Social Inequality Chapter 8 – Classical Theories

1. Social InequalityChapter 8 – Classical Theories Dr. Roderick Graham Fordham University

2. Plan of Lecture/Presentation • Outline the “classical” explanations of inequality • Karl Marx • Max Weber • Emile Durkheim • Spencer • Compare and contrast these explanations

3. Karl Marx - Capitalism as a mode of production • Capitalism is a mode of production (how a society produces goods + the social relations between groups during this production) • Modes of production change as history progresses • Marx ultimately believes capitalism will be superseded by another mode of production (socialism), and placed “in the dustbin of history”

4. Components of Capitalist Mode of Production

5. Capitalism and Class Conflict • Capitalist mode of production • Leads to two large groups with different access to the means of production • Leads to antagonistic social relations

6. Capitalism and Class Conflict • What do we mean by owning the means of production? • Owning the resources we need to produce goods in society • What are the types of ways that someone can own means of production? • Money • Land • Machinery

7. What are classes for Marx? • Specific relationship to means of production (owner, worker, laborer) • An understanding that it exists as a group with specific interests • Organized and directed towards advancing its own interests • A particular lifestyle

8. How Capitalism Developed Historically • Nobility began to sell their land (this land was historically worked by serfs who gave a percent of their crop to nobility) • Serfs who worked the land were removed (merchants wanted to farm it for profit) • Capitalists forced gov’t to pass laws “vagrant laws” and anti-organizing laws (former serfs had to become laborers) • Former serfs/peasants no longer made their own things, and thus had to work to buy things made by the capitalists who expropriated them

9. Three Stages of Capitalism

10. Crisis in Capitalism

11. Weber Two key concepts… Bureaucracy • An administrative structure used in large organizations • Fordham is a bureaucracy Rationality • The removal of tradition, emotion, and personal relationships that run society…instead society is organized to maximize profit or increase efficiency

12. Bureaucracy

13. Relationship of rationalization to capitalism • The move to rationality and the use of bureaucracies in society support capitalism • Feudal society was inefficient…it was less about profit and more about maintaining traditional relationships…even if unqualified people ended up in important positions or goods/services were not sold at highest market value • Bureaucracy creates a set of rules that, when followed, treats everyone the same regardless of status or position…this increases efficiency

14. Three Dimensions of Inequality

15. Durkheim • Views society as an organism…the sociologists’ job is to understand the parts of society that allow it to function (functionalism) • Society has moved from a traditional, mechanical society to modern, organic society…the structure of labor takes on different forms in each type of society. • Society has to solve problems that can occur in this transition

16. From Mechanical to Organic

17. From Mechanical to Organic: Problems • As society becomes more complex, a normal division of labor means that differences in who gets certain jobs is based upon individual differences (not differences in social class, race, etc). • The division of labor is functional (necessary) for modern society. • But, society can experience problems…these problems create real or perceived inequality…

18. From Mechanical to Organic: Problems Anomic Division of Labor • Industry grows and separates workers, owners, and occupational groups • Conflict can occur because there are no agreed upon norms and values Forced Division of Labor • The way in which rewards are allocated do not correspond to individual talents • People become dissatisfied because they feel they are treated unfairly

19. Herbert Spencer • As society becomes more industrial, birth, rank, and race no longer matter for who gets what. Rewards are given based upon individual hard work and talent. • Class structure is perpetuated (recreated through generations) by the talents and behaviors of each class • As time passes, society evolves such that the weaker members/groups of society are discarded…”survival of the fittest”

20. Spencer: The Role of Government Big government is bad for two reasons… • Government helping the poor is a negative because it allows weaker elements to continue, burdening society more and more • In other words, providing welfare to those groups of individuals who are not “the fittest” only allows their bad behavior to continue • Big government will ultimately be abused by the rich and powerful • The rich will use government to perpetuate inequality by bending laws to their favor

21. In Sum… • Table 8.1 gives a good summary and comparison of the four theorists we have discussed… • Which of the four provide the best framework for understanding the inequality you see in your day to day life? Why?