EXPLANATIONS of INEQUALITY: CLASS

Sociogists are not fully agreed on class categories or how to explain class differences. The term class is therefore hard to operationalise. Postmodernists would go as far to say that traditional distinctions of upper, middle and working class are now meaningless. 

Hutton is a critic of the New Right and argues that social inequality, in the form of low wages, low skill and high unemployment has resulted in a clearly divided and economically unstable society. Hutton has put forward the 30-30-40 thesis to show the three-way spilt in contemporary British class relations. He says our society can now be seen to consist of; 30% unemployed/low paid people, 30% with some job security and quality of life; 40% privileged workers in secure and regular employment.

For Functionalists, stratification is something, which is beneficial and positive. Davis and Moore argue that it is important for society as it provides a mechanism for 'role allocation' in which unequal rewards and status are attached to different roles. They observe how stratification is a permanent and universal…