 |
|
Class and Status. Marx's class model is dichotomous, divided into two main classes, the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat, where these classes are antagonistic due to opposed interests, where class is independent of the awareness of its members, and dynamic from the classes' continuous struggles. For Marx, an individual's class is determined by their Relationship to the Means of Production, with the classes themselves being actually created in the struggle against other classes. Marx also recognised an Intermediate class, usually called the middle class. For Marx, the intermediate class was only temporary however, as it would ultimately be absorbed into the Proletariat or the Bougeoise. Marx also recognised two types of consciousness: False consciousness or Ideology, where workers falsely see themselves as equal and unexploited, and Class Consciousness, the recognition of a group as a single class with the same interests. Weber believed that classes were made up of many different groups whose market opportunities and life-chances were fairly much the same, and that class was based on the market capacity or skills that an individual brings to the market place, not with who did or did not own property. People with the highest market capacity, those with the highest skills, will have the best life chances, and it is this that creates the different classes. Weber also recognised the role status and power, and believed that people could use these to gain privilege and wealth. Whereas class is ultimately defined by market situation, status is defined by rank and a persons way of life. Functional Theories of class argue that social stratification exists because it is inevitable if human societies are to function properly (Parsons), or that class structures play a role in recognising the importance of some roles over others and therefore determine their rewards. Market Theories of class argue that industrial societies have classes because this is the natural outcome from a capitalist economic system. In these theories class is created by the division between manual and non-manual labour. Conflict Theories are based on the premise that a society has at least two main classes and that these classes are in constant conflict over their usually opposing interests. For Dahrendorf authority of institutions and the ability to control things rather than ownership of property is at the centre of conflict in society. Australia is usually seen to be divided into four main classes: An Upper class which either owns or controls the use of property for capital accumulation for itself, a Middle class which has limited authority and property in comparison with the upper class and is largely determined by education and credentialised skills, a Working class which is made up of those with only their labour to sell but has very limited authority derived primarily through mass unionisation, and an Underclass which has labour power but no authority, as it is only marginally unionised at best, and is more often than not made up by the poorest of the poor. Social stratification can also be examined from the perspective of status. In Australia status is usually based on the type of occupation a person has, and the level of respect others have for that occupation. Status appears to be closely linked to occupations that require a tertiary education rather than simply a person's level of skills or their occupation's usefulness to society. Status is also, and arguably increasingly, defined by wealth. |