Class inequalities in contemporary Britain - Essay Example

?Question: Using the theories of Marx and Weber, critically examine whether inequalities in contemporary Britain have been reduced In the present scenario, class is defined on the basis of economic parameters i.e. income, property and assets, cost of living and others. In order to understand the term “Class’, an explanation given by Breen (2004, p.3) is given below: “Class is commonly held to have various possible consequences. Because a set of individuals shares a common class position they tend to behave in similar ways: class position is a determinant of the individual’s conditions of action and similar actions could be expected among those who have similar conditions of action” (Breen, 2004, p.3) It can be inferred from the above paragraph, a social class provides information on the characteristics of the social actors belonging to that particular class. This social class have some common characteristics that help grouping people together under the same class. In the modern age, classes are determined on the basis of economic income such as high income group, middle income group, low income group and others. Class helps policy makers to develop social policies for the society. According to Crompton analysis and measurement of class is complicated as there is no single best way of it. The neo-liberalism of the 21st century Britain portrays distinct ideological and social context of the period. Crompton argues class to be the central feature of social policy. With the changes in the social structure and stratifications, the philosophy of class is also undergoing certain changes. Contemporary Britain According to Bently (2008) contemporary periods is the period of mid 1970s to the present day. This period experienced various changes in the British societies in terms of politics, class, gender and sexuality, national identities and different subcultures (Bently, 2008, pp.3). These changes have been explored and studied by various researchers and scholars. Different theories developed to explain and justify the social changes. Some of the significant contributions of this period are the theories of Marx and Weber. Class signifies the social place actors in the society. There are various common themes in these two contemporary theories such as the approach to the class concept was relational. This relational class concept was evolved through the systematic interactions of the social actors of the society in the British society. The classes were defined in terms of the qualitative factors rather than the statistical base. Marx viewed capitalist to exploiting working class (Hamilton, 1991). The differences of classes were based on the ownership of resources or means of production which was the main reason for various societal conflicts (Hamilton, 1991; Sayer, 1991; Scott, 1999). Theories of Marx and Weber The theories of Marx and Weber have some similarities and differences. Both explained class as a relational concept and focused on the centrality of relations based on property (Wright, 2000). According to Wright (2000) property ownership is one of the sources identified by Marx and Weber for class division in a capitalist economy. In the views of Marx classes are nothing but the “relational means of production”. These means of production are the resources of required for the production process. A small section of British society had the larger control over the resources and means of productions. Working class was were actually involved in the production process by their hard work and labour and converting these resources to the products (Sayer, 1991; Scott, 1999). However this working class gets low shares in the profit which tends to increase the hiatus of rich and poor. According to Weber ownership of the property and property is the basis of different class situations. Marx and Weber have described classes as an expression for social actors within the society. Wright (2000) argues that both the scholars have linked classes to specific material interests. These material interests acted as the “central mechanism” and a highly significant influential factor for social action. Wright (2000) states, “Marx believed that capitalism inherently generated collectively organised class struggles eventually culminating in revolutionary challenges to capitalism whereas Weber certainly made no such radical prediction.” The differences of the Marx and Weber’s conceptualisation of class were based on different factors. Marx theory linked class with the structure of social position of social actors. However Weber determined it as result of social action. Marx hold a one-dimensional view of the social class with was based on social stratification resulting from social relations (Sayer, 1991; Scott, 1999; Wright, 2000; Crompton, 2008). Weber expanded this approach by including interactions of various class relations and giving account of associations, status and membership of party. The exploitation was the basic concept of Marx’s theories wherein capitalist class or Bourgeoisie was exploiting working class or Proletarians (Crompton, 2008). Weber viewed domination to be the independent force influencing social class (Breen, 2004). Concepts of Marx and Weber differed in the approach of the social relations which was explained in terms production by Marx and market place by Weber respectively. “Weber saw class as only one aspect of the distribution of power in society” (Breen, 2004, p 2) According to Wright (2000) the explanations of social class by Weber did not cover the systematic concept of exploitation. Exploitation was central theme in the concepts of Marx. Weber explained the non economic factors that are important in the society such as status, style of life and inequalities existing for life chances (Breen, 2004). Class Inequalities in Contemporary Britain Saver (1991) argued that the economy being the essential factor for the society and individuals, it played important role in determining social relationship. The character of social relationship transformed along with the nature of power due to these economic factors in contemporary Britain. These can be explained from the point of view of Marx. Marx had explained personal dependency on social relation. In the case of contemporary Britain, these social relations were very much influenced by the money and bureaucracy. These created power in the society within different social classes. Marx and Weber both have regarded class to be the essence of social relationship. It is the essential feature to explain the contemporary Britain. However the politics and ideology got affected in different ways with the dominance of science and technology in the contemporary Britain (Sayer, 1991, pp. 2) Sayer (1991) further explained that the historical evidences of contemporary Britain suggest that the remains of bourgeois rule formed substance in the Second Empire. Nineteenth century was the era in which British society has the governing aristocracy and bourgeoisie ruled. The means of productions were controlled by the hand few and concentrated capitalists. The proletarians worked to produce and earn their living (Bently, 2008; Crompton, 2008). The ownership of things has been the vital source of power within the contemporary Britain. The capitalist society led in strengthening the economic and social positions of the capitalists or the owners of the resources. At the same time, working class continued their struggle for existence. “Marx would himself have contended that it cannot transcend the deeper realities of class relations, for—in his view—the ultimate source of social power within capitalist society remains the ownership of things. The very existence of the ‘political’ state is for him a corollary of this alienation: the premises upon which this social form rests is the same division of labour which grounds capitalist economy itself. (Sayer, 1991, p. 81) According to Bennett (2009) there is lack of understanding of the term contemporary Britain. More attention has been drawn to the economic forces for the explanation of social phenomenon. This is also an important aspect as the resources; particularly economic resources act as a base for power and this power determine the class positions. The economic relationship determines the class positions and divisions within the classes. There have been various developments in different areas of education, scientific developments, art and culture, growth and acceptance of visual art forms like television and cinema. These developments are also linked with the class and gender equations of the societies. However contemporary Britain experienced various changes in the class situations in terms of life chances, style of life and availability of opportunity to improve lives (Bently, 2008). Scott (1999) argues that there were no perfect measures for social classifications in the contemporary Britain. However the fact remains intact that class division has been the central aspect of the social life. There is lack of direct and specific determinants that explains the life chances of difference social actors of different social class. Age, gender, ethnicity, income and various other factors become important aspect when it comes of their life chances. It is practically impossible to think that any organised society will be classless. The historical inequalities of the classes in contemporary Britain have decreased. At the same time, new types of inequalities have taken their place which can be based on economic or non economic factor. This is creating more complex picture of the society. Reference: Bennett, T., Savage M., Silva, E., Warde, A., Gayo-Cal, M., and Wright, D. 2009, Culture, Class, Distinction, Taylor & Francis: New York Bentley, N., 2008. Contemporary British Fiction: Edinburgh Critical Guides to literature, Edinburg University Process: Edinburgh Breen, R. 2004, Chapter 2 Foundations Of A Neo-Weberian Class Analysis available at [Accessed on 25 February 2011] Crompton, R., 2008 Class and Stratification, 3rd Edition, Cambridge Polity, Vol. 38, Iss. 02, pp 361-362, DOI: 10.1017/S0047279408002882, Published online 10 Feb 2009 [Accessed on 25 February 2011] Hamilton, R. F. (1991). The Bourgeois Epoch: Marx and Engels on Britain, France, and Germany. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved February 28, 2011, from Questia database:http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=10920580 Sayer, D. (1991). Capitalism and Modernity: An Excursus on Marx and Weber. New York: Routledge. Retrieved February 28, 2011, from Questia database:http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=103461838 Scott, J., (1999) Class and Stratification, To appear in G. Payne, ed., Social Divisions, London, Macmillan, 1999 available at [accessed on 22 February 2011] Wright, 2000., The Shadow of Exploitation in Weber’s Class Analysis, Paper presented at the International Symposium on "Economy and Society: Max Weber in 2000" September 21- 24, 2000 [Accessed on 25 February 2011] Read More