Social class inequality - Weberian explanations

Question 1

What type of theorist is Weber?

Answer 1

He is a conflict theorist

Question 2

What does weber try to gain?

Answer 2

Verstehen

Question 3

What does Weber believe inequality is based on?

Answer 3

Struggle between groups to secure wealth status and power

Question 4

Why is Weber critical of Marx?

Answer 4

About the idea of revolution overthrowing the capitalist system in western society and communism could just be as oppressive as capitalism

Question 5

What is the definition of social class?

Answer 5

A group who share a similar market situation via the production of goods

Question 6

What do members of a social class all share?

Answer 6

similar economic rewards and share similar life chances

Question 7

What does Weber agree with marx about (division)?

Answer 7

The economic division between the property owners and those who sell their labour for wages

Question 8

What does Weber disagree with marx about (division)?

Answer 8

about only having two divisions; instead these 2 divisions can be further divided up

Question 9

What does Weber believe social class is if it’s not homogenous?

Answer 9

It’s layered in terms of skills and power

Question 10

Status and class inequality

Answer 10

Social honour, class consciousness with all people having a similar status. In capitalism may link with social class.

Question 11

What does status refer to?

Answer 11

the respect a person receives from others and they might be seen as inferior or superior to others

Question 12

What may status link to?

Answer 12

the economic or class position a person holds, but it can also link to religion, ethnicity and lifestyle

Question 13

What is party based on?

Answer 13

groups exercising power or decision making in society and can link to trade unions

Question 14

What may trade unions link to

Answer 14

social class

Question 15

What are the advantages of Weber?

Answer 15

• Neo weberians agree - Adopted by other sociologists

Question 16

Why do Neo-Weberians agree with Weber?

Answer 16

Agree with market approach to understand the economy and class structure - Goldthorpe

Question 17

How have webers ideas been adopted by others?

Answer 17

to devise a complex multidimensional approach/model of society that reflect Weber’s key ideas of shared social status, politics (party) and social class. This has also been influential in linking the key theme of social class to other inequalities such as education, health and social mobility

Question 18

What are the disadvantages of Weber?

Answer 18

criticised Marxist ideas, especially in relation to the way that Marx only focused on the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Weber believes that the bourgeoisie and the proletariat can be subdivided even further in order to help explain social class and the further divisions that exist

Question 19

What did Rex and Tomlinson (1979) base their research on?

Answer 19

Weberian perspective

Question 20

Where did Rex and Tomlinson (1979) conduct their research?

Answer 20

Handsworth in Birmingham

Question 21

What did Rex and Tomlinson (1979) find about the material disadvantage of ethnic minorities?

Answer 21

material disadvantage that ethnic minorities experienced was so great, that it cut them off from the white working class

Question 22

What did Rex and Tomlinson (1979) find ethnic minorities formed?

Answer 22

separate underclass beneath the white working class, a black underclass had been created and they felt marginalised, alienated and frustrated

Question 23

What did Rex and Tomlinson (1979) find ethnic minorities experienced?

Answer 23

A great disadvantage in the labour market, housing and education along with hostility from white members of society

Question 24

Why did Rex and Tomlinson (1979) find status inequality worsened?

Answer 24

because they felt they had been socially excluded from the standard of living that other members of society took for granted

Question 25

What did Rex and Tomlinson (1979) conclude?

Answer 25

The conclusion is that in capitalist society, the underclass are ultimate victims and ethnic minorities tend to belong to the underclass

Question 26

What is the advantage of Rex and Tomlinson's research?

Answer 26

- Supported by Murray in the new right - Supported by Marxists

Question 27

How did Murray support rex and tomlinson's research?

Answer 27

Some members of society might on the welfare system and benefits so they end up in the underclass and become victims of poverty and unemployment. Politicians might need to address this issue and think about ways that some people should be encouraged to seek employment and not rely on benefits.

Question 28

What did Hope-Goldthorpe research?

Answer 28

Social class

Question 29

What did Hope-Goldthorpe make?

Answer 29

A categorisation which allocates individuals into social classes.

Question 30

Where is Hope-Goldthorpe's categorisation of social class used?

Answer 30

Used throughout Europe and North America, notably in the study of social mobility and in the analysis of social class

Question 31

What did Goldthorpe develop the seven fold social class scheme for?

Answer 31

For the Oxford Social Mobility Study of England and Wales in the early 1970s

Question 32

1 of Goldthorpe's seven fold class scheme

Answer 32

Higher-grade professionals, administrators, and officials; managers in large industrial establishments; large proprietors

Question 33

2 of Goldthorpe's seven fold class scheme

Answer 33

Lower-grade professionals, administrators, and officials, higher-grade technicians; managers in small industrial establishments; supervisors of non-manual employees

Question 34

3a of Goldthorpe's seven fold class scheme

Answer 34

Routine non-manual employees, higher grade (administration and commerce)

Question 35

3b of Goldthorpe's seven fold class scheme

Answer 35

Routine non-manual employees, lower grade (sales and services)

Question 36

4a of Goldthorpe's seven fold class scheme

Answer 36

Small proprietors, artisans, etc., with employees

Question 37

4b of Goldthorpe's seven fold class scheme

Answer 37

Small proprietors, artisans, etc., without employees

Question 38

4c of Goldthorpe's seven fold class scheme

Answer 38

Farmers and smallholders; other self-employed workers in primary production

Question 39

5 of Goldthorpe's seven fold class scheme

Answer 39

Lower-grade technicians; supervisors of manual workers

Question 40

6 of Goldthorpe's seven fold class scheme

Answer 40

Skilled manual workers

Question 41

7a of Goldthorpe's seven fold class scheme

Answer 41

Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers (not in agriculture, etc.)

Question 42

7b of Goldthorpe's seven fold class scheme

Answer 42

Agricultural and other workers in primary production

Question 43

Who made the NSSEC?

Answer 43

Goldthorpe

Question 44

NSSEC

Answer 44

National Statistics Socioeconomic Classification

Question 45

How many versions are there of the NSSEC?

Answer 45

3

Question 46

What are the three versions of the NSSEC?

Answer 46

8 classes, 5 classes, 3 classes

Question 47

What are the 8 classes of the NSSEC?

Answer 47

- Large employers, higher managerial, and higher professional - Lower managerial and professional - Intermediate - Small employers/self-employed - Lower supervisory and technical - Semi-routine - Routine - Never worked and long-term unemployed

Question 48

What are the 5 classes of the NSSEC?

Answer 48

- Managerial and professional - Intermediate - Small employers/self-employed - Lower supervisory and technical - Semi-routine and routine

Question 49

What are the 3 classes of the NSSEC?

Answer 49

- Managerial and professional - Intermediate - Routine and manual

Question 50

What does the NSSEC consider to measure employment relations and ranks?

Answer 50

Conditions of the labour market and conditions of work

Question 51

What does looking at conditions of the labour market include?

Answer 51

looking at income, job security, and promotional prospects.

Question 52

What does looking at conditions of work include?

Answer 52

looking at degrees of power, authority, and control that employees have within their workplace.