1. THEORETICAL
PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
Functionalism
&
Marxism

2. The Functionalist Perspective
 Considers how stratification systems help to maintain
order and stability in society.
 Important Question: “How far does social stratification
meet the functional prerequisites?”

3. Talcott Parsons
 Believed order, stability, cooperation in society are based
on value consensus
 Stratification systems derive from common values
 Rank in society will be based on successful performance in
terms of society’s values
 Rewards based on such ranking

4. Parsons cont’d
 He suggested that stratification is an inevitable part of human
society
 General belief that stratification systems are just and right since
they are an expression of shared values
 He believed that Western Industrial societies will display
tendencies to arrogance on part of winners; resentment on part of
some losers
 Conflict kept in check by consensus value system that justifies
unequal distribution of rewards

5. Kingsley Davis & Wilbert Moore
 Advanced controversial argument on value of S.S.
 Perhaps most influential of functionalist paradigm seeing
social inequality as vital to operation of society
 Argued that SS has beneficial consequences for society
 all societies share certain functional prerequisites that
must be met if society is to survive

6. Kingsley Davis & Wilbert Moore
cont’d.
 Very imp. F P - effective role allocation & performance
 all roles must be filled by those best able to perform
them
 necessary training for jobs must be undertaken & roles
performed well
 positions of high day-to-day responsibility that demand
special abilities are most functionally significant

7. Measurement of Importance of
Positions
 Degree to which position is functionally unique (no other
position can perform function satisfactorily)
 Degree to which other positions are dependent on
particular position

8. Education Systems
 Ed. Systems stratifies by using meritocracy, reward talent and
ability
 Education is a means of role allocation
 Important to process by which persons are selected and placed
according to capacities/abilities
 Reward most academically inclined with high
qualifications/certification used to enter functionally most imp.
occupations.

9. Kingsley Davis & Wilbert Moore
cont’d.
 SS - the mechanism for insuring effective role allocation &
performance
 Unequal rewards & privileges had to be attached to different
positions in society.
 No need for SS if members of society did not differ in important
respects
 There is difference in abilities therefore talent and positions differ
in importance for survival and maintenance of society

10. Kingsley Davis & Wilbert Moore
cont’d.
 Some positions more functionally imp. than others, thus more
rewards
 One main function of stratification - to match most able people
with functionally most important positions, by giving high
rewards
 encourages persons to aspire to these jobs
 by distributing resources unequally, society motivates each
person to aspire to more significant work, to work better,
harder, longer, leading to more productive society

11. What Does All of this Imply?
 That a productive society is a meritocracy - a system of SS based
on personal merit
 Such societies use rewards to encourage effort and develop talents
 In pursuit of meritocracy, society promotes equality of
opportunity while mandating inequality of rewards
 SS therefore “a device by which societies insure that the most
important positions are conscientiously filled by the most
qualified”
 SS is a functional necessity for societies

12. Marxist Perspective
 Stratification :
 a divisive structure;
 mechanism by which some exploit others;
 not a system that fosters integration & furthering of
collective goals.

13. Marxist Analysis
 All stratified societies consist of 2 major social groups in
which power of ruling class emanates from ownership &
control of MOP
 Such societies marked by oppression and exploitation
(conflict of interest)
 Legal and political systems instruments of ruling class
domination

14. Marxist Analysis cont’d.
 Systems of Stratification originate from relationships of
groups to MOP (class stratification)
 Mutual dependency of 2 classes not an equal relationship -
exploiter & exploited
 Marxists question role allocation and meritocracy &
challenge that all roles are performed by those best able to
perform them

15. Samuel Bowles & Herbert Gintis
 Ask who are those persons who are sifted & sorted?
 Ask who are these best qualified persons that school system
produces to match most important jobs?
 Question functionally most important jobs by asking who decides
or by what criteria are some jobs deemed more important than
others?