Social class

Part 1 : Comparison of theories

The distinctive feature described by Marx is that class contributes to an idea of exploitation. In this case, Marx shares his thoughts with Weber that class should be defined in terms of social relations who link people to the resources which are economical and relevant to the production. Furthermore, Weber and Marx both see the relations have a significant impact on the well being of the people. These include life chances related to various sorts of sources. Both of these theories point on the conflict of interest over the distribution of assets. They also determine that the conflict arises not only because of the differences of interest between the classes but due to the act of people with what they have. Thus in market the conflict points out the attention of conflicts, not in the market but within the production. On the other hand, when considering the concept of class by Weber defines that it is not only a question of actors and motives. It is not as a result of status groups but derived from class categories, which are differentiated, according to material interests. This class is not derived from symbolic interests. People care for their status categories which protect their symbolic interests, ideal interests and class positions. These all are related to the material interests (Grant, p. 161). At one point, Weber marks that, Material monopolies provide the most effective motives for the exclusiveness of a status group.” The contrast between class and status lies in the nature of mechanism through which classes shape their inequalities of material and conditions in which people live. Class is a nature of mechanism of functioning. Class affects the material well being through the kinds of economic assets which people bring to the market exchanges for their well being.Status affects the material well being through the ways which underwrite various persuasive mechanisms as described by Weber, “Go hand in hand with the monopolization of ideal and material goods or opportunities”.

Pierre Bourdieu, differs from Weber and Marx as according to Bourdieu class analysts expand the idea of life chances by including expansion of the resources which are relevant to the non economic aspects of opportunity. Expanding the resources, which are relevant, to explain the life chances belonging to the range of cultural and social resources, which is known, as social capital. The cultural opportunities of various sources are also included. Class according to Bourdieu is defined as a generous concept which covers all the life chances and opportunities (life chance) which can be determined by socially-determined inequalities of any sort. Marxist tradition concerns to the challenges of exploitation and economic oppression. According to this concept the individual life chances and history are important because they are concerned with the releasing transformations (Penney, p. 189).

Part 2 Description and analysis of characters

Bourdieu (class position of Vanessa)

According to the play People like Us we analyze the class position according to Bourdieu. Social class according to Bourdieu is a relational concept of ...