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Unit-22: Concept of Status, Class and Power

notes

Notes This is also true that only wealth and power not always provides social prestige,
no person can get respect on the basis of only money or power for that, some other
qualities are needed. But social prestige can be the basis of political or financial
power.

This social prestige whether it be for any reason, is important to decide the social order. From the words
of max Weber, “The way the social prestige is distributed among special groups of any community,
can we can say the same social order.”

Task What is social order? Discuss briefly.

But max Weber believes difference between social, financial and constitutional order. Both Social
order and financial order equally related with the constitutional order. But Social order and financial
order are not same. Financial order is just the way through which financial things and services can be
distributed and consumed. There is no doubt in it that social order gets highly affected by financial
order and also affects financial order. But it is wrong to think that both are same. Social class works
under this order.

concept of social class and its characteristics

As already said that Weber’s concept of Social class is basically based on financial basis, because
from social class Weber means such group which has been given same social opportunities or life-
related facilities due to financial reasons. According to max Weber, “We can call a group, a class when
persons of that group have got equally the special chances of life. Even this group is according to the
right on things or related with the means of facilities of income completely determined by economic
considerations or to the conditions of labour-market.” In other words, According to max Weber class
has three specialties-(1) Normally all members of same class gets the same chance or type of financial
facilities ; (2) Class completely based on financial profit and its members get some certain chances
related to the income and the authority on things.
It creates special condition to have or not to have the assets in a class. In which that class lives. Max
Weber called it ‘Condition of Class’. For example, peoples of that class which having assets, have more
opportunities to earn money, buy products, and maintain high standard life style, these opportunity
will create special condition for that class in which they suppose to live. This is condition of class.
One class lives in something or almost same condition.

22.2 Life chances and class situation

Right on things and facilities of income are important in determining different classes, since according
to that only the persons of that group gets some special chances of life. Those who have more money
can get more things and services; in addition he can control the means of manufacturing. Opposite
to that who does not have money , they can only sell their services and labour ; this is the only tool
of their living. This way ‘having wealth’ and ‘not having wealth’ is the basis of all types of class. In

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