Comment on Weberian class analysis in terms of Life Chances.
- Weber states that ''a class situation is one in which there is a shared typical probability of procuring goods, gaining a position in life, and finding inner satisfaction'': (i.e) members of a class share common life chances. Market distributes life chances according to the resources that individuals bring to it, and he recognized that these resources could vary in a number of ways. Aside from the distinction between property owners and non-owners, there is also variation according to particular skills and other assets. The important point, however, is that all these assets only have value in the context of a market: hence, class situation is identified with market situation.
- For instance, An individual born in a worker’s family receives a particular type of education, which in turn equips him or her for specific jobs. The education will not be as expensive or as intense as the education of a child in an upper class family. The employment opportunities for both are different. Their different family backgrounds also make them part of different classes.
- The son of an industrialist may become a worker because of his abilities or other circumstances. But these, Weber pointed out, were exceptions and not the rule. He pointed out that what was more important was the fact that the life-chances or members of a class were similar. This is what gave permanence to that class as the next generation too joined the same class. Therefore the definition of lifechances, according to Weber, is sharing of economic and cultural goods which are available differently for different groups.
- Hence for Weber class had two basic aspects. Firstly it was an objective category. It was determined by the control or lack of control over productive property of the members. Secondly, all members of a particular had similar life-chances, which in turn distinguished these members from others. The life-chances of individuals depended on the their market situation in the case of those not owning productive property and on the ownership of productivity for those owning these.
- Based on his definition, Weber identified four classes in capitalist society. These were: (a) Upper class that comprised those owning or controlling productive private property. This class was similar to the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) in Marx’s analysis, (b) White-collar workers. This class included all those who were engaged in mental labour -managers, administrators, professionals, etc. (c) Petty bourgeoisie. These were the self-employed and they included shopkeepers, doctors lawyers, etc. (d) Manual workers. These people sold their physical labour in exchange for wages. The working class was included in this class. Weber thus divided society into four classes as opposed to Marx’s two-class model. Hence though Weber found the basis of class formation was similar to that of Marx he differed with Marx on the types of classes in society.
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