Question

Examine the Davis-Moore thesis. According to this theory, why is social inequality useful for society? Provide two criticisms of this theory

Subject: Sociology

Answer 1

The David-Morre hypothesis offers a functionalist explanation of social stratification and inequality. It states that because the most difficult jobs in any society are the most necessary for a society’s progress, they should be compensated with the highest rewards in order to sufficiently motivate individuals to fill them. However the theory has been critiqued ok two grounds. Firstly, Davis and Moore argue that rewards as an outcome of satisfactory performance, when rewards are supposed to be based on merit in their argument. Furthermore, there is no clear indication as to why some positions should be worth more than others.