New Right and Stratification

1
New Right and Stratification

• www.educationforum.co.uk

2
Thatcherism

• New Right approaches to sociology became popular
  in the 1980s and are closely linked to the
  politics of Thatcher and Reagan
• AKA market liberalism/neo-liberalism
• Main sociologists of the New Right Peter
  Saunders, David Marsland and Charles Murray

3
Neo liberalism

• Belief in free markets
• Small state
• Low tax
• Equality of opportunity
• Meritocracy
• Individual responsibility
• All based on the 18th/19th century laissez
  faire liberalism of Adam Smith and WE Gladstone
• If markets are allowed to be free the hidden
  hand of the market will look after everyone

4
Saunders and Stratification

• All societies NEED stratification
• Societies were there are unequal rewards work
  best
• Egalitarian societies inevitably become
  repressive whereas in egalitarian societies
  become freer
• If everyone was treated equally force would need
  to be used to get people to undertake difficult
  or unpleasant jobs
• In the absence of economic rewards and penalties
  the only sanctions available would be those
  involving threat of physical force

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3 Types of Equality

• Saunders identifies 3 types of equality
• Formal or Legal equality everyone has the same
  standing under the law and the same legal rights
• Equality of Opportunity everyone has an equal
  chance to become unequal they start the race of
  life from the same start line and the best get
  ahead
• Equality of Outcome everyone gets treated the
  same regardless of ability or effort
• Saunders supports 12 but rejects 3

6
Inegalitarianism

• Saunders and the New Right believe in inequality
  because they argue it promotes economic growth,
  self fulfilment and individual responsibility
• Meritocracy works individual selfishness leads
  to benefits for everyone

7
Charles Murray

• New Right thinkers also criticise as harmful
  social policies designed to create greater
  equality
• Murray argues that over generous benefit systems
  create a dependent underclass who in turn develop
  a deviant and harmful culture of dependence,
  laziness, immorality and criminality