DFerg
Prelim 2003
Stratification
Grusky Part V: The Consequences of Stratification
The Main Idea
The Theory of the Leisure Class by Thorstein Veblen
Veblen is essentially interested in a continuous prestige hierarchy where the all classes are rated graded by similarity to a “leisure-class” cultural ideal.
Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste by Pierre Bourdieu
Bourdieu is fundamentally concerned with taste as a means of identifying oneself with a particular class. This is largely determined by cultural capital, thus varies as the culture adjusts its tastes.
Job Complexity Adult Personality by Melvin L. Kohn
The more complexity in one’s job the greater the level of intellectual flexibility, which is then applied to all other areas of one’s life.
Achievement Variables Class Cultures: Family, Schooling, Job, Forty-Nine Dependent Variables in the Cumulative GSS by James A. Davis
Our class background accounts for less of our attitudes opinions than we think.
Summary
The Theory of the Leisure Class by Thorstein Veblen
Veblen sees stratification as based on wealth income. Pecuniary emulation, conspicuous consumption, conspicuous leisure are all strategies that individuals use to attain status relative to their peers. Furthermore, he assumes that the struggle for status honor is a biologically innate disposition of humans. Moreover, we see that good taste is based on reputation rather than intrinsic worth it differs from one class to another.
Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste by Pierre Bourdieu
Bourdieu is particularly interested in taste as a stratifying force with real power in society. Furthermore, he is placing emphasis on the reproduction of class structure through the importance of cultural capital tastes. Thus, eating habits, appreciation of high art, the like all signal one’s class distinction. For, according to Bourdieu it is taste rather than income that determines practice. Thus, two people who possess equal economic capital may often dress differently, eat differently, appreciate different art because of their differing tastes.
Job Complexity Adult Personality by Melvin L. Kohn
The more substantive complexity in one’s job the more one will experience intellectual flexibility in his personality. This relationship later becomes reciprocal so that stratification will persist as individuals that are intellectually challenged on the job, challenge themselves in other areas of their lives will have the ability to remain in these types of occupational positions. The implicit flipside is that those individuals in relatively simple occupations will end up pigeonholed in these less complex lower paying jobs.
Achievement Variables Class Cultures: Family, Schooling, Job, Forty-Nine Dependent Variables in the Cumulative GSS by James A. Davis
Davis looks at three independent variables (father’s occup., respondent’s occup, & respondent’s schooling) which all serve as proxies for class, in order to see what effect one’s class has on attitudes values. The findings are that class does not have much of an effect at all. This does not mean that class does not matter, but rather it matters in complex ways. Thus, Davis suggests that new theories more cultural than structural may be in order.
Key Terms & Concepts
The Theory of the Leisure Class
Pecuniary emulation-This refers to the situation where showing off the fact that you have wealth (money) is more important than actual consumption.
Conspicuous Leisure-The practice of abstaining from labor engaging in leisure as a sign of prestige.
Conspicuous Consumption-The unproductive consumption of goods for honor prestige (inherently showy).
Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste
Habitus-The capacity to produce classifiable practices works, the capacity to differentiate appreciate these practices products (tastes). The habitus is both the generative principle of objectively classifiable judgments the system of classification of these practices.
Job Complexity Adult Personality
Substantive complexity-The degree to which the work, in its very substance, requires thought independent judgment.
The Big Picture
Stratification has distinct advantages disadvantages for all members of a society. Furthermore, it quickly moves from the labor force, income to daily life, the non-economic which has the reciprocal effect of reinforcing stratification vis-à-vis the economy.