Weber And Marxism

Weber saw 'class' (economic relationships) & 'Status' (Percieved social stnading) at two separate but related sources of power that have overlapping effects of peoples lives.

Weber also noted that there was what he called a 'Party' as a further dimension. This includes political influences through membership of pressure group, trade unions or other organised interest groups.

Both saw classes as economic groups/catergories organised around property ownership. BUT...

Weber argued that the concept should be treated to include 'occupational skill' because ths created differences in life-chances.

1. Those priveledged through property or education

2. The Petty-Bourgeiosie (the self-employed)

3. White-Collar workers and technicians (lower middle class)

4. Manual workers (The working class)

He was influenced by sociologists such as Goldthorpe (1980) and by the government through the recent NS-SEC Scale.

Goldthorpes concepts of marketisation and work relations are based on the notion that status differences (and therefore life chances) exist between particular occupational groups.

Weber was sceptical about he possiblity of the working class banding together for revolutionary purposes, becoming class concious.

This is because differences in status would always undermine any common cause. Social classes were too internally differentiated- this undermined any potential for group potential and common action.

'Concepts of status and groups are central to webers theory is that people often make positive or negavtive judgments about other peoples standing and esteem and these can affect people's life chances.

The judgments tend to focus on qualities which are shared by groups.

Marxism and weberian theory both state that social class is largely based on economic relationships. Weber was different from marx and functionalisn in claiming that stratification is neither a simple conflict between two classes nor a mertitocratic stratification, but a very complex set of layers in society snd is based on hierachy in which values economic power plus social prestige and political power. Weber ideentfies four classes. John goldthorpe operationalised webers ideas and recognised that market situations and work relations are based on the notion that status differences exist between particular occupational groups. Overall people often make judgements positive or negative based on others standing and esteem.