In this selection, Deborah Stone discusses two models of society, the polis and the market. Stone explains the differences between the two and how they interact. For example, Stone explains how features such as information and cooperation have different definitions across the two models. In the market model, everyone has access to perfect information. In the polis, information isn't perfect; citizens don't have equal access to information Furthermore, the flow of information is controlled in order to prevent people from adopting an unwanted interpretation. Deborah Stone also discusses the differences between policies that attempt to achieve equity and those that attempt to achieve efficiency. Equity can be described as a distribution method that attempts to achieve equal outcomes. Efficiency, on the other hand, can be described as meeting a target for the lowest cost.
Although Stone does a fairly good job describing the different models and distributive policies; there are several questions that arise from this discussion. For instance, how does one persuade constituents to support equitable distributions? Policies that attempt to achieve equity assume that certain groups of people will have to bear a …show more content…
During the past few decades, certain sociologists developed the functional perspective, arguing that it is impossible for everyone to achieve equal outcomes. They argue that they're different roles in society and that there must be people who will fulfill such roles. For example, not everyone can be a professor if they wanted, as a result of a merit-based system. Hence, only some can be a professor and the rest will be left to fulfilling other roles/jobs such as a sanitation worker. However, what the functionalist perspective fails to see is that equitable policies allow people to have an equal opportunity an outcome, but it doesn't necessarily mean that all individuals will achieve the same