Inequality

Question 1

Define meritocracy

Answer 1

People who are in ruling or influential positions are there because they are better educated or more able and rightfully deserve it

Question 2

Define social Darwinism

Answer 2

Survival of the fittest in a social setting
The ‘strongest’ people in society should become wealthy and powerful

Question 3

Outline what David & Moore said about social inequality

Answer 3

(Functionalists)
- there is inequality in all societies, so inequality must be necessary for societies to functions and develop
- inequality is good because it exists in all societies
- not all social positions are equally pleasant or important so there must be rewards that encourage the best people to do the most important jobs
- pay and status reflect a persons value to society

Question 4

Outlines the criticisms of Davis & Moore’s argument. Include what Marxists and feminists argue

Answer 4

• it is difficult to decide the functional importance of different jobs e.g mucisians and sprouts men earn significantly more than doctors and nurses, is this because they are more important to society
• overlooks structural advantages awarded at birth e.g wealth
• doesn’t mention the elements of society that create conflict e.g race and gender
• some people are motivated by other rewards
• Tumin: Davis and Moore provide rich people with an ideology that justifies their greed and selfishness
• Marxists: there is limited chance for people from the poorest sections of society to move up in society, regardless of their ability to
• feminists: gender inequality is built into social structures to the point that many people do not even recognise that it occurs

Question 5

Outline Marx’s epochs (stages) of western society that gradually developed into the next form of society

Answer 5

1. Primitive communism (Engels); where people hunted and most things were owned in common
2. Ancient society; slaves and peasants did work
3. Feudal society; lords owned land but peasants worked on it
4. Capitalism; based on industrialisation and the need to create wealth through the manufacture and sale of goods

Question 6

Outline the key features of capitalism according to Marx

Answer 6

• owners of business must create surplus value from the work of the poor in order to maintain their power
• owners of factories and companies are in an exploitative relationship with the poor
• the poor do not realise that they are being exploited by the rich because they are taught to accept thin the way they are, without question
• the workers think things are fair because of false consciousness, the workers are tricked by ideology

Question 7

Outline the criticisms of the Marxist perspective on inequality

Answer 7

• overlooks other kinds of inequality e.g gender, race
• social mobility is possible
• standards of living have risen as a result o modern capitalism
• many communist societies have failed

Question 8

Define lumpenproletariat

Answer 8

The weakest and poorest members of society, who are used as a source of cheap labour when workers are required

Question 9

Define superstructure

Answer 9

All non economic social institutions - such as education, family, media, religion and law that arise from and serve to maintain the economic base (capitalism)

Question 10

Outline the findings of Gramsci and evaluate

Answer 10

• neomarxist
• hegemony: dominance and leadership the bourgeoisie have over others
• the bourgeoisie are able to rule society and make inequality acceptable because they control both the economy and the creation of ideas about society
• ev: overestimates the power of ideas; even if people realise they are being exploited, they may still comply because they need a paycheck, not because they think the system is fair

Question 11

Outline the findings of Althusser and evaluate

Answer 11

• neomarxist
• institutions used to maintain power
• repressive state apparatus (overt); olive and army
• ideological state apparatus (covert); family, education, media
• ev: too deterministic, portrays humans as puppets of the system, ignoring the fact that many students actively resist school ideology (like in Paul Willis’ learning to labour study)

Question 12

What was the Frankfurt school

Answer 12

• group of intellectuals who challenged the rise of nazi germany
• the media had turned culture into a commodity that could be bought and sold in the same way as a manufactured product
• the media acts as a drug that teaches the poor to accept the ideas of the ruling class uncritically

Question 13

Outline the findings of Miliband

Answer 13

• neomarxist
• governments view the protection of capitalism as essential
• the state repress the poor and weak

Question 14

Outline the findings of Hall and evaluate

Answer 14

• neomarxist
• it is too easy to claim that the problems of ethnic minorities are due to just class and racism
• media attention on young black muggers in the 1970s was deliberately designed to draw media and public attention away from failures of government and increasing inequality
• ev: postmodernists argue that youth subcultures are just about style and consumption today, rather than a meaningful political resistance against capitalism

Question 15

Who said that capitalist production systematically deskills workers by breaking down complex task into simple, repetitive ones
- the experience of work is polarising and alienating to workers

Answer 15

Braverman (neomarxist)

Question 16

Outline the findings of wright

Answer 16

• neomarxist
• social classes are increasing in number and class
• the class position is based on controlling
  1. The work process
  2. Other workers
  3. Production

Question 17

Define relative autonomy

Answer 17

The state and media have some freedom from the ruling class, but still ultimately serve their interests in the long run