Social Class

- Peter Saunders 'Unequal but Fair'

- Britain is more meritocratic than we are led to believe

- Men and women tend to reproduce with those of a similar intelligence and social class

- Intelligence can be inherited, so can lead to advantages for those in a higher social class

- however, many working class children are intelligent

- Pro; acknowledges and addresses other perspectives on social class

- Con; Excludes P/T and unemployed memebers of society from studies, and they are the most vulnerable to social disadvantages through stratification. 

• Meritocracy
• Natural, inevitable and desireable
• consensus theory
• Society is like a machine, where every individual acts as each part of the machine to ensure smooth and fully-functioning
• Social stratification is fair as those who deserve the top-positions in society achieve them
• Social stratification gives lower classes something to aim for 
• Focuses on the importance of shared norms and values throughout family, education, politcs etc. 
• Fails to acknowledge tension in societies could be caused by differences amongst groups and claims tensions are caused by a malfunction in the system. 

• Conflict theory (class)
• Bourgeoisie v. proletariat
• Revolution (capitalist v communist)
• The rich get richer and the poor remain poor
• The capitalist society reinforces inequalities as being a 'norm' to ensure those who are powerful remain powerful
• Gives hope of a future system emerging where inequalities and explotation do not exist.
• Marxist views can be considered simplistic and outdated

• John and Barbara Ehrenreich - The professional managerial class
• Argue that there is a third class, made up of professionals such as teacher, social workers and psychologists. 
• Children born to parents within this class are twice as likely to remain in this class compared to the chances of working-class children migrating to this class. 
• This study provides a fresh neo-marxist perspective on social class
• Erik Olin Wright argues that there is still only two social classes, and although some do not fit completely into one or the other, they do not merit a class of their own. 

• Founded by Weber 
• Verstehen - the understanding of social actions and behaviours
• types of action - emotional, rational, value and traditional
• Primarly focuses on qualitative data (micro theory)
• Believes there will be no revolution as social stratification is demanded by society. 
• Focuses on individual's rather than large-scale populations. 

• Keith MacDonald - The Sociology of the Professions
• Focuses on the lengthy process in which professionals participate to obtain professional status within society
• To do this they must create a monopoly in the market
• Weberian as MacDonald emphasises the desire for professionals to maintain their own interests over the rest of societies.
• Uses accountancy as an example (one was considered unimportant, now used frequently, one of the highest paid and most influencial careers within modern society)
• CW Mills argues that professionals are not only interested in their own needs, as they are becoming "servants to the rich and wealthy" within society.