Is social inequality meritocratic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is social inequality meritocratic - Essay Example One motive for the incredible persistence of social hierarchies is that they are reinforced by ideology, cultural viewpoints that cause and maintain the interest of definite categories of people and justify stratification. Naturally, ideology takes the structure of developing cultural patterns that are confirmed directly and indirectly in accordance with a disproportionate distribution of resources and rights to definite categories of people. Melvin M. Tumin studied social stratification and inequality and summarized: functional justification is similar to class system; we act according to certain patterns or sets of ideas. Social stratification can in fact cause demotivation of people, those who are deprived of their rights might also be demotivated. Also Tumin states that social stratification depends on relations of power and distribution of power in society. "The main functional necessity explaining the universal presence of stratification is precisely the requirement faced by an y society of placing and motivating individuals in the social structure. As a functioning mechanism a society must somehow distribute its members in social positions and induce them to perform the duties of these positions. It must thus concern itself with motivation at two different levels: to instill in the proper individuals the desire to fill certain positions, and, once in these positions, the desire to perform the duties attached to them" (Tumin, 1953, socserv2.mcmaster.ca, par. 5). Social inequality systems' purpose is to provide the privileged classes with the political power needed to obtain recognition and supremacy of an ideology which rationalizes the status quo, whatever it may be, as "logical," "natural" and "morally right. This way, social inequality systems are those of fundamentally conservative influences in the societies in which they are established. So Tumin states that meritocracy is based on the importance of one's status and occupation.Social-conflict perspec tive shows that, rather than benefiting society as a whole, social stratification guarantees that some people get advantage at the expense of others. Karl Marx states that the two main social classes match to the two basic relationships people have to the resources of production. People can own property or they can work for others. In industrialized class models, the capitalists (or the) manage plants, which use the manual labor of workers (the proletariat). Work that consists mostly of manual labor is known as "blue-collar" work whereas work that contains middle-management office jobs is known as "white-collar" jobs. Marx believed that social disparity was dangerous for society. Marx gives a vivid contraposition of those two classes and suggests that social inequality is exactly meritocratic, since 'white-collar' class is more privileged and comprises elite, which exploits proletarians, or people who have no own property. The inner merit of person from higher class is that he or sh e was born in such family and belongs to bourgeoisie.Marx's and Weber's concepts are similar in many aspects, so the author decided to compare them. The idea of class and class struggle does not occupy as significant a role in Weber as in Marx. In Weber's opinion, the rising speed of bureaucracy in all organizations is an unavoidable of the

Health Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Health Sociology - Essay Example Also included is the criticism of capitalism which forces the lower working classes to be subject to the exploitation of the upper classes. This includes not only the working standards of the employees but a variety of other factors such as the standards of health which are determined by the bourgeoisie set to attain power. Through manipulating these means, they are able to produce surplus product which leads to profits and the upper classes accumulation of wealth and power for themselves. The last pattern set by Marxism is the need for the worker to revolt. It is only by standing up to the orders set for them by the upper classes that the proletariat can escape. This requires the workers to unite through unions and political parties to stand against the control of the rich ruling classes. Thus, the Marxist policy is very consistent with the idea of exploitation done by the ruling class to maintain their power over the poorer and less powerful working classes. While most Marxist opinions are based upon the concept of economic determinism and its effect on the resulting class conflict, Marx and Engels have been unable to come with a unified and direct theory on over-all purpose of civil society itself. However this purpose of society can be understood by examining the work done by both men. This includes the criticism of the 19th century social systems, the advantages of a communist system and its superiority to the exploitation committed by the capitalist systems and the Marxist need for a justified revolution that would allow the workers to gain their due rights (Peffer 1990).Thus, Marxists aim for a health system that will not deprive the poor of their rights to a justifiable and efficient system that will provide for their basic needs and wants. Marxists view the health care system as a method for capitalist societies to search for profits while maintaining their capitalist domination and capital accumulation (Waitzkin 1983). Marx saw the problems created by the inequality amongst the classes. The conditions borne by the lower working classes were dismal. The working classes were living in an abject state of poverty and were deprived of many material goods. Not only were they paid a minimum wage which prevented them from buying anything but the basic necessities of life but they also lived together which allowed the diseases amongst them to spread at a much higher speed. This unbridled capitalist system created a breeding ground for disease amongst the proletariat (Baggott 2004). There is no doubt that the upper classes are not immune to the disease and infections spread caused by the social and economic conditions, but the number of ill-health between the rich and poor are severely disproportionate. This was coupled with the health services provided to the two different classes. Both were phenomenally different. This proved the Marxist concept that while the rich prospered; the working class lived in poo r conditions under them. The idea is that the health of managerial and professional classes tends to improve while those of the poorer