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CORNELL DSOC 2090 - Exam 1 Study Guide
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DSOC 2090 1st EditionExam # 1 Study Guide Lectures: 1 -6Lecture 1 (1/27)Introduction to InequalityWhat is the long-term trend in inequality? What necessary purpose does inequality serve?Trends in InequalityHunter / Gather Societies- Inequality in tools, food, shelter, honor- Low levels of inequality because not much surplus beyond subsistence- Caused by foraging ability, divine degreeAgrarian Societies- Asiatic: based on political power- Europe: based on land, property rights- Hindu caste society: honor- Little opportunity to move up, more inequality because of more surplusEarly Industrial Societies- Lands, wages prestige- More inequality with rising rents and declining labor- Caused by honor and moral worth, traditionIndustrial Societies- wages, wealth, prestige, autonomy- declining inequality with slower population growth, cultural shifts and rising technology- caused by skills, meritIs Inequality Necessary?- all societies have some level of inequality- neoclassical economics says that inequality creates incentives that increase efficiency- functionalism: positions that require some sort of special trainingo functional jobs create incentiveso but inequalities far exceed those necessary to incentivize trainingo high wage jobs tend to be good jobso large cross national differences in levels of inequalityLecture 2 (1/29)What are the basic forms that inequality systems take? What is a social class? What is a Marxian social class?There are two ideal types of inequality:- Ideal type: pure, a simple idea- Gradational: people of positions differ in where they fall on a gradient. Income mattersClass system has distinct groups that can be defined by many basis, like occupation, skill, or ownership of capital. This is different from gradational inequality because of 8 reasons:1) clustering is a key feature of position in system of production2) you can locate yourself I the class structure3) class is part of your identity4) class affects your life chances5) class cultures are present6) there is class exploitation7) class-based exploitation happens8) class is an engine of history (centerpiece of Marxian class analysis)A society can be a class system according to some, but not others. It can be a class society without being a Marxian class society. No social classes means no inequality.Marxian classes under capitalism- ideal type: bourgeoisie (capitalists) rely on the proletariat (workers) o production basedo relational between the two classeso exploitative: bourgeoisie exploit the proletariat- Reality: quasi-class groupings including working class sectors and peasantsLecture 3 (2/3)Where did Marx go wrong? How did later scholars try to update and improve his class scheme?Marx’s Predictions- Bifurcation into classes, bourgeoisie and proletariat- Capitalism becomes class conflict becomes revolution becomes communism- But reality showed the fragmentation of the working class and capitalist class- Managerial classes and professional classes emergedWright’s Neo-Marxian Class Model- key concept of exploitation- inverse interdependent welfare principle: material welfare of the advantaged group of people causally depend on the deprivations of the disadvantaged- exclusion principle: causal relation where disadvantaged group is excluded from access to resources controlled by advantaged group- labor appropriation principle: those who control the resources use the fruits of labor by the disadvantaged groupWeber’s Economic Classes- economic classes vs social classes- depends on position in labor market and commodity market- social closure: group maximizes its advantages by restricting access to privileges- Inequality is based on market position and prestigeLecture 4 (2/5)What is status? Are there distinct status classes? What is the relationship between economic class and status? Economic class, status group, and power class are all intertwinedPrestige scales- most countries have the same prestige for each job- most jobs are stable over time- inter racial consensus of prestige of jobs- measured by deference in day to day interactions- these do not really reflect lifestyle and consumption practicesLloyd Warner’s Alternative- Upper upper, lower uppers, upper middles, lower middles….etc. class structure- You must gain acceptance as an equal- Structure can depend on where you are geographically- Therefore, class is not determined by occupation, income, or capitalLecture 5 (2/10)What are the dominant elite theories?C. Wright Mills’ Power Elites Theory- the power elite are the military, political, business, bankers and the lawyers - they exert control over national decisions- they are very class conscious- membership is not inherited- they feel very entitled to their positionDornhoff’s Power Elite Theory- corporate, social elite, intertwined- membership is hereditary- class awareness, private schools and exclusive clubs- has elite networks that share ideas and create social cohesion- can affect political decisionsGouldner’s Education Elites Theory- New class of intellectual elite that are the cultural bourgeoisie- Based on culture of critical discourse, where claims cant be justified by reference to speaker’s social status or authority- Eliminated privileges of capitalists, instead focuses on privileges for intellectual elite- Seeks to monopolize truth and argumentation- Based on what you know and what skills / degrees you have Lecture 6 (2/12)What are the poverty measures of today? What does poverty look like today?Harrington’s “The Other America”- Poverty has taken a white face in America- Females are more poor than males- Current poverty measures only capture food securityRelative Poverty Measures- more relative and depends on perception of unfair disparities- depends on distance from middle class lifestyle- depends on demographics (age, gender, race, family structure)- depends on social context (economic cycle, divorce, minimum wage,


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CORNELL DSOC 2090 - Exam 1 Study Guide

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