Lenski Social Inequality

Emily Pugmire Essay
So far throughout the course, a number of different sociological theorists have been introduced. Their theories on social inequality have been presented and vary from one to the next. Four social theorists whose ideas have been influential in studying social inequality include Karl Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, and Gerhard Lenski. One of the most widely known social theorists is Karl Marx. He held the radical antithesis view on social inequality. This view holds that equality is the natural order of society and inequality is a problem that must be fixed. Marx believed that society’s struggle was primarily due to class conflict. He said that the basis of modern society revolved around its mode of production which consisted of two parts; means of production (technology) and social relations of products (parts that people play in relation to products) (Sernau 15). The means
of production are ultimately controlled by the ruling class or the bourgeoisie and produced by the working class or proletariat. There is constant tension between the two classes due to economic inequality which builds over time until class consciousness is achieved and there is a change in ruling class. Then, the process begins all over again. Another well-known theorist dealing with social inequality is Max Weber. Weber, like Marx, was a conflict theorists and also held a radical antithesis view that inequality should be lessened or eliminated and equality restored. Weber’s views of society were similar in a lot of ways to those of Karl Marx, but he added to and refined some previous theories presented by Marx to create a more accurate understanding of his own observations and societal experiences. Where Marx believed that classes in society revolved around a person’s relationship to the means of production, Weber believed social class was composed of other equally important elements. While owning property is important to distinguish class, Weber believed it was a person’s life chances that really decided their fate. The real struggle of society was in regards to power. Weber said there were different realms of power; economic, social, and political. The economic realm deals with one’s possessions and accessibility to opportunities. Power in this realm is social class (Sernau 19). The social realm involves respect and a bit of talent. Prestige and status are what make up power in this realm. The political realm of power involves political parties. These parties are groups of people with common views who seek to gain power through legal authority (Sernau 19). Another idea added by Weber was social mobility. While Marx believed classes were mostly fixed, Weber believed there were upward and downward shifts within society. A third theorist with influential ideas regarding social inequality is Emile Durkheim. Unlike Marx and Weber, Durkheim followed the conservative thesis. The conservative thesis opposed the radical antithesis stating that inequality was natural and necessary in society. Durkheim was also one of the most influential sociologists in regards to functionalism theory. This theory revolved around the idea that social inequalities and stratification exist in order for society to function properly. Durkheim believed that social stratification was based on differences in talents, abilities, and motivation, not by money or means of production as believed by conflict theorists Marx and Weber. While inequalities in classes existed, Durkheim did not focus on why it was they existed, but what kept society a cohesive unit. Durkheim believed what kept society together despite stratification was social solidarity or how people in society come together. He thought there were two different types of social solidarity; mechanical (solidarity from a shared experience of working together towards a common goal) and organic (individuals all have special skills and tasks and are dependent on one another) (Sernau 21). Modern societies have organic solidarity and, similar to organs in the body, individuals in society all have specific jobs in which everyone is necessary for society to run smoothly. The fourth theorist who dealt with developing ideas on social inequality was Gerhard Lenski.
Lenski was eclectic in his influences pulling from all three previously listed theorists; Marx, Weber, and Durkheim. When dealing with social inequality, Lenski fused together ideas from both the functionalist and conflict perspectives. He borrowed from Marx’s idea of mode of production or technology and Weber’s idea of the different realms of power and focused on how societies and inequalities evolve over time. This idea was referred to as the ecological-evolutionary theory. One contribution that Lenski’s theory offers in regards to social stratification is that inequality is a social construct. While inequalities may arise at first due to differences in abilities, inequality is not natural. Hunter-gatherer societies have different jobs and abilities, yet people in those societies tend to remain fairly equal because they work and share together. Inequality only begins when an individual or group claims a position of power and then exploits other members of the society (Sernau
24). While Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Lenski all talked about social inequality, each theorist brought some new contributions to theory. For most theorists, they seem to build of the ideas of a previous theorist, but each address a different aspect of inequality and how that affects society. As time goes on, one can only imagine what other contributions will be made in regards to social stratification.
Works Cited
Sernau, Scott. "The Great Debate." Social Inequality in a Global Age. 3rd ed. Los Angeles: SAGE/Pine Forge, 2011. 13-24. Print.