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Sociology2014:AnswerWritingChallenge13
INSIGHTS
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SOCIOLOGY

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Sociology2014:AnswerWriting
Challenge13
BYINSIGHTSSEPTEMBER16,2014

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16September2014

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1)Distinguishbetweenformalandinformalstructuresoforganizationsand
showhowsomeoftheproblemsofformalorganizationscanbebetter
understoodinformsofthisdistinction.(250Words)
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2)Definesocial stratification andcriticallyexaminetheviewthat Marx has

oversimplifiedthestructureofsatisfactionbyreducingittoonefactor,
controlofthemeansofproduction.(250Words)

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Jointhediscussion
Rauf Lala 3monthsago

Social stratification referstosociallyestablished system ofdifferentiation,where

inequalitiesbetweenpeople/groupsarearrangedinahierarchyandthisforms
thebasisofsocialrewardssuchaswealth,prestige,honor.
Karl Marx viewedsocietyascharacterizedbytwoclassesownersandnon
ownerswhoareinconflictwithrespecttocontroloverfactorsofproductionsuch
as land ,labor,capital.Thereasonforformationbeingproductionofsurplus
andcomingupofthe system ofprivateproperty,whereoneownstothe
exclusionofother.Further, Marx saidthat system of stratification would
becomerigidincapitalistsociety.Theconflictwouldberesolvedwhenthenon
ownersacquireanunderstandingoftheirobjectivepositionandtaketopolitical
actionagainsttheownership class .Thiswouldresultincommunistsociety,
whichwouldbeequalandwithoutany stratification .
Max Weber ,thoughagreedto Marx sconceptionof stratification arisingfrom
economicfactors,hedisagreedonmanypostulates.Firstly,heproposedthat
stratification wasafeatureofmarketsocietyonly.Secondly, stratification in
societywasalongmultiplelinessuchasstatus,wealthand power .Thirdly,there
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weremultipleclassesineverysociety.Hecountered Marx byelaboratinghow

thereisashifttowardsproliferationofvariousclassesandnotcrystallizationof
class,as Marx predicted.Further,heproposedthat revolution wasnot
inevitable,astherewerevariouswaysaworkermightreactinanindustrial
societysuchasgrumble,destroymachinery,protestetc.Lastly,evenwith
abolitionofprivateproperty,therewouldbe stratification alongstatusand
power linesandthus,societywouldnotbecomeegalitarian.
However, Marx workshouldbeseeninspecifichistoricalcontext,characterized
byrapid industrialization andgrowingmiseryofworkers.Thoughcontrolof
meansofproductionmaynolongerbeconsideredasonlyfactorfor
stratification ,itsstilltheprincipleone.Forexamplewefindthehypothesisof
class stillrelevanttodescribesocialgroupsinsociety.Further,inmostofthe
cases,political power flowsfromeconomic power .
Madforias > Rauf Lala 3monthsago

goodone Rauf
Pushpendra> Rauf Lala 3monthsago

Niceone.
Animesh 3monthsago

2)Definesocial stratification andcriticallyexaminetheviewthat Marx has

oversimplifiedthestructureofsatisfactionbyreducingittoonefactor,controlof
themeansofproduction.(250Words)
Social stratification istherankingofthesocialpositionofindividualor group
inthesocietyintermsofthefactorslikesocialposition, power ,socialstatus,
occupation,wealth. Stratification istherelativesocialpositioninagiven group
orasocialunit.
UnlikeFunctionalists,whoobservessocial stratification isfunctionaland
inevitableforthecontinuityforthesociety, Karl Marx observessocial
stratification asahistoricaldialectiveofeconomicproduction.Hesimplifiedthe
structureof stratification byreducingittoonefactorcontrolofthemeansof
production.
Inancientclasslesssociety,therewasnosocial stratification ,Butaccordingto
Marx ,ModernIndustrializedsocietyhasmanifestedthemodeofproductionin
whichtheownerofithasownershipof land , labour ,capitalandthe labour is
theexploited class bytheowner.Hence Marx simplifiedthisrelationof
oppressionintermsofrelationofproductionconsistingofemployeremployee
economicrelation,technicaldivisionof labour andpropertyrelation.The
controllerofmeansofproduction,furtherhecalled,asBourgeoisiesandthe
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labour class asproletariats.

Hencemodernsocietyissimplya2classessocietywheretheBourgeoisiesearns
surplusproductionoftheproletariats,wholivesin classinitself afalse
consciousnessundersocial stratification .But Marx optimisticallywritesthatin
futurewhentheoppressedproletariat class willundergo class foritself,then
theywillrevoltagainstbourgeoisiesandsetuptheirowndictatorship,a
communistsocietywillemerge.
Max Weber straightlyrejectedthepossibilityofsetupof Marx sideaof
communism.Hefurtherrejectedverysimplified class theoryof Marx and
propoundedthreecomponenttheoryof stratification includinglifechances.
Further,functionalistscriticized Marx ideaofbeingtoosimpleand
revolutionarytheysaythattherearemultipleclassesundersocial stratification
andallarefunctionalforcontinuityofthesociety.
Madforias >Animesh 3monthsago

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Madforias >Animesh 3monthsago

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Ajit> Madforias 3monthsago

@ Madforias ,VeryWellwritten,exceptaminorglitch.In
CapitalistsocietyitiscalledCapitalistsandWorkers.
Madforias >Ajit 3monthsago

thanksAjit,willcorrectit
Pushpendra> Madforias 3monthsago

Niceanswer.Itwillbeevenmoreattractiveifyouhadaddedother
dimentionsof stratification aswelllikelikestatusgroups,gender
etc.
Madforias >Animesh 3monthsago

Youcouldhavereduced Marx partalittleandelaborated Weber 'sidea

instead..IMHO
Madforias > Madforias 3monthsago

abovecommentisforAnimesh

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StochasticVariable> Madforias 3monthsago

Yes,Itoofeelthesame. Weber 'scriticismshouldhavebeenelaborated

upontoshowthat stratification isnotsimplyalong class lines.
StochasticVariable>StochasticVariable 3monthsago

@Animesh
Animesh 3monthsago

1)Distinguishbetweenformalandinformalstructuresoforganizationsandshow
howsomeoftheproblemsofformalorganizationscanbebetterunderstoodin
formsofthisdistinction.(250Words)
FormalstructureofOrganizationisasetofpeoplewhocometogetherrule
boundmannerinthepursuitofcommonobjectiveorgoal.Aformalorganization
isthe system ofcoordination.Thepersonshavemoreastatusrelationshipthan
personalrelationship.Thenorms,rulesandregulationsarepresenttherein
formalorganization,whichareintheformofwrittenrules, laws ,contracts,
constitutionetc.individualshavemore values forstatusandprestige.
Abureaucratic system ,corporateofficeetcarefewexampleofformal
organization.
Ontheotherhand,informalorganizationisformedbythesetofpeopleinsociety
whointeracteachotheroftenly,theyhavefacetofaceinteraction,theyarenot
boundwithrulesand laws .Theymaywork,travelandeattogether.Hencethey
createanetworkofpersonalandsocialrelationship.Itcanexistswithinthe
formalorganization.
Family,Friendscircleetcarefewexamplesofinformalorganization.
Therearesomeoftheproblemsofformalorganizationinthedistinctionwiththe
informalone.
Formalorganizationisrulebasedandhenceoperationaldelaysarepossibledue
todefinedsetofhierarchyofauthoritysapprovals,butinInformalorganization
anyworkcanbedoneanddiscussedfacetofaceandlessertime.
Formalorganizationisarigidstructureofjobassignmentswhichmayresultin
stampedeofcreativity,psychologicalpressure,healthissuesbutininformal
organization,ashavingclosedrelationamongthemembers,thepressureof
workscanbeeasilydistributedamongthemselvesunderstandingtheneedsof
individualsandanyissuescanbemitigatedfastlybypersonalexperienceorby
immediatediscussion.ThereismorepsychologicalsupportinonesFamilythan
thatincorporateoffice.
Ontheonehandwhereformalorganizationsuppressestheindividualssocial
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needspeoplemaygetdisconnectedfromthesocietyandalienatedfromherwork
andevenfromherself,ontheotherhandinformalorganizationprovidesenough
space forinterpersonalrelationshipandconnectedtosocietyandfulfill
personalneeds.
Thoughformalandinformalorganizationsaredistinctinsociety,yetbothhave
theirownimportance.Economic,politicalandmanysocialactivitiesare
supposedtobeformalinstitutionsonlysothattheycanfunctionforthegreater
needsofsocietyinanonymousmanner.
Ajit>Animesh 3monthsago

Animesh,ImpressiveAnswerKeepitup!:)
NRN>Animesh 3monthsago

Verywellwritten
Madforias >Animesh 3monthsago

HiAnimesh..wouldyoubeabletosharethesourceforthisanswer
mantis 3monthsago

1)Distinguishbetweenformalandinformalstructuresoforganizationsandshow
howsomeoftheproblemsofformalorganizationscanbebetterunderstoodin
formsofthisdistinction.(250Words)
Classicaltheoristhavetriedtodistinguishformalandinformalstructuresof
organisation.Buttodaywithgrowthofnetworkedflexibleorganisation
breakdownofstatushiearchiesthedividinglinebetweenthetwoisfast
dissipating
Putsimplyformalfeaturesincludepresenceofformalrules,distinctlinesof
authority,formalrelationships,acertaindegreeofpermanence.
Examplebeingpeers,friend group orwhatcooleycalls"primarygroups"
Whileinformalstructuresaredirectfacetofaceinterpersonalrelationships,lack
offocusonstatus,moreleadershiplessauthority.
"Infunctionsofexecutive"bernardpositsthatthatthesetwostructurerather
thanbeingantagonisticaremutuallyreinforcing.Informalstructureshelpcheck
authoritarianism,providemeansforbuildingselfesteem.
Giventhefactthatorganisationsareessentiallysocialformalstructuresand
informalstructuresexistwithinanyorganisationatthesametime.Howeverthe
significanceofformalstructurescanneverbediscountedandtheabove
distinctionbetweenformalandinformalhelpscheckarbitraryactions.provides
meansofclearcommandsandcoordination,helpsfixresponsibilityandservesto
evaluateindividualandorganisationalsuccessorfailureotherwise.

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Please review .
StochasticVariable 3monthsago

DearInsights,@allcouldyoupleasegiveasourceforquestion1above?
OtherwiseisthereanyconsolidatedsourcefortheUnitonWorkandEconomic
Life?
NRN 3monthsago

Guys...
Hereisaquestionfrom2009
"Commentonthechangesinthehouseholddimensionsoffamilyunderthe
moderneconomicreforms"
Cansomeoneplstellmewhatwillbeitsanswer..Iamreallyconfusedabout
"householddimensions"...Ihavespenttoomuchtimeonitresearchingbutnot
yetenlightened..
Plshelp
StochasticVariable>NRN 3monthsago

DearNRN
Inthisqsyouhavetobasicallyevaluatewhetherwith industrialization ,
urbanizationetc,individualHHsaremovingtowardsnuclearizationor
not. Parsons andotherspositedthatthe nuclear familywasabetterfit
forindustrialsociety,andhencenuclearizationwouldresult.Howeverin
practicethmovetowardsnuclearizationisn'tabsolute,andinitsplace
functionalnuclearfamilieshaveemerged.
Forabetter,fleshedoutansweryoumayrefertoIGNOUMSO004,ithas
aunitonthesame.
Hopethathelps:)
StochasticVariable>StochasticVariable 3monthsago

*functionaljoint
NRN>StochasticVariable 3monthsago

ThanksStochasticVariable
NRN 3monthsago

Definesocial stratification andcriticallyexaminetheviewthat Marx has

oversimplifiedthestructureofsatisfactionbyreducingittoonefactor,controlof
themeansofproduction.(250Words)
Social stratification isaformofsociallycreatedinequality.Itreferstothe
unequaldistributionof power ,prestigeandwealth.AccordingtoRousseau
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social stratification iswhencertainmenenjoycertainprivilegestotheprejudice

ofotherssuchasbeingmorerich,morepowerfulorbeingmorehonoured.
Differentsociologistshaveattemptedtoexplain stratification basedondifferent
criteriasuchasbiologicalinequality,gender,adherencetocommon
values ( Parsons ),roleallocation(Goode),economicinfrastructure(Marxists)
etc.
Accordingto Marx ,societyisdividedintotwotheruling class andthesubject
class .Incapitalistsocietyhecalledthembourgeoisieandproletariat.The power
ofthebourgeoisieisintheirownershipofforcesofproduction.Byvirtueofthis
theycontrolandexploittheproletariats. Marx saysthatthroughouthistorythe
ruling class withownershipoffactorsofproductionhaveexploitedthesubject
class whoownonlytheir labour .Theruling class didthisbyappropriationof
surplusvalueasprofitwhilepayingapittancetosubject class .Thetruenature
ofexploitationwashiddenfromthesocietythroughruling class ideology
propagatedthrougheducation,politics, law system etc.
Marx hasbeencriticizedofreducing stratification toownershipofproperty
alone. Weber gaveamorecomplex system of stratification basedonthe
marketpositionofaperson.Themarketableskillsofapropertylessmanwould
placehimhigherinthesocialstrata.SociologistslikeMilovanDjilashavepointed
tothepresenceof stratification insocialistsocietieslikeUSSRwheretherewas
noownershipofproperty.Herestrataswereformedasaresultofbureaucratic
controlofgovernmentmachinery.AndaccordingtoBottomore,itwasthecontrol
overpolitical power thattheygavethebureaucratsofsocialistcountries,the
controloffactorsofproduction.
SKY 3monthsago

pls review
SKY 3monthsago

SKY
fresr 3monthsago

great..
Pushpendra 3monthsago

Page1
Pushpendra 3monthsago

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