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

Key thinkers: Davis & Moore (1945)

• Functionalists believe that inequality has an important role in keeping society working properly

• Davis and Moore argued that stratification serves a useful purpose because it ensures that the most important jobs are filled by the most talented and hard-working people

Role allocation

• Society needs to make sure that the right people do the right jobs

  • This process is called role allocation

• People are matched to jobs based on their ability, skills and effort

  • E.g. doctors and lawyers need long training and high ability, so they are rewarded with higher pay and status

• Without rewards, people would not be motivated to train and work hard

Consensus and the need for inequality

• Functionalists believe that society is based on consensus — shared agreement about values and fairness

• Most people accept that inequality is necessary because it motivates people to achieve

  • E.g. poverty is a form of motivation — nobody wants to be poor, so this encourages people to work harder to move up the social hierarchy

Evaluation of the functionalist theory of social stratification

Strengths

• Davis and Moore’s view is supported by the New Right

  • Peter Saunders (1980s) believes that inequality is fair and necessary to encourage competition and reward hard work

• The theory explains how rewards can motivate people to gain skills and fill jobs that are vital to society

  • This helps society function effectively

Criticisms

• Pay and status may not match a job's importance in society

  • Some jobs with lower pay or status, such as nursing and refuse collection, are still essential to society

  • Some high-paid jobs, e.g. professional football, may not be functionally important, but have high pay and status

• Differences in status and pay may reflect power rather than functional importance

  • E.g. MPs earn more than nurses, even though nurses provide essential public services

• There is no clear way to measure talent or ability, or to prove that those in top positions are truly the most skilled

  • E.g. there are no formal educational requirements for becoming a government minister

• There may be many talented people who do not get the chance to succeed because of barriers like class, gender or ethnicity

  • This shows that equal opportunities do not exist and social mobility is limited

• There may be many more talented people in society than Davis and Moore indicate

  • The best way to develop their potential may not be through unequal rewards

  • E.g. the Prime Minister is paid far less than the CEO of a typical major corporation

• Marxists reject the functionalist view, arguing that stratification benefits the powerful, not society as a whole

  • They see inequality as a way for a privileged minority to exploit others, maintaining their wealth and control