 3

Middle class have recognised skills, based on educational and professional qualifications - this gives them an advantage

Working class only sell their labour; they’re more vulnerable to technological change, which means working class skills are not valued and their jobs are insecure

Question 4

Aaron Bastani
(2022)

Answer 4

If society harnesses the potential of automation, artificial intelligence and robotics, we could all benefit from ‘fully automated luxury communism’.

Robots will complete all the work required in society, and everyone will receive a universal basic income

Question 5

Rex & Tomlinson
Ethnicity, Class & Status

Answer 5

Some ethnic minorities experience low class and low status in contemporary UK society

Some ethnic minorities lack party (power), they have the lowest rates of political party and trade union membership

A black underclass has developed and this is linked to problems of institutional racism