...Asses the view that education in modern industrial societies is meritocratic Not all theorists agree that in modern industrial societies education is meritocratic. Although functionalists argue that education is meritocratic and allows person earn what they work for, the Marxists present another argument; that meritocracy is a myth. This essay will show how meritocracy is true to a certain point however it is not always seen. Functionalist argues that modern industrial societies have to perform a range of functions ad as a result a sophisticated mechanism is necessary to select individuals according to their talents and train them for jobs best suited to their talents. Parsons agrees stating that schools are a neutral filtering mechanism allowing the most talented and suited persons to filter through the education system. Through this way only those who are hard working will be able to succeed. Parsons has seen an increase in specialized jobs in modern industrial societies and he argues that this reward system is necessary as it allows only qualified persons to fill those positions. Davis and Moore agree that education is a process by which selection and role allocation takes place. They argue that not everyone is as equally talented and therefore education and society need to offer high rewards for those persons so as to motivate them to work harder and therefore excel. Education is a proving ground for students to prove their worth to society and through this society sifts...
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... and privileges occupy each social stratum. We can see layers of social statuses occupied by members of society. Organized systems of such strata are conceptualized as social stratification system. Social stratification refers to a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. Four basic principles of stratification: 1. Social stratification is characteristic of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences. Children born into wealth families are more likely than born into poverty to enjoy good health, achieve academically, succeed in their life’s work, and live well into old age. Neither rich nor poor people are responsible for creating social stratification, yet this system shapes the lives of them all. 2. Social stratification persists over generations. In all societies parents pass their social position along to their children, so that patterns of inequality stay much the same from generation to generation. Some individual experience change in their position in the social hierarchy. For most people, social standing remains much the same over a lifetime. 3. Social stratification is universal but variable. Social stratification is found everywhere. At the same time, what is unequal and how unequal people are vary from one society to another. 4. Social stratification involves not just inequality but beliefs. Any system of inequality not only gives some people more resources than others but also defines certain arrangements as fair. Just as...
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...the most resonant critiques of it. To Marxism, the biggest critique of community development is that it is a mechanism for control to keep the working class in their place and in reserve for when their labour is needed. I will discuss the Marxist theories of alienation and struggles over mode of production and resource allocation, as well as how Western Marxism has shaped community development. In this essay I will also discuss how Marxist theory has identified that the working class are to be exploited by the bourgeoisie and the only way to improve society is to dismantle the capitalist society and install a socialist society. Marxist theory is based on Karl Marx’s theory of the struggle of the working class people selling their labour to the bourgeoisie – the capitalists – and their oppression by the welfare system. Marx believed that the rich bourgeoisie exploited the working class and the only way to stop this exploitation was to overthrow the capitalist system with socialism. The only real difference between capitalism and socialism is that private property rights and voluntary exchange define capitalism, whereas socialism is based around collective ownership of the means of production, which is owned by the state (Butgereit and Carden 2011, p41). Marx took this theory further, with the hope that once the capitalist system was overthrown, the socialist society would be based on a classless, stateless, moneyless society heading into low-level communism. Community development...
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...In the modern world many societies are separated into three economic classes, the rich, the middle class, and the poor. Many societies view the rich as opportunistic and hard working individuals within society who are always striving to achieve more than what they already have. Many other chose to prioritise the wellbeing of other economic classes believing that everyone should share equal opportunity. The three sources demonstrate the clash between these ideals and the benefits that they would bring to their nation's economy. The first source demonstrates the ideology that the as citizens we all have responsibilities determined by our wealth with the highest corporate elite bearing the most responsibility. This source shares strong similarities...
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...Hindu teachings impedes India’s development as a modern nation. The caste system has been the downfall of the Hindu society for years. The upper castes conveniently used their power and status to perpetuate their social and religious distinction and to gain economic and political advantage. The caste system was enforced through the fear of political and religious authority, punishment being higher for the lower classes than the upper classes. Their caste system is based upon birth and heredity, your class being based upon the class of your parents. Every class completing their duties was critical to the success of the system itself. This meant that nobody, no matter the level of their intelligence nor their choice of trade. This leads to religion impeding the march of progress, hindering the development of India as a modern nation. The caste system has several disadvantages. Exploitation of the weak or lower classes is very common. There is a disunity and division of loyalties which has caused distrust and resentment within the system. Preferential treatment happens every day. The way someone is treated is based upon their birth rather than an individual’s skills, talents, or choice of trade. It lowers morale and self-esteem and will keep India separated forever. It might have served its purpose in the days of old but the system only impedes the advancement of India as a nation. Its biggest downfall, I believe, is that the system does not take into consideration people’s wants...
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...an organism. System organisms such as the human body and society are both self-regulating and inter-related, independent parts fit together in fixed ways. In the body these are organs; in society they are institutions, such as family and education. Both organisms have system needs for example an organism needs nutrition without which it would die. Social systems have basic needs for example members of society need to be socialized. Both society and organisms function to contribute to meeting the systems needs and thus ensure survival. For example the circulatory systems delivers oxygen to cells, similarly the economy in society helps meet the needs for food and shelter. Parsons argues the central question sociology tries to answer is how is social order possible? Parsons argues social order is achieved through the existence of a shared value system. A culture is a set of norms, values, beliefs and goals shared by members of society. It provides a framework enabling individuals to cooperate by laying down rules about how to behave and what others expect of them, defining goals they should pursue and so on. Social order is only possible so long as members of society agree on these norms and values. This agreement is called value consensus. Value consensus is the glue that holds society together. The basic function of value consensus is to make social order possible. It does this by integrating individuals into the social system so directing them too meet the systems’ needs. Parsons...
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...Egalitarians believe that the education system should be rewarding for all and the meritocratic approach has been one where the education system should be a fight for the best e.g. you achieve the best based on merit and hard work, both have underlying flaws when either approach has been taking to policy. One of the first changes to the English education system came in the 1944 Education act also known as the Butler act brought to power by R.A. Butler conservative politician. This education act changed the English system in the following way; changes to secondary schools meant that there were a tripartite system in place which consisted of 3 types of schools and these schools were Grammar schools only the very few 15% made it into them these schools consisted of a very hard work ethic towards education whereas the secondary modern was a very basic approach compared to the grammar school as they only focussed on woodwork basic arithmetic and basic understanding of other subjects, the third school was the technical schools and these were created slightly later but focused solely on employment for the students so they would learn skills to get jobs at the end of education. Students had to stay onto education until the age of 15 later changed to 16 in 1970s, to determine which school students went to all students at the age of 11 had to partake in the 11 plus exam and the top 15% would go to grammar schools about 80% went to secondary modern and roughly 5% went to technical schools...
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...In her transformation of the Nineteenth century novel Emma by Jane Austen into the modern film Clueless, Amy Heckerling reveals how society has changed over the last two centuries. While Austen illustrates a society based on patriarchal values, where women married for financial security and social status, Heckerling depicts a society where women are more independent and a society which values consumerism. Despite the many changes in society, Heckerling makes us aware that modern society still retains many social values of Austen’s time such as the way tha modern society is still based on a type of class system. Through the characters of the film Clueless, Heckerling makes us aware that despite America being a democratic society a class system still exists. Cher and Emma are both privileged woman born into a wealthy family and both are part of the dominant social group who take their privileges for granted. Cher’s affluent lifestyle is a product of the consumerist American society, where status is determined by wealth, popularity and image whereas Emma lives in a society where status is also determined by wealth, but background and family connections are more important. The use of the mise en scene of Cher’s bedroom and computer which assist her to select a suitable outfit for from her vast collection of clothes which satrises the consumer society of the twentieth century. The mall is described as a place of worship, it is a place where Cher can “find sanctuary…gather my thoughts...
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...view that the education system exists mainly to select and prepare young people for their future work roles. Across the UK, it is now compulsory for everyone under the age of 18 to be in full time education. This, according to the government, allows enough time for students to become fully socialised and ready to go out in to the work place and keep young people off the streets. However, there are many arguments that claim the education system does not do what it is meant to do. The education system was originally introduced to ensure that everyone could be properly socialised, as family can only equip children with the basic skills. So the education system is there to continue the process of socialising children and allocate them for the necessary work roles. Marxists, however, would strongly disagree with that statement. They believe that the education system was created by the middle class for the middle class, and therefore it only benefits middle class students. Louis Althusser (1971) argues that education is only there to maintain each generation by transmitting the ruling class views in to the working class students, and disguising them as common values. This causes the conditions needed for capitalism to flourish without having to use force. Marxist believes that there are two main functions of the education system. They argue that education reproduces the inequalities and social relations of a capitalist society. Pupils from a working class society are taught to...
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...SOC 100 Week 5 Part 1: Introduction to Sociology – Social Stratification | Slide # | Slide Title | Slide Narration | Slide 1 | Introduction | Welcome to Introduction to Sociology. In this lesson we will introduce and discuss Social Stratification.Next slide. | Slide 2 | Topics | The following topics will be covered in this lesson:What Is Social Stratification?;Caste and Class Systems;The Functions of Social Stratification;Stratification and Conflict; andSocial Stratification: Facts and Values.Next slide. | Slide 3 | What Is Social Stratification? | Social stratification is a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. The study of social stratification across cultures shows that it has four basic principles.First, Social stratification is a trait of society. While personal ability and achievement play an important role in a person’s position in the stratification hierarchy, it is also a function of the social organization one operates under. As an example, children who are born into a wealthy family are more likely to enjoy good health, do well in school, succeed in a career, and live a long life.Second, Social Stratification persists over generations. We can see that stratification influences society by observing how parents pass along their social position to their children. Social mobility, a change in one’s position in the social hierarchy, is a product of a high-income society, but it is constrained by the social stratification processes...
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...Karl Marx’s Capital and Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Women are both texts that have influenced modern ideas and withstood the test of time. Though on very different topics, Wollstonecraft writing of the plights of women and Marx commenting on capitalistic society, the both explore similar ideas and a structure within society that demonstrates a system of the weak and the powerful, and the issues with this societal structure. This paper will be scrutinizing the strengths of each writing, and how they are still congruent to modern society as it still stands. In Capital, Karl Marx states that the manner through which the social production takes place appears to based on both freedom and equality within the capitalistic...
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...Class Action Law Suits Allen R. Yates One of the most fascinating aspects of business law is the class action lawsuit. I find this intriguing because class action law suits are often litigated on the same principles as other types of civil action suits, however, the outcome of the class action lawsuit often may have a deep impact on our society, as well as our legal system as a whole. In a normal civil lawsuit, where the plaintiff is the victor, said plaintiff is typically well compensated for their respective damages. Thus it can be viewed that is how justice is served in these cases. In the class action lawsuit where the plaintiffs win, often the individual is not proportionately compensated for their damages as compared to the victor in the average civil suit. In fact there have been class action law suits that have been held in favor of the plaintiffs, damages have been rewarded by the courts, but the individual did not receive a cent of monetary compensation. Yet, in these cases, justice has still been adequately served on the basis of morality. . In this paper, we are going to take a look at class action lawsuits. This paper will cover the history of class action lawsuits, what exactly a class action law suit is, how a class action suit is filed, and we’ll take a look at some of the more famous and impacting class action lawsuits in our nation’s history. The history of most of the United States legal system is deeply rooted in the heart...
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...What is Social Class? In sociology, the term ‘social class’ is most often used to refer to the primary system of social stratification found in modern capitalist societies. Social stratification refers to ‘the presence [in society] of distinct social groups which are ranked one above the other in terms of factors such as prestige and wealth’ (Haralambos and Holborn 2004, p.1). The defining feature of a stratified society, then, is that of inequality in terms of the ‘arrangement of individuals…in a hierarchy of advantaged and disadvantaged life chances’ (Fulcher and Scott 1999, p. 601). It has been suggested that social inequality is a feature of all human societies (Haralambos and Holborn 2004, p.1; Bilton et al 1994, p.34). Sociologists have identified a number of different forms of stratification systems existing in other societies or historic periods, for example, the caste system in traditional India, slavery and feudalism (Bilton et al 1994, pp. 36-41). From a study of other systems it is clear that not all systems of stratification are organised in terms of social class; the caste system for example was stratified in terms of status. In societies where ‘economic relationships are primary’, however, the division of members into groups in terms of similarities in attitudes, lifestyles and occupations is generally termed divisions of class. (Bilton et al 1994, p.36) For classic sociologist Karl Marx, an examination of the workings of social strata was essential...
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...initiator of the international labour movement. During his life, he wrote several manuscripts in which he predicted the collapse of industrial capitalism and its replacement by communism and his theory has resulted in the establishment of communist political systems in many countries. He also became a member of the Communist League. After that, he published the Communist Manifesto just before a wave of revolutions struck Europe. The Communist Manifesto opens with the famous sentence "The history of all hitherto societies has been the history of class struggles" This expression is the basis of the Manifesto and reveals two key points. First, different social classes emerge and oppose themselves throughout history: free man/slave, baron/serf, or more generally oppressor/oppressed. It therefore defines the existing classes, contemporary to the manifest, explaining (in order to demonstrate) their emergence and reality. The second point is considering the theme of the "struggle". When two classes are opposing, a continuous struggle is taking place in various forms. Its outcome is the revolutionary transformation or the disappearance of the two classes. When analysing human relationships in a society, we consider that modern bourgeoisie, in comparison with the feudal society, has made a revolutionary transformation in the substance (different conditions of oppression, different struggle, different classes) but not in the form as the antagonism of classes still exists. The novelty...
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...time while particular individuals die and are replaced by others. Moreover, they are not only external to the individual, but they are "endowed with coercive power, by . . . which they impose themselves upon him, independent of his individual will." Constraints, whether in the form of laws or customs, come into play whenever social demands are being violated. These sanctions are imposed on individuals and channel and direct their desires and propensities. A social fact can hence be defined as "every way of acting, fixed or not, capable of exercising on the individual an external constraint." Although in his early work Durkheim defined social facts by their exteriority and constraint, focusing his main concern on the operation of the legal system, he was later moved to change his views significantly. The mature Durkheim stressed that social facts, and more particularly moral rules, become effective guides and controls of conduct only to the extent that they become internalized in the consciousness of individuals, while continuing to exist independently of individuals. According to this formulation, constraint is no longer a...
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