Social Inequality

Question 1

Althusser

Answer 1

Ideological control

Question 2

What does Althusser refer to when he mentions the Infra and Super Structure?

Answer 2

Infrastructure – the land and factories and means of generating wealth.
Superstructure - the major institutions of society such as education, mass media, religion, the law and political system.

Question 3

What did Althusser argue about the function of the superstructure

Answer 3

the function of the superstructure is the reproduction and legitimisation of the class inequality found in the infrastructure.
the superstructure exists to transmit ruling class ideology – making sure the mass of society subscribes to ruling-class ideas about how society should be organised. 
 to encourage acceptance of inequality and to ensure that false-class consciousness continues amongst the working-class.

Question 4

Althusser Evaluation

Answer 4

Parkin (1972) notes, there is an assumption in Marxist theory that the working-classes are experiencing a kind of collective brain damage. The way working-class students are portrayed in his theory lacks social sensitivity.

Question 5

Castles and Kosack

Answer 5

Reserve Army of Labour

Social Inequality and ethnicity

Question 6

What did Castles and Kosack believe

Answer 6

the inequality minority-ethnic groups face is a result of them being part of the exploited working class. Castles and Kosack argue that racism and racial inequality are deliberately encouraged by the capitalist class for 3 ideological reasons

Question 7

Three ideological reasons for inequality ( Castles and Kosack)

Answer 7

Legitimisation
Divide and Rule
Reserve Army of Labour

Question 8

Legitimisation

Answer 8

racism helps to justify low pay and poor working conditions because minorities are seen as second-class citizens. Capitalist employers benefit from the cheaper labour of ethnic minorities.

Question 9

Divide and Labour

Answer 9

Castles and Kosack (1973) argued that if Black and White working classes unite, then they are in a stronger position to ask for better wages and conditions. Capitalism benefits from racism – it divides the Black and White working-classes so they can be played off against one another.

Question 10

Reserve Army of Labour

Answer 10

Castles and Kosack (1973) argued that employers use the ethnic minority workforce as a reserve army of labour to prevent white workers from demanding higher
wages.

Question 11

Castles and Kosack Evaluation

Answer 11

• Miles (1989) argues that whilst many Black people are members of the working-class, they also recognise the significance
  of their ethnicity in causing their inequality. the fact of their ethnicity
  probably makes it harder for them to be fully accepted by the white
  middle-class.

Question 12

Karl Marx

Answer 12

Revolutionary Marxism

Question 13

Marx’s beliefs on the causes of inequality

Answer 13

• inequality is a result of capitalism, where physical ownership of resources being concentrated among a small number of people.
• False consciousness
• Superstructure
• Surplus Value
• agents of social control

Question 14

False consciousness

Answer 14

Workers are therefore tricked by ideology into believing that the capitalists have their best interests at heart, and do not realise that they are being used.

Question 15

Superstructure

Answer 15

The wealthy who owned the substructure became the ruling class because they could control the government, beliefs and ideologies in society

Question 16

Surplus Value

Answer 16

Factory workers toiled for long hours, making products they could not even afford to buy. They were paid a pitiful portion of what their work generated for the
factory owners.

Question 17

Marx Conclusion

Answer 17

the driving force of virtually all societies is the conflict between the
rich and powerful minority who control the society, and the powerless and poor majority who survive only by working for the rich and powerful. These two classes are
at conflict as it is in the interest of the rich to spend as little as possible in paying their workers

Question 18

Marx Evaluation

Answer 18

• Marxists assume all inequality is class inequality. Feminists say they ignore gender inequality. Race theories say they assume race inequality is a class problem and not a discrimination problem
• Many communist societies based on Marx’s ideas have failed.

Question 19

Gramsci 1971

Answer 19

Cultural Hegemony

Ideological illusions

Question 20

Gramsci Overview

Answer 20

developed Marx’s ideas about how the ruling-class create the
superstructure that enable them to control the working-classes. Gramsci
argued that control occurs through ‘ideological illusions’ produced by the ruling class.

Question 21

Gramsci’s explanation of Hegemony

Answer 21

A means of class domination through persuading people that the ruling class’s ideas are just common sense. Gramsci argued that hegemony is an invisible mechanism, the ruling class’s ideas permeate the whole of society. People accept the moral
and political leadership of high-status groups without question because the ruling class control the ideas and beliefs held by members of society, using state agencies and the mass media.

Question 22

Examples to support Gramsci’s ideas

Answer 22

Schools - Althusser’s theory on education

Mass media - Hall et al. Black Muggers

Question 23

Gramsci Evaluation

Answer 23

Other Marxists such have adopted Gramsci’s approach and stress the role of ideas + consciousness as the basis for resisting domination and changing society. Willis found that working class boys were beginning to see through the ruling class hegemony in education by recognising meritocracy is a myth