Weberian Analysis of Social Inequality

Remember Weber is often referred to as the link between structural and action perspectives. Social stratification results from a struggle for scarce resources in society – but there can also be a struggle for prestige and power. A class is a group of people who share a similar position in a market economy. Weber believed a person’s class situation was their market situation. Those in similar class situations will have similar life chances. Their economic position directly affects their chances of obtaining the things that are defined as desirable.

Working class is not one homogeneous group Those who have property will receive the highest economic rewards and enjoy superior life chances – however Weber saw there being inequality between the “working class” - as people have different market values. The white collar, middle class expands as capitalism develops. Capitalist enterprises and the modern state require a “rational” bureaucratic administration that involves large numbers of administrators and clerical staff – so the working classes become diversified. Political power doesn’t just derive from economic power. Distribution of power is not necessarily linked to distribution of class inequalities.

It is not all about economics: Political power doesn’t just derive from economic power. Distribution of power is not necessarily linked to distribution of class inequalities. People can be unequal in other ways – some people may not have a lot of money, but they may have potential to gain power, by being accepted into a particular status group

Status groups Weber says that people can join in groups together as they have similar status situations. Status division means the unequal distribution of social honour. Occupations, ethnic groups, religious groups and lifestyles are afforded differing levels of prestige. Status groups share similar lifestyles and identities with others in their group – they feel a sense of belonging. They place restrictions on the ways in which outsiders interact with them. Status can vary independent of class - aristocrats who have lost their property and become bankrupt are still given status - whereas poor people who become rich suddenly through a lottery win or something, still tend to be looked down on. Rich people from ethnic minorities may still face discrimination

Status and Power – Party Formation Status also relates to power, and the ability to get someone to do something they would not do of their own choosing. Power may link to government, but it can also link to organisations. Party formation is an important aspect of power - party refers to a group of individuals who work together because they have common backgrounds, aims or interests. Parties may be based on religious affiliation or nationalist ideals. So this is not the simple class distinction that Marx talks of. People don’t just feel links with people who are from the same economic background, there are other factors which can link people together and allow them to attempt to exert influence or power. So for example, black people from different economic backgrounds come together to fight institutional racism in the UK. Gay people from different ethnic backgrounds may join together to fight for equal marriage rights etc.

Social Closure Social closure means some people are excluded from a status group. This can be due to elite self-recruitment, those who have attended public schools usually fill certain types of jobs, like the civil service. There are certain professions that are very difficult to get into because people in those professions try to control the number of people who can join in order to make sure that wages and status remain high. So there are all kinds of professional organisations that people have to register with etc. For example, to be a teacher in Scotland you have to register with the GTCS. People might have a lot of talent for teaching, and might be experts in a particular field, but the profession is protected by the registration system.

(However, because teachers tend to be quite a left wing group of people, the Conservative government tends to try and de-professionalise teachers, by letting parents set up free schools, which don’t have to have registered teachers. They haven’t done this with other professions that are more supportive of the Conservative Party – like they don’t let just anyone claim to be accountants. I have just gone off on a bit of a tangent here)

Inequality in status Those who have the same economic class position may not necessarily have the same status position. There are some jobs which are just treated with a lot more respect and reverence. So inequality for Weber is based on a number of different factors – it’s not just class - like for Marx, and inequality is not positive – like for functionalists.

Strengths of Weber’s analysis Weber's analysis is seen by many as being more realistic than Marx's. In recognising that class can mean more than an individual's relationship to the means of production, Weber recognised the impact of other aspects of society such as status and party. Weber is seen as more relevant and valid when dealing with the middle classes. The Marxist analysis of class finds it particularly difficult to define, explain and analyse the role of the middle classes within a bourgeois, proletarian context. Recent history has been more supportive of Weber who believed that the working classes would not unite in modern industrial society, let alone on a revolutionary basis in order to defeat capitalism

Weaknesses of Weber’s analysis Weber is criticised for a definition of class which is insufficiently clear. Weber is also criticised for understating the importance of the economy in defining class. Insufficient account is taken of autonomy and control at work. His theory is also criticised for understating, if not ignoring the existence of a separate ruling class. Feminists are highly critical of Weber for using the work of male heads of households to determine the position of women in the class structure.