Social Class

Today: Sociologists to know Social Class Next class: Test 3

“History calls those men the greatest who have ennobled themselves by working for the common good” Karl Marx

What are you thoughts on the results? Extra Credit Option

Auguste Comte

(1798 –1857, France)

• Coined the term “sociology” • Positivism: applying the scientific approach to the social world • Discover social facts AND apply info to social reform (make the world better)

Herbert Spencer • Sociology should NOT include social reform • “Organism” theorysociety is constantly evolving like an organism • Coined term “Survival of the Fittest”

1820-1903, England

Karl Marx • Economist, concerned with Social Change • Developed theories of Class Conflict • Described Capitalism as a 2 class system of bourgeoisies and proletariat

1818-1883, Prussia, Germany

Emile Durkheim • Study of suicide • Elementary Forms of Religious Life • Believed sociologists should look for causes of social problems and develop solutions

1858-1917, France

Max Weber • Believed religion was the main force of social change • The Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism • Personal values or biases should not influence social research

1864-1920, Germany

Harriet Martineau 1802-1876, England • First recognized female sociologist • Simplified Comte’s work from French to English • How to Observe Morals and Manners. – Research Methods

Jane Addams • Founded the Hull House: social services agency in Chicago • 1st American woman to earn the Nobel Peace Prize • Said crime in urban areas was not a result of the people, but of economic desperation

1860-1935, United States

W.E.B. Du Bois • First African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard • Part of creation of NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)

• Concerned with racial equality and criminology

1868-1963, United States

George Herbert Mead 1863-1931, United States • Children understand social world through play • Published Mind Self Society • Described internal thought processes and conflicts: I, Me, Self, Mind

Charles Horton Cooley • Studied the subject of “the self” • Interested in social interaction • Looking Glass Self: He stated that we form our sense of ourselves by looking in a mirror. That mirror symbolizes the people that we interact with

1864-1929, United States

Robert K. Merton 1910-2003, United States • Typology of Prejudice and Discrimination • Discussion of functions and dysfunctions (manifest and latent) – unintended consequences • Theory on deviance

Social Class

What is social stratification? Institutionalized pattern of inequality Some people get more access to resources than others Reflecting inequalities in life chances

How has U.S. policy influenced social stratification?

View: The Way We Live. Ups and Downs of Social Stratification

Discuss your answers in groups of 2-4

The American Dream-Rags to Riches “America is the land of opportunities, anyone who works hard enough can achieve anything and accomplish any goal.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why? This belief is called Horatio Alger myth: the belief that due to limitless possibilities anyone can get ahead if he or she tries hard enough

Mid to late 1800’s

View on Poverty Symbolic Interactionist Structural Functionalist Conflict Theory

What is social class? According to Max Weber: people who rank closely to one another in terms of class/wealth, power, and prestige.

class/wealth Property and income minus debt

1864-1920

power Ability to carry out one’s will despite the resistance of others

prestige Level of respect an individual or their position demands

Status consistent vs. Status inconsistent Most people rank equally on all = Status Consistent Status inconsistent =not equal on all 3 measures of class

class/wealth

power

prestige

Property and income Ability to carry out Level of respect an minus debt one’s will despite the individual or their resistance of others position demand

What is social class?

• According to Karl Marx: a system of “haves” and “havenots” based on the means of production • 2 classes: bourgeoisie and proletariat

Lawyer who works for a firm and clients 1818 –1883

Independent cab driver who owns his taxi *Bourgeois= adjective

Conflict Perspective • According to Karl Marx the ruling class control the economic system for its own benefit and exploits and oppresses the masses

Karl Marx •German •Published Communist Manifesto in 1848

C. Wright Mills Power Elite.

Key people in three major institutions of modern society, government, military, and economy.

1916-1962

Power Elite • Political elite: highest political leaders • The military elite: high-ranking military officials. • Economic elite: major corporate owners and directors Small group of people who control a high amount of wealth, and access to decision-making of global consequence

Causes of Poverty Functionalist Perspective • Poverty persists because it performs some positive function

Causes of Poverty Functionalist Perspective

Sociologists Kingsley Davis and Wilber Moore (1945) highly criticized view:

• Talents are rewarded and all positions in a society (doctors - janitors) must be filled • Poverty discourages people from neglecting their social duties

Causes of Poverty Interactionist Perspective- 1st view • People in poverty adapt to their life circumstances • Makes it more difficult to improve their circumstances • Criticized view because it seems to “blame the victim”

Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 2nd view Labels of poor:

View of wealthy:

•irresponsible •lazy •low motivation •low ability •low morals

•capable •hard working •motivated •deserving of wealth •evil, greedy, undeserving

Which explanation of poverty applies best to today’s economic crisis? a. Symbolic Interactionist A: people get accustomed to living in poverty and therefore have difficulty changing the situation b. Symbolic Interactionist B: people in poverty get labeled as lazy and lose out on opportunities due to the label

c. Structural Functionalist: poverty is a functional in society, it motivates people to seek higher rewards d. Conflict Theory: The masses are exploited by the few who have money and power

Coming up: Next Class Tuesday NOV 13th: Test 3, STUDY Check your grades on website (not including paper)

Socialism and Capitalism 

Socialism Economic system in which the means of producing goods and services are collectively owned.

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Capitalism Economic system in which private individuals or groups invest capital to produce goods and services to sell for a profit in a competitive market.

Socialism and Capitalism 

View Michael Moore’s: Capitalism: A Love Story

Terms: Fannie Mae (The Federal National Mortgage Association) Freddie Mac (Federal Home Mortgage Corporation): Mortgage finance lenders that have operated since 1968 as government sponsored enterprises (GSEs). Privately owned and operated by shareholders, but protected financially by the support of the Federal Government.

Today: What is Social Class? Sociological Perspectives on Poverty Socialism and Capitalism

“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” -Bernice Johnson Reagon, singer

Social Class

Next class Study for Quiz 3

“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.”George Sheehan, Philosopher