SOC 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Washington Consensus, Meritocracy, The Power Elite
3 May 2018
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Note Set 18 11/27- 11/29/2017
The Myth if Meritocracy
- Definition of Meritocracy = you will be rewarded based on your performance everyone
has the opportunity/ chance.
- The Washington Consensus= make rest of world like U.S.A. export capitalism.
- Functionalism + Inequality
o Class + class inequality are functional elements of society Everyone benefits =
Inequality motivates people to work
o Inequality motivates people
o Success + Failure all come down to the individual.
- What does the research indicate?
o Bla + Dua’s states attaiet odel?
▪ Asked about factors of socioeconomic status.
▪ Findings =
▪ 50% ad up have 0 oility
▪ 25% will go up the ladder
▪ 10% will go down
▪ 15% have horizontal mobility
o Key to oility= your father’s eduatio, ioe, oupatio
▪ Occupation= Access to networks= people he know
▪ Income= Hang out with others of same income
▪ Education= expectation of children, can help navigate college
o Problems?
▪ Sociology was Anglo-sentric= did not control gender and race.
▪ Only accounts for objective elements
▪ Does not account for subjective element
1. Meritocracy
- Introducing the Game
2. David Reisuran Recondy Crowd= Veto Society
- Quality of network is important
- Explicit & Latent functions
o Explicit = get college education and degree
o Latent= Access to Network
3. C. Wright Mills The Power Elite
G. William Domboff Who rules America?
While functionalism portrays systems/institutions to be beneficial for everyone but it is
not, only helps the top of the pyramid.
Since ruling class controls the system, they make it difficult for others to gain power
from lower class.
Their policies benefit upper class of expense of others.
Powerbloc= Stop people from gaining power
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Definition of meritocracy = you will be rewarded based on your performance everyone has the opportunity/ chance. The washington consensus= make rest of world like u. s. a. export capitalism. Functionalism + inequality: class + class inequality are functional elements of society everyone benefits = Inequality motivates people: success + failure all come down to the individual. Income= hang out with others of same income: problems, sociology was anglo-sentric= did not control gender and race, only accounts for objective elements, does not account for subjective element, meritocracy. Introducing the game: david reisuran recondy crowd= veto society. Explicit & latent functions: explicit = get college education and degree, latent= access to network, c. wright mills the power elite. While functionalism portrays systems/institutions to be beneficial for everyone but it is not, only helps the top of the pyramid. Since ruling class controls the system, they make it difficult for others to gain power from lower class.
