Print Crystal, David. “2b or Not 2b.” They say/I Say: the moves that matter in academic writing: with readings/. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst. New York, NY 2012. 345.
Marx predicted that capitalism within a socioeconomic system would inevitably create internal tensions between social classes leading to its demise and replacement by a new system, communism. For Marx, the concept of class has always existed in society. Historically, a society has always been arranged into various orders of social rank. A defining characteristic of capitalism however, is that “it has simplified the class antagonisms. Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat” (Marx and Engels 1848).
However, Marxists criticise this and argue that education in capitalist society only transmits the ideology of the ruling class and not the shared values of society. Furthermore, Durkheim argues that modern industry has a complex division of labour where production of a single product involves cooperation from many different specialists. But for this to be successful, each person must have the necessary specialist knowledge and skills to perform their role. So education teaches individuals specialist skills and knowledge that individuals need to play their part in the social division of labour. So the main function of education is to maintain a value consensus in society.
Thirdly the family acts as a comfort for the stresses and frustrations of working class men they are there to ‘Cushion the main provider’. Lastly the family as a unit of consumption buys the goods and services provided by capitalism. These functions benefit the minority in power, the bourgeoisie, and the economy. The functions disadvantage the working class society, the proletariat. One way the family serves capitalism is the socialisation of the young into the ruling class ideology.
Durkheim sees anomie as responsible for the world’s disorder of economics- the lack of morality and regulation resulted in overpowering the weak; thus, he feels that only norms can prevent the abuse of power and calls for regulation and equal opportunity from birth- the greater the equal opportunity the less need for restraint. Marx looked at how capitalism separated humanity by making work a simple means of individual existence. In addition he describes society in terms of class and economic conflicts. Marx saw proletariat or people of a working class as being underneath the bourgeoisie or the capitalist of a modern society. Marx looked at how alienation of production of commodities by workers also leads to alienation of social life.
Peer groups are another influence in how a person behaves and this is because a peer group will mould you in a specific way on how to communicate with different people so for example a peer group might teach an individual to curse and swear whilst talking to friends as a joke but that individual wouldn’t communicate that way to their parents they may be more formal and polite in order to avoid trouble and disappointing them. Marxism: Marxism is another sociological approach which believes that a person’s place or status in society depends on the economic society. Karl Max (1818-1883) held the view that in his time there were two social classes, the bourgeoisie/capitalists and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie (ruling class) were a small but powerful group who owned the factories and other places of employment. Whereas the proletariat were labelled as the ‘working class’ and were the larger but poorer mass of society and were the
Comparisons between the classes usually turn out to be “deficit” accounts of lower-status families. Culture of poverty, underclass Cultural explanations obscure or ignore the social and material realities of class. Rodman: “lower class family traits” are actually solutions to problems faced by lower class people Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID): families experience short-term spells of poverty as result of dramatic changes (divorce, sudden unemployment, serious illness) Structural Explanations of Class Examine the ways in which social class shapes the networks of relationships between families, individuals, and institutions. Focus on relationships of power between class groups The key to social
Social class is no longer relevant in modern Britain. The British society has often been considered to be divided into three main groups of classes, the upper class, the middle class and the working class. In days gone by an individual’s social class would affect their chances of getting an education, a job, etc. It would also affect the people who they could socialise with and marry, but is it still as relevant in modern Britain? Approaches and perspectives on the relevance of social class in modern Britain will be discussed.
Ethnicity and Gender come into this as ethnic people are also considered working class and transgender, gays etc. are not socially excepted so they become part of the working class. (Macionis, 2008, p. 308). These three issues are also connected by the three sociological theories of Durkheim, Marx and Weber. The Functionalism Theory by Emilie Durkheim relates as it is about social expectations and social order.
Introduction As the world evolves around us; one of the things that stay the same is the way that people criticize others for their social class. Social class is also based on the way you talk and how one projects oneself towards others. In George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, class distinction is seen through means of one's social status in the society of that time. Also, one's speech and accent can place him in upper class, middle class, or lower class. Aside from that, Shaw also shows the different ways the two classes, upper and lower, run their lives.