Feminist Theory of Social Stratification (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology): Revision Note

Feminism as a conflict theory

• Feminism is a conflict theory, like Marxism, but it focuses on gender inequality rather than class

• Feminists argue that society is structured in a way that benefits men and disadvantages women

• This system of male dominance is called patriarchy — a society where men hold power and women are often excluded from it

• Patriarchy affects all areas of life:

  • the family

  • education

  • religion

  • media

  • the workplace

• As a result, men control more wealth, power and status, while women often face discrimination and lower life chances

The founding fathers of sociology

• Early sociologists such as Marx, Weber and Durkheim — often called the founding fathers of sociology — focused on class and industrialisation, not gender

  • At the time (19th century), women were largely excluded from education, politics and employment

• Feminist writers later criticised these early sociologists for ignoring women’s experiences and for creating a male-dominated view of society

Patriarchy and social class

• Feminists argue that traditional sociology was based on the occupation of the male head of the household, which made women invisible in class analysis

• They point out that society as a whole is patriarchal, not just capitalist

• This means men as a group have more power than women, regardless of social class

• Patriarchy is therefore seen as a system of social stratification based on gender — dividing society into male and female layers, where men dominate the top positions

Discrimination in a patriarchal society

• Historically, women have faced legal and social discrimination that limited their rights and opportunities

  • In the UK, women were denied the right to vote until 1918, and many protested and even risked their lives to gain it

  • Women were unable to own property or get divorced on equal terms with men until the late 19th century

  • The Equal Pay Act (1970) and Sex Discrimination Act (1975) were passed to challenge inequality in the workplace, yet the gender pay gap continues to exist

• Even today, women are under-represented in positions of power, such as in government and business leadership, and still carry out most unpaid domestic work

Socialisation and gender norms

• Feminists argue that gender inequality is maintained through social norms and expectations about how men and women should behave

• From an early age, children are socialised into gender roles by the family, education system and media

  • E.g. boys may be encouraged to be ambitious and independent, while girls are expected to be caring or focused on appearance

  • These gender roles help maintain patriarchy and justify unequal treatment of women

Feminist views on stratification

• Feminists believe that patriarchy creates a gendered hierarchy in which men have more access to resources, power and opportunities

• Women, as a result, are often concentrated in lower-paid jobs, have fewer promotion prospects, and carry a greater burden of unpaid care work

• This means gender is a major basis of social stratification, alongside class and ethnicity

Evaluation of the feminist theory of social stratification

Strengths

• Feminism has highlighted inequalities that were ignored by other sociological theories

• It has influenced major social changes, such as equal pay laws, anti-discrimination policies, and improved rights for women

• Feminist theory helps explain how patriarchy operates across social institutions, not just in the economy

Criticisms

• Some critics argue that feminism focuses too much on gender and ignores other forms of inequality, such as class and ethnicity

• Marxists argue that class inequality is more significant than gender inequality

• New Right thinkers claim that men and women now have equal opportunities and that feminists exaggerate remaining inequalities

• Feminists themselves disagree on how much progress has been made

  • E.g. liberal feminists believe change can come through laws and education, while radical feminists believe patriarchy is too deep-rooted to reform