Understanding Social Stratification for AQA GCSE Sociology

hello lovies in this video we're going to be going through the social stratification section for your AQA GCSE

in sociology now go through this video watch it the night before the exam watch it for your test make careful notes from

it use it to find out which areas you're not so strong in and then pop over to the website and try the multiple choice

questions which will take you through and help you remember everything that you need to for the exam once you've

done that you can have a look at the predicted papers that we've written as well

[Music] AQA GCSE sociology topic six social stratification lesson one functionalist

theory of stratification functionalists believe that social stratification ation or the

unequal distribution of resources and privileges among different groups in society serves an important

function according to functionalist theory social stratification is necessary for the effective allocation

of roles within society and for motivating people to perform those roles to the best of their

abilities functionalists argue that Society is composed of different social classes Each of which is made up of

individuals with different levels of Education income and occupation these different classes are

thought to perform different functions within society and each class is thought to be necessary for the proper

functioning of society functionalists also argue that social stratification is linked to the

promise of rewards this means that people are motivated to work hard and Achieve success to move up the social

hierarchy and gain access to more resources and privileges for example people who work

hard in achieve a high level of education and occupation will be rewarded with a higher income greater

Prestige and more opportunities for advancement this in turn will motivate others to do the same ensuring that

Society functions effectively it should be noted that functionalists see social stratification

as a positive aspect of society because it may Mak people work hard and be productive however it should be

acknowledged that there are critiques of this perspective arguing that social stratification can also lead to social

problems and that it doesn't necessarily ensure that the best people get the best jobs Davis and Moore are two

sociologists who developed a functionalist theory of social stratification they had a number of

ideas about why social stratification is a universal necessity firstly functionally important roles

according to Davis and mo some jobs and positions in society are more important than others and therefore require more

education training and skill these jobs are also more highly rewarded in terms of income Prestige and

power these jobs are what they call important jobs for example jobs like doctors engineers and managers are

considered more important than jobs like caretakers fast food workers and security

guards desirable rewards they argue that social stratification is necessary in order to

ensure that people with the necessary skills and qualifications are in the positions where they can best contribute

to society they argue that the promise of rewards such as high income Prestige and

power motivates people to acquire the necessary qualifications to fill these important important

jobs functionally necessary furthermore Davis and mo argue that social stratification is

functionally necessary in order to have a sufficient number of people to fill important

positions they argue that if everyone were to have the same opportunities and rewards not enough people would be

motivated to acquire the necessary qualifications to fill important positions leading to a shortage of

people with the necessary skills and qualifications to keep Society Running smoothly marxists have a critical

perspective on functionalist theories of social stratification they argue that

functionalist theories Overlook the ways in which social stratification is used to maintain the power and privilege of

the ruling class marxists would argue that social stratification is not a neutral or

natural aspect of society but rather the result of class struggle according to them the ruling

class uses social stratification to maintain its power and privilege by ensuring that the most important jobs

and positions of Power are filled by people who are loyal to the ruling class and will maintain the status

quo feminists also have a critical perspective on functionalist theories of social stratification such as the one

proposed by Davis and mo they argue that functionalist theories tend to overlook the ways in which social stratification

is gendered and how it perpetuates patriarchal structures for example feminists would

argue that the traditional gender roles and societal expectations that women should be responsible for domestic work

and child rearing and men for paid work reinforces the gender pay Gap and the under representation of women in

leadership positions feminists would also argue that functionalist theories ignore the

ways in which social stratification intersects with other forms of Oppression such as racism and

classism they would point out that women of color and workingclass women face additional barriers to Upward mobility

and that their experiences of social stratification are different from those of white middleclass

men lesson two socioeconomic class in the UK socioeconomic class divisions are typically categorized into

three main groups the upper class the middle class and the working class the upper class is generally

considered to be the wealthiest and most powerful segment of society they are often associated with inherited wealth

and privilege and hold positions of power in politics business and finance they are often well educated and

have expensive tastes including in terms of leisure activities such as horse racing and

hunting the middle class is often considered to be the middle of society in terms of income and social

status they are typically well educated and have professional or white Coler jobs such as managers teachers and

accountants they may own their own homes and have a comfortable standard of living the working class is often

considered to be the lower or working segment of Society in terms of income and social

status they typically have blue collar jobs such as Factory workers construction workers and Retail workers

they may rent their homes and have a lower standard of living than the middle class these socioeconomic class

divisions have been shaped by historical economic and political factors such as the Industrial Revolution the decline of

manufacturing and the rise of the service sector and globalization the concentration of

wealth in the hands of a few the rise of the gig economy and the lack of affordable housing are among the factors

that have contributing to an increasingly unequal Society with widening disparities between the rich

and the poor lesson three sociological perspectives on socioeconomic

class functionalists argue that different classes perform different functions and

that these functions are essential for the smooth running of society they argue that the upper class

with their wealth and education are able to perform the most important and complex tasks such as running businesses

and government the middle class with their education and professional skills are

able to perform important tasks such as managing and teaching and the work working class with their physical labor

are able to perform the manual tasks that keep Society Running according to functionalists this division of labor is

natural and efficient and it is essential for the stability and continuity of

society marxists have a critical perspective on functionalist theories of socioeconomic class they argue that

functionalist theories Overlook the ways in which class divisions are used to maintain the power and privilege of the

ruling class marxists would argue that class divisions are not a neutral or natural aspect of society but rather the

result of class struggle according to them the ruling class uses class divisions to maintain

its power and privilege by ensuring that the most important jobs and positions of Power are filled by people who are loyal

to the ruling class and will maintain the status quo they argue that the working class is

exploited by the ruling class and that this exploitation is what causes poverty and

inequality KL Marx a key Marxist sociologist on the issue of class had a critical perspective on socioeconomic

class he argued that class divisions are not a neutral or natural aspect of society but rather the result of class

struggle according to Marx class is determined by one's relationship to the means of production which are the

resources tools and Technology necessary to produce goods and services marks believed that the ruling

class also known as the Bourgeois who own the means of production exploit the working class also known as a

proletariat who do not own the means of production the Bourgeois use their ownership of the means of production to

extract Surplus value from the labor of the proletariat this Surplus value is a

difference between the cost of Labor and the value of the goods produced Marx also believed that the capitalist

system in which the means of production are privately owned is inherently exploitive and leads to the accumulation

of wealth in the hands of a few while the majority of people live in poverty he believed that this system

would inevitably lead to a revolution in which the working class would overthrow the ruling class and establish a

socialist or communist society in which the means of production would be collectively owned and

controlled feminists also have a critical perspective on functionalist theories of socioeconomic class they

argue that functionalist theories ignore the ways in which class divisions are gendered and perpetuate patriarchal

structures for example they point out that women are disproportionately represented in lower paying jobs and

that they are more likely to be in poverty than men they also argue that the traditional

gender role and societal expectations that women should be responsible for domestic work and child rearing and men

for paid work reinforces the gender pay Gap and the under representation of women in leadership

positions Max vber a sociologist had a different perspective on socioeconomic class compared to KL

Marx he agreed with Marx that class is based upon the distribution of wealth however he felt class was a more

complicated issue than Marx presented he believed that class is determined not only by one's relationship to the means

of production but also by one's Market situation and power via Define class as a group of

individuals who share similar life chances which is determined by their income wealth and access to goods and

services however via also believed that class is related to status which is determined by one's social PR Prestige

and honor he argued that individuals in a society can have different status groups based on their religion education

occupation lifestyle and other cultural and social factors we also believe that class is

related to party this is related to one's power which is determined by one's ability to control or influence the

distribution of goods and services in the market those of party have the ability

to exercise power over their situation FEA argued that class and Status groups are not fixed and can

change over time he argued that individuals can move up or down the class ladder based on their Market

situation power and Status Lesson Four life chances life chances refer to the

opportunities and resources that individuals have to improve their well-being and achieve their

goals a variety of factors can affect life chances research has shown that

individuals from lower social class backgrounds women individuals from Minority racial and ethnic backgrounds

individuals who identify as lgbtq plus who are older have disabilities or from Minority religious and belief

backgrounds tend to face discrimination and have fewer opportunities and resources which which can limit their

life chances lower social class backgrounds an

example those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds often have less access to Quality

education according to a 2019 report by the department for Education only 16% of peoples eligible for free School meals

in England achieved good passes in English and math gcses compared to 75% of those not

eligible women an example the gender pay Gap continues to exist limiting women's economic

autonomy as of 2021 the UK's gender pay Gap was around 15.4% according to the office for

National statistics the on minority racial and ethnic backgrounds an

example discrimination in hiring practices can affect job opportunities research by nuffield College's Center

for social investigation showed that Minority ethnic applicants have to send 80% more applications to get a positive

response from an employer compared to a white person of British origin lgbtq plus an example

discrimination in the workplace can affect career advancement according to a 2018 report

by Stonewall one in five LGBT employees experienced verbal bullying at work in the preceding

year older individuals an example agism can affect employment opportunities according to the Center

for aging better over a third of people aged 50 to 64 feel they have been discriminated against by employers

because of their age disabilities an example people with

disabilities often face barriers to employment as of 2019 only 53.2% of working age adults with

disabilities were in employment compared to 81.8% of working age adults without

disabilities according to on data minority religious and belief backgrounds an example people from

Minority religious groups can face discrimination in various life aspects including work according to a 20 2019

report from the Muslim Council of Britain only 19.8% of Muslims were in full-time employment compared to

34.9% in the overall population sociological perspective on life chances including functionalist

feminist and Marxist perspectives offer different understandings of how opportunities and resources are

distributed in society and how they affect individuals well-being and ability to achieve their goal

functionalists argue that Society is made up of different parts or institutions that work together to

maintain social order and stability they argue that social inequality is necessary for the

functioning of society and that different individuals and groups are allocated different roles based on their

abilities and qualifications they believe that Society rewards individuals with the necessary

skills and qualifications with more opportuni and resources leading to Better Life

chances therefore they feel life chances are a direct reflection of talent effort and skills of an

individual Marxist perspectives argue that Society is divided into two classes the capitalist class who own the means

of production and the working class who sell their labor for wages they argue that the capitalist

class exploits the working class leading to a concentration of well and Power in the hands of the

capitalists this results in the working class having fewer opportunities and resources leading to poorer life chances

life chances therefore reflect the unequal distribution of resources due to capitalism an example of this may be

that an upper class child has a chance for a private school education which may leave them with better qualifications

and contacts to get a good job in the future workingclass peoples are denied this

opportunity feminist perspectives argue that Society is patriarchal and that men hold more power and privilege than

women they argue that women are discriminated against in various aspects of life including education employment

and politics leading to fewer opportunities and resources and therefore fewer life

chances they also argue that traditional gender roles and stereotypes contribute to the lack of opportunities and

resources for women consequently they feel men have more life chances than women lesson five divine's affluent

worker privatized instrumentalism is a concept suggesting that people's class Consciousness has declined and they have

become more individualistic and focused on their personal and family needs rather than Collective class

interests this would mean that the working class is less concerned about issues like social inequality and are

less likely to participate in Collective actions against capitalism or the upper classes gold thorp's idea of the

affluent worker is based on the idea that some workers in capitalist societies particularly those in skilled

and white collar jobs have achieved a high standard of living and a level of affluence that was previously thought to

be the domain of the capitalist class it was argued that this group group of affluent workers had a vested interest

in maintaining the status quo and the existing power relations in capitalist societies gold thorp's research focused

on studying the attitudes and behaviors of skilled manual workers in the British engineering industry in the 1960s and70s

and found that this group of workers had achieved a high level of affluence with many owning their own homes cars and

other consumer goods he argued that this group of workers had a privileged position in society and that their

standard of living had improved significantly over the previous decades goor argues that the concept of

the affluent worker has significant implications for the class struggle in capitalist

societies He suggests that this group of workers who have achieved a high standard of living are less likely to

participate in class-based struggles and more likely to identify with the capitalist

class he also suggests that their privileged position in society may lead them to resist any attempts to

redistribute wealth and power as they fear that such changes would threaten their standard of

living Fiona Divine a British sociologist challenges this notion she Revisited this study and went to Luton

in the '90s to carry out her Research into the affluent worker she argues that social class has not changed as as

dramatically as some suggest according to Divine many people in the working class still hold feelings

of resentment towards the capitalist system and the inequalities it perpetuates in other words the

collective identity of the working class is not entirely eroded and there is still a sense of shared experience and

common struggle against the capitalist system it's crucial to understand that divine's perspective provides an

alternative view to theories suggesting the decline of class Consciousness she emphasizes that the

class struggle and the sentiments against capitalism are still very much alive within the working class this is

important when studying the complex dynamics of social class social inequality and Collective action in

contemporary Society lesson six poverty is a social issue absolute

poverty the definition absolute poverty refers to a condition where individuals or households are

unable to meet the basic necessities of life such as food clean water clothing shelter and basic health care the World

Bank for instance defines absolute poverty as living on less than $1.90 per day adjusted for purchasing

power relation to the UK while absolute poverty is more commonly associated with developing

nations it can also be present in highly developed countries like the UK in such context absolute poverty

would manifest as homelessness severe malnutrition and lack of access to basic health care

services various social welfare programs and charities in the UK aim to alleviate absolute poverty although instances

still exist relative poverty definition relative

poverty is defined in relation to the economic status of other members of the society people are considered to be in

relative poverty if their income or resources are so much less than the average that they are excluded from

ordinary living patterns Customs or activities this could mean lacking resources to buy the clothing food or

pay for the housing and social activities that are considered normal or standard in the society they live

in relation to the UK relative poverty is a more prevalent issue in developed countries like the

UK the country uses a relative poverty line usually set at 60% of the median income to measure poverty

levels people living under this income threshold are considered to be experiencing relative

poverty it captures not just the lack of of resources but social exclusion as people in relative poverty may be unable

to partake in activities considered standard or normal in their Community policy measures in the UK

aimed at addressing relative poverty often focus on income redistribution and enhancing social welfare

services both absolute and relative poverty have distinct implications for social policy and understanding the

difference between the two is crucial for targeted interventions in the UK while absolute

poverty does exist and is a cause for concern much of the policy focus is often on reducing levels of relative

poverty and mitigating its social consequences poverty is a complex social issue that has been interpreted and

explained in a number of different ways by sociologists and other social scientists some of the key

interpretations of poverty is a social issue include the culture of poverty material deprivation and the impact of

government policies and globalization the culture of poverty is an interpretation that suggests that

people living in poverty developed a distinct culture that is different from the culture of the mainstream

Society this culture of poverty is characterized by a lack of ambition a lack of motivation and a lack of social

and economic Mobility this interpretation suggests that people living in poverty are

trapped in a cycle of poverty that is difficult to break and that the culture is passed down from generation to

generation material deprivation on the other hand is an interpretation of poverty that focuses on the lack of

material goods and resources that people living in poverty have access to this interpretation suggests that

people living in poverty are unable able to meet their basic needs for food shelter and clothing and that this lack

of access to resources is the primary cause of poverty governments have attempted to

alleviate poverty and unemployment in several ways including welfare programs job training programs and tax

credits however the effectiveness of these policies has been debated by sociologists and other social scientists

some argue that these policies are effective in reducing poverty and unemployment While others argue that

they are not effective and may even create disincentives for people to work globalization has been identified

as another factor that can affect poverty the integration of economies across the globe through trade and

investment has led to the creation of jobs and economic growth in some areas but it has also led to increased

competition and job losses in other areas The increased competition and job loss can result in increased poverty for

people who lose their jobs or whose wages are driven down by competition also the benefits of

globalization tend to be concentrated in developed countries whereas the negative effects are more likely to affect

developing countries functionalists view poverty as a necessary part of society as it serves

a function purpose by providing a source of lowcost Labor according to this perspective

poverty is seen as a necessary evil that is needed to keep the economy running smoothly they argue that poverty is

caused by a lack of effort and ambition on the part of the poor and that it can be alleviated through individual

initiative and hard work they also argue poverty itself creates jobs for example social workers are paid to support

people in poverty Marxist perspectives argue that Society is divided into two classes the

capitalist class who own the means of production and the working class who sell their labor for

wages they argue that the capitalist class exploits the working class leading to a concentration of wealth and power

in the hands of the capitalists this results in the working class having fewer opportunities and

resources leading to poorer life chances they feel poverty only exists due to capitalism and therefore the only

way to eradicate poty is to have a revolution and overthrow it the feminist perspective on the other

hand argues that poverty is a result of the patriarchal structure of society which oppresses women and keeps them in

a subordinate position according to this perspective poverty is caused by the fact that women

are paid paid less than men for the same work and that they are often forced to take care of children and elderly

relatives without any financial support this is often referred to as the feminization of

poverty this perspective highlights the intersectionality of poverty in gender and how it affects women differently

than men lesson seven townend's concept of relative

deprivation Peter townend a British sociologist developed the concept of relative deprivation as a way to

understand poverty and inequality in society according to Town's end poverty should not be defined solely by a lack

of material resources but rather by a comparison of an individual's or a group's living conditions to the living

conditions of others in society Town Z's key ideas on relative deprivation include the

following poverty is relative townend argues that poverty is not just about a lack of material resources but also

about a lack of access to the same opportunities and resources as others in society deprivation is

multi-dimensional townzen argues that poverty encompasses multiple Dimensions including economic social and

psychological and that all of these Dimensions must be taken into account in order to understand

poverty deprivation is socially constructed poverty is not just a result of an individual's or group's lack of

resources but also a result of the way Society is organized and the distribution of

resources deprivation is comparative individuals and groups experience poverty and deprivation in

relation to others in society deprivation has subjective aspects Town end argues that poverty is not only

objective but also subjective individuals and groups may experience poverty and deprivation

differently based on their own perceptions experiences and expectations in 1968 Town end argued 22%

of the UK population were in poverty using the relative deprivation measure of poverty in the UK in comparison to

only 6% if the state standard measure of poverty was used lesson eight Murray's

underclass Charles Murray an American political scientist developed the concept of an underclass as a way to

understand poverty and inequality in society according to Murray the underclass is a group of people who are

permanently excluded from mainstream society and are dependent on government assistance he argues that the underclass

is a result of the welfare state and that government policies aimed at reducing poverty have perpetuated

it Mar's key ideas on the underclass include the following number one the underclass is a

distinct group The underclass is a distinct group of people who are different from the rest of society in

terms of their values behaviors and social norms number two the underclass is a

result of the welfare state the welfare state has created a culture of dependency among the underclass making

them more dependent on government assistance and therefore unable to improve their

circumstances number three the underclass is characterized by certain behaviors the underclass is

characterized by certain behaviors such as out of wedlock childbearing High rates of crime and drug use and lack of

work ethic number four the underclass is a threat to

society Murray argues that the underclass poses a threat to society because their behaviors and values are

seen as a drag on the economy and a burden on the rest of society number five the underclass can

be fixed the underclass can be fixed by producing welfare and other forms of government assistance and by promoting

Traditional Values such as marriage and work ethic lesson nine power and

authority power and authority are two concepts that are often used interchangeably but they have distinct

meanings power refers to the ability to influence or control the behavior of others while Authority refers to the

right to make decisions and enforce rules or laws there are several different forms of power and

authority traditional power and authority this form of power and authority is based on long-standing

Customs traditions and beliefs it is often associated with monarchies feal societies and other premodern forms of

government a contemporary example is the royal family in traditional systems or

Authority is passed down through family or lineage and people are expected to obey the rules and laws that have been

established by their ancestors charismatic power and authority this form is based on the

personal Charisma charm and persuasive abilities of an individual leader charismatic leaders have the ability to

inspire and motivate people and they often have a vision or ideology that people are attracted to now Mandela is

an example of someone who had charismatic power charismatic leaders can be found

in many settings including politics religion and business rational legal power and

authority this is based on rules laws and formal procedures it is the most common form of power and authority in

modern societies and it is often associated with democratic governments bureaucracies and legal systems

rational legal Authority is based on the idea that rules and laws are created through a democratic process and are

applied equally to everyone an example of someone with rational Authority is the prime

minister formal power and authority an individual's position or role in an

organization for example the president of a company has formal power and authority because of their position and

they can make decisions and enforce rules based on that Authority formal power and authority are

often hierarchical with people at the top having more power and authority than those at the

bottom informal power and authority this form of power and authority is not based on a formal

position or role but rather on personal relationships and social networks informal power and authority

can be found in many settings including friendships amilies and communities people with informal power

and authority may not have the legal right to make decisions or enforce rules but they may be able to influence others

through personal connections and social networks sociologists have developed various perspectives on power and

authority number one functionalism functionalists believe that power and authority are essential

for society to function effectively and that they help to maintain social cohesion and

Order functionalists see power and authority as being distributed in the hierarchical manner with those at the

top having more power and authority than those at the bottom this perspective emphasizes the

importance of shared values norms and institutions in maintaining social order and it views power and authority as

being legitimate if they are based on these shared values number two

Marxism this View's power and authority is being closely tied to economic relations and class

conflict marxists argue that power and authority are used by the ruling class to maintain their economic and political

dominance over the working class they view power and authority as being illegitimate because they are used

to maintain an unjust and unequal system marxists argue that power and authority need to be seized by by the

working class to create a more equal and just Society number three

feminism this perspective focuses on the ways in which power and authority are gendered and it highlights the ways in

which women are often excluded from positions of power and authority feminists argue that power and

authority are not distributed evenly in society and that women are often marginalized and

oppressed they also emphasize the role of patriarchy which is a system of male dominance in shaping power and authority

relations feminists argue that power and authority needs to be redistributed to create a more equal and just

Society lesson 10 the ideas of Bieber on power and authority Max Bieber was a German

sociologist and political theorist who made significant contributions to our understanding of power and

authority Bieber's key ideas on power and authority are summarized as follows number one types of

authority feber identified three types of authority traditional charismatic and rational legal traditional Authority is

based on long-standing customs and traditions charismatic Authority is based on the personal qualities and

Charisma of an individual leader and rational legal Authority is based on rules laws and procedures that are

formally established and applied equally to all in Society number two power and

domination FEA defined power as the ability of one person or group to get others to do what they want even if the

others resist he distinguished between power and domination with domination being a

more stable and legitimate form of power domination occurs when those who are subject to Authority accept it as

legitimate and oby the rules and laws that are established by those in power number three

legitimacy FEA believed that Authority must be legitimate in order to be effective Authority can be legitimate in

several ways including through tradition Charisma or rational legal rules and procedures legitimacy is important

because it provides a basis for people to accept and Obey Authority even if they do not necessarily agree with

it number four bureaucracy Bieber also studied the rise of bureaucracy in modern societies and

the role it plays in the exercise of power and authority he identified several key

features of bureaucracy including hierarchical structures rules and procedures and specialization of

tasks bureaucracy is often associated with rational legal Authority and Via argued that it can be an

efficient and effective way to organize large scale social institutions lesson 11 power

relationships power relationships are influenced by various factors these factors shape the way power is

distributed in society and how individuals and groups are able to access and exercise

Power number one social class social class is a major determinant of power relationships individuals from wealthier

and more privileged backgrounds often have greater access to resources education and networks which can help

them to achieve positions of power and influence on the other hand individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds May

face greater barriers to accessing power and may experience marginalization and oppression number two

gender gender is another important factor affecting power relationships women often face significant barriers to

access and power both in terms of political representation and Leadership positions in the workplace gender

stereotypes and discrimination can contribute to these disparities as well as social norms around gender roles and

expectations number three sexuality sexual orientation is also factor that affects power relationships people who

are identify as lgbtq plus May face discrimination and marginalization which can limit their

access to power and influence homophobia and transphobia can contribute to these disparities as well as social norms

around gender and sexual orientation number four race people of color often face systemic racism and

discrimination which can limit their access to power and contribute to marginalization and

oppression white supremacy and colonialism are major contributors to these disparities as well as other forms

of structural inequality number five age older individuals may have greater

access to power and resources while younger individuals may face barriers to access and power and may experience

marginalization and discrimination number number six disability people with disabilities

often face discrimination and marginalization which can limit their access to power and

resources ableism and inaccessible environments are major contributors as well as other forms of structural

inequality number seven religion and beliefs religion and beliefs can also shape power

relationships people who belong to marginalized religious groups or hold minority beliefs may face discrimination

and oppression which can limit their access to power and resources religious intolerance and

Prejudice can contribute to these disparities sociologists have developed various perspectives on power

relationships number one functionalism functionalists believe that power relationships are essential

for society to function effectively and that they help to maintain social cohesion and

Order functionalist see Power relationships as being distributed in a hierarchical manner those at the top

having more power and those at the bottom having less this perspective emphasizes the

importance of shared values norms and institutions in maintaining social order and it views power relationships as

being legitimate if they are based on these shared values number two Marxism

marxists argue that power relationships are used by the ruling class to maintain their economic and political dominance

over the working class they view power relationships as being illegitimate because they are used

to maintain an unjust and unequal system marxists argue that power relationships need to be seized by the

working class to create a more equal and just Society number three feminis

M feminists argue that power relationships are not distributed evenly in society and that women are often

marginalized and oppressed they also emphasize the role of patriarchy which is a system of male dominance in shaping

power relationships feminists argue that power relationships need to be redistributed

to create a more equal and just Society Lesson 12 w be on patriarchy sociologist Sylvia WBY developed a

comprehensive theory of patriarchy that has become influential in feminist scholarship W's theory identifies six

structures of patriarchy which are interrelated and work together to perpetuate gender

inequality these structures are summarized as follows number one patriarchal relations

in paid work patriarchy is reproduced through the gender division of labor in the paid

Workforce where men often hold higher paying and more prestigious positions than

women number two patriarchal relations in the state patriarchy is reinforced through

the state's laws policies and practices which are often gendered and can limit women's access to power and resources

for example until recently only women could take a Year's maternity leave meaning they were more likely to take on

the house housewife role number three patriarchal relations in the

household patriarchy is perpetuated through the gender division of labor within households where women often

perform more unpaid labor and have less control over resources number four patriarchal

relations in sexuality patriarchy is reinforced through gendered norms and expectations

around sexuality which often limit women's sexual autonomy and promotes male

dominance number five patriarchal relations in violence patriarchy is perpetuated

through violence particularly gender-based violence against women which can be used to reinforce gender

roles and limit women's autonomy number six patriarchal relations in

culture patriarchy is reinforced through cultural norms and expectations that support and promote male dominance

and limit women's opportunities and autonomy ouch this is why in some videos I

explain [Music] scratches