Sociology of Inequality

Sociology of Inequality

Answer 1.

Ralf Dahrendorf, in his study of society and social classes, attempted to deal with, among other issues such as social change, labor market policies and globalization. One of his most important contributions is that the conflict theory of society. There was criticism in the late 1950s on what was then functionalism, the criticism focused in particular on the question of the conflict and the transformation of society. Dahrendorf was trying to construct an image of the society, which is based on conflict and change (Gupta, 1992).

Dahrendorf criticized US sociologists on the basis of his conflict theory. He was of the view that every society has two opposing groups i.e. the ruler and the ones who are being ruled. US sociologists, according to Dahrendorf, were wrong in their assessment of these two groups and stated that the sociologists have wrongly given them equal status. He goes to on explain that the two opposing groups should be continuously in conflict with each other.

The rulers should seek to maintain the status quo, and the ruled should seek to change the social structure to the effect that the established rule is overthrown and thereby ruling positions for them are free. One can infer from this that the more it comes to social change, the more the ruled fight successfully against the rulers.

He believed that the society was a network of social positions that were associated with various social roles. Social roles are societal expectations that regulate the behavior of position makers. The binding nature of these expectations may be different, and thus defining the nature of the society. Dahrendorf's criticism is related to the David Moore's analysis for explaining the rise of inequality and stratification in modern societies in such a way both scholars have identified inequalities in society.

Answer 2

Marx creates differences in the classes on the basis of labor power purchase and production ownership. Capitalists are the owners of production and the buyers of labor power will the working class is only a seller of the labor power. When considering Marx's theory in the modern perspective, the production means is an umbrella term which covers all production methods ranging from formal control to legal ownerships.

According to the analysis of Dahrendorf, the distinguish factors are based on the relations to authority. Some members exercise it even though they themselves are exempt from it, other neither exercise it nor conform to it (Gupta, 1992).

The creators of the status model Blau-Duncan began by assuming a trend aimed at the expansion of universalism. The motion in the modern societies is rapid that it loses any meaning when an individual belongs to any specific class for a short time (Birkelund, 2006).

When looking at the world, one is unable to spot classes with such conflicting and opposing interests as portrayed by Dahrendorf and Marx. The occupational standing is measured without an ambiguity or discontinuities. In a way which shows a compatibility with the Blau and Duncan's analysis, the progressing tradition of ...