What is Weberian critique of Marxist notion of social stratification. (UPSC CSE Mains 2017 - Sociology, Paper 1)
- Marx’s main argument is that class is determined by economic factors alone, whereas in contrast, Weber argues that social stratification cannot be defined solely in terms of class and the economic factors which affect class relationships.
- For Marx the basis of stratification was class. The formation of class was objective in the sense that a class was not formed because a group of people got together and decided that they form a class. Its formation was because of the production relations that existed in a society. Therefore, a person''s position in the class structure was based on his position in the production relations. If he happened to own or control capital and he employed others, he was a capitalist. Those who did not own or control property belonged to the opposing class of worker.
- Opposition of classes was an important aspect of Marx''s analysis. It was through this opposition that social and economic change took place. The capitalists invent ways to counteract workers. This could be new technology resulting in better production techniques or new laws preventing workers from becoming more powerful. The workers too in their struggle become more united. They tend to drop their internal differences when they realise that their main opponent is another class. This leads to greater unity among them. Thus, for Marx, class and class-consciousness do not mean mere categories in society. They are fundamental for social development.
- At one level, Weber accepts Man''s view on class. However, he does so not to support Marx but to show how his analysis has weaknesses. He stresses that society cannot be divided into only two main classes. There are more classes that emerge due to the market situation and the type of work done. He therefore finds that there are four main classes in society. This in effect confuses the class relations. Thus, Weber feels that neither class nor class-consciousness can explain stratification completely. He thus lays greater stress on status, whereas Man; lays stress on class-consciousness. Weber tries to show that class-consciousness in not an important aspect of social stratification. For him status groups are the basis. He finds that classes are static whereas status stretches across classes.
- Weber believes factors apart from ownership and non-ownership of property can influence the formation of classes. Furthermore, Weber sees no evidence to support the polarisation of classes which Marx sees as being an essential feature of the class structure. Another difference is, unlike Marx; Weber does not subscribe to the view that a proletarian revolution is inevitable, and that workers will express class dissatisfaction in less dramatic ways. Finally, Weber rejects the notion that political power is necessarily derived from economic power. Essentially, the difference between the theories of Marx and Weber seems to lie in the fact that Marx sees economic factors as the main cause of division between classes, while Weber argues that social stratification is definable in terms of status and party as well as class.
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