Max Weber Ideology of Class

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Social Differences and Inequalities

Max Weber was an influential classical sociologist who's regarded as one of the founders of modern sociology. He worked towards contributing to the community's understanding of the sociological perspective, nature of social inequality and developing reasons for social change in reference to distribution of power within society. One of Weber's key concepts is social stratification; subdivided into three categories; class (economic order), status groups, (social order) and parties (political order) which are viewed as the cause of distribution of power within society resulting in social differences and inequalities. These all affect and are affected by the other.

Weber argues that class is a 'group of individuals who share a similar position in a competitive market economy and... receive similar economic rewards'1. Higher an individual's market position easier it becomes to obtain and access goods and services of a prestigious value and their power increases to dispose of them. This results in social groups becoming segregated and differences become evident because individuals in the same market position are more likely to share the same lifestyles and feel a sense of belonging and acceptance within that group. Thus excluding and creating prejudice against