Max Weber's theory of social stratification
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Transcript of Max Weber's theory of social stratification
Weber's Theory of Social Stratification
Uday Kumar Shil12-3-20-0025
Outline• Social Stratification• Social Stratification Principles• Example of Social Stratification• Pictures of social stratification• Table showing social stratification• Sociological overview of Max Weber• Weber's Theory of Social Class• Few general concepts• Legitimating of Authority
What Is Social Stratification
• In sociology, social stratification is a concept involving the "classification of people into groups based on shared socio-economic conditions. A relational set of inequalities with economic, social, political and ideological dimensions.“
When differences lead to greater status, power or privilege for some groups over the other it is called Social Stratification.
• Social stratification refers to the system of ranking people into groups according to one or more criteria deemed important to society. These include race, colour and wealth among others. It can also be defined as the process by which society is divided in terms of hierarchy where one social group is placed higher than another group. This hierarchy is a rank order of groups and is linked strongly to perceptions of ethnicity, colour, class and even gender.
Social Stratification Principles
• It is based on four principles:-Social stratification is a trait of society, not simply a
reflection of individual differencesSocial stratification carries over from generation to
generationSocial stratification is universal but variableSocial stratification involves not just inequality but
beliefs as well
Example of Social Stratification
• Social stratification and the African influences in American slave communities
Pictures of social stratification
Table showing social stratificationCLASS COLOUR STATUS
Upper class/caste/ruling elites Traditionally white Own wealth, means of production and political power
Intermediate class/caste Mulatto/browns Usually educated ,own some wealth, desire but lack political power
Working class/caste Blacks Slaves, uneducated, lack wealth and political power
Sociological overview of Max Weber• Max Weber was strongly influenced by Marx's ideas,
but rejected the possibility of effective communism, arguing that it would require an even greater level of detrimental social control and bureaucratization than capitalist society. Moreover, Weber criticized the dialectical presumption of proletariat revolt, believing it to be unlikely.
• He emphasized the difference between class, status, and power, and treated these as separate but related sources of power, each with different effects on social action.
Weber's Theory of Social Class• Marx saw class divisions as the most important source• of social conflict. • Weber's analysis of class is similar to Marx's, but he discusses • class in the context of social stratification more generally.• Class is one dimension of the social structure.• Social status, or "social honor," is another. • Both are significant contributors• of social difference.• In order to fully understand Weber's perspective on stratification,
Few general concepts
• Power • Domination• Communal & Societal Action
Power• POWER -> ability of an actor (or actors) to realize his or her will
in a social action, even against the will of other actors. Power relates to the ability to command resources in a particular domain.
• Economic power, then, is the ability to control material resources: to direct production, to monopolize accumulation, to dictate consumption.
• Societal power includes economic power, social power, legal or political power, and so forth. Although the control of these domains of resources usually go together, they represent different mechanisms of power, and are conceptually distinct.
Domination
• Domination is the exercise of authority .
• Possession of power in a sphere results in dominance. Weber articulated three ideal types of domination: charisma, tradition and rational-legal.
Communal & Societal Action• A communal action is oriented
on the basis of a shared belief of affiliation. In other words, actors believe that they somehow belong together in some way. Their action stems from, and is co-ordinated by this sentiment. In contrast, societal action is oriented to a rational adjustment of interests. The motivation is not a sense of shared purpose, but rather, a recognition of shared interests.
Class• 3 aspects of class: (i) a specific causal component of actors life chances (ii) which rests exclusively on economic interests and wealth, (iii) is represented under conditions of labour and
commodity markets.
Status• status groups normally are
communities (class groups do not constitute communities, according to Weber)
• Status is defined as the likelihood that life chances are determined by social honour, or, prestige. Status groups are linked by a common style of life, and the attendant social restrictions.
Class and status interests interact in the realm of the legal order, the arena of politics. Political power is, obviously, often based on class and status interests. Parties are the organizations of power.
Party
Legitimating of Authority
• Three Ideal Types of Authority
1. Traditional: Authority entirely comes from the fact authority has always rested in that person or position.
2. Charismatic: Contrasted with traditional authority. The authority of charismatics resides entirely in their personal attributes. Weber argues that these are people who present themselves as people who possess “special gifts,” almost or exactly supernatural. Their position is predicated on the continuing proof of their special powers.
3. Legal-Rational: Authority by codified law. Whomever holds the position is entitled to authority and carries with them the capacity for power. Usually held in bureaucracies.
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