Functionalism

Is inequality inevitable or even desirable?

Davis & Moore (1945)Role Allocation

Teacher

Secretary

Doctor

Builder

Airline pilot

Cleaner

Health Visitor

Davis & Moore (1945)Role Allocation

Argue that inequality is necessary in society.

Why do you think Davis & Moore argued that you need to pay lawyers and managers a lot more than binmen and secretaries?

Davis & Moore

• School is functional to the needs of society (industry, commerce, arts, media). It does this by sifting, sorting out, and grading the ‘most talented’ kids

BINMANBRAIN SURGEON

SECRETARY

LAWYER

BURGER-FLIPPER

MANAGER

Davis and Moore

• It grades pupils by ‘ability’ and effort and then slots them into the system.

• Equal opportunity in education does not exist as achievement is largely dictated by social class.

• Marxists argue that education in capitalist societies only transmits the ideology of a minority –the ruling class. (not instilling shared common values)

• Wrong (1971)- claims functionalists wrongly imply that students passively accept all that they are taught and never reject the schools values.

• The new right argue that state education system fails to prepare young people adequately for work.

Criticisms of Functionalism