Davis and Moore Theory of Stratification : Functionalist Approach

Davis-Moore Approach to Social Stratification

Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore, prominent American sociologists and former students of Talcott Parsons, introduced a functionalist perspective on social stratification. Their seminal work, “Some Principles of Stratification,” sparked both popularity and controversy within the field of sociology. This article delves into their propositions and critiques surrounding their functionalist theory of inequality.

The Foundation of Stratification

Talcott Parsons emphasized the inevitability of stratification in society, and Davis and Moore expanded on this notion by examining how stratification functions effectively within any given society. They built upon Parsons’ arguments, raising fundamental questions about the differentiation of positions in society and the processes through which individuals attain these positions.

The Four Aspects of Functional Prerequisites

1. Role Filling: One critical aspect is that all roles within society must be filled. Different occupations are essential for a society’s functioning, and ensuring that these roles are occupied is vital. Failure to do so can lead to instability, especially if significant positions remain vacant or are occupied by individuals lacking the requisite skills.

2. Competence: Filling roles is not enough; competence is key. The most competent individuals must fill positions, particularly crucial ones. Imagine the consequences if, for instance, a renowned novelist were to lead a power generation company with no expertise in power generation. This mismatch would not only affect the company but also the stability of the electricity supply.

3. Training: To ensure that the best individuals are selected, training plays a pivotal role. Adequate training helps identify the most qualified candidates for specific positions. In the case of the novelist-turned-power executive, proper training might have made him suitable for the role.

4. Conscientious Performance: Lastly, roles must be performed conscientiously. Dedication to one’s work is crucial for effective performance. Even the most trained and competent individuals can disrupt the system if they fail to carry out their duties diligently.

Functions of Stratification

Davis and Moore argued that all societies require mechanisms for selecting the most qualified individuals for positions and motivating them to perform well. They believed that social stratification, which involves offering unequal rewards and privileges for different positions in society, serves as an effective means to achieve this goal.

Motivation and Unequal Rewards

The primary contributions of a system of unequal rewards are twofold:

1. Motivation for Position Filling: Unequal rewards motivate individuals to pursue certain positions. When higher rewards accompany specific positions, individuals are more inclined to invest effort in becoming qualified for those roles. For example, if the position of a lecturer offers greater rewards than other professions, talented students will strive to meet the qualifications required to become lecturers. This leads to the society having better teachers.

2. Motivation for Performance Improvement: Unequal rewards continue to motivate individuals even after they have secured a position. By rewarding performance through promotions and increased salaries, stratification encourages individuals to improve their performance further. Lecturers, for instance, may enhance their teaching and research activities to attain higher rewards, ultimately benefiting society.

Applicability Across Societal Types

Davis and Moore argued that the system of stratification based on unequal rewards is applicable to both modern, competitive societies and traditional, ascriptive societies. In modern societies, individuals attain positions based on their skills and qualifications, with rewards corresponding to their performance. In contrast, traditional societies allocate positions through ascription, often determined by birth.

Efficiency in Traditional Societies

In traditional societies, positions are typically ascribed at birth, such as in the caste-oriented Indian society. In such contexts, individuals occupy positions based on their status by birth rather than competence. However, Davis and Moore contended that in traditional societies, the emphasis lies on the performance of duties associated with positions. Even if a person’s position is ascribed, diligent performance can lead to rewards through other means.

Basic Propositions of Davis and Moore

To elucidate the role of social stratification as a functional necessity in modern societies, Davis and Moore presented a set of common propositions:

1. Hierarchy of Importance: In every society, some positions are functionally more significant than others. These positions carry greater rewards and higher prestige. For instance, in India, a position in the Indian Administrative Service is esteemed more than other jobs.

2. Limited Merit: Only a limited number of people possess the necessary merit or talents to excel in these crucial roles. This can be observed in competitive exams like the Indian Administrative Service, where only a small fraction of candidates succeed.

3. Intensive Training: Many of these positions require lengthy and intensive training periods, often involving sacrifices on the part of the individuals who aspire to attain them. Professions like medicine, engineering, and chartered accountancy demand extensive and costly training spanning several years. According to Davis and Moore, these sacrifices merit higher financial rewards and greater prestige in society.

These propositions are rooted in the shift from ascriptive criteria to achievement values in modern societies. In such societies, an individual’s merit surpasses their birth in determining their status. Occupations are hierarchically arranged, with those at the top receiving greater rewards and prestige. This system, combined with the competition for rewards, motivates individuals to strive for excellence.

The Role of Social Consensus

Crucially, for this system to thrive, there must be social consensus regarding the importance of various occupations. The ranking of occupations in terms of their superiority should align with the value consensus within that society.

Differentiating Engineers and Skilled Workers

Critics may argue that an engineer in a factory is not fundamentally different from a skilled worker, rendering the higher reward for engineers unjustified. Davis and Moore counter this by emphasizing that engineers possess the skills of skilled workers in addition to other specialized skills. Moreover, the degree to which other positions depend on the engineer sets them apart. Engineers in a factory play a pivotal role in guiding and directing the work of skilled workers.

Criticism of Davis and Moore’s Functional Theory of Social Stratification

The Davis-Moore approach to social stratification has long been considered a rational and realistic explanation for the inequalities that exist in modern societies with social and occupational mobility. However, this theory has not been without its critics. In this article, we will explore the criticisms of Davis and Moore’s functional theory of social stratification, with a particular focus on the arguments put forth by Melvin Tumin.

The Question of Functional Importance

One of the central tenets of the Davis-Moore theory is that functionally important positions in society are highly rewarded. However, Tumin challenges this assertion by raising the question of how functional importance can be accurately measured. He argues that while some positions may appear more important due to higher rewards, it is not necessarily the case that these positions are functionally more crucial to society. Tumin suggests that the importance of a position may be a matter of opinion and not an objective criteria, making it difficult to justify unequal rewards based on functional importance.

The Role of Power

Tumin contends that unequal rewards in society may not solely stem from the functional importance of positions. He emphasizes the role of power in determining the importance of positions and, consequently, appropriating higher rewards. Tumin uses the example of organized and unorganized sector workers in India to illustrate his point. While the type of work may be similar in both sectors, organized sector workers receive higher pay and better social security benefits due to their unionization and greater bargaining power. This demonstrates how power dynamics play a significant role in determining rewards, regardless of functional importance.

Training and Sacrifice

Another aspect of Davis and Moore’s theory is the justification of higher rewards for positions that require greater training and sacrifice. Tumin challenges this argument by suggesting that training does not necessarily equate to sacrifice, as individuals also gain new skills and knowledge through training, ultimately benefiting themselves. Additionally, Tumin points out that the rewards for such positions are often disproportionate to the sacrifices made during training, casting doubt on the theory’s validity.

Motivation and Barriers

One of the key claims of the functional theory is that unequal rewards serve as motivation for individuals to improve their work. Tumin disputes this assertion by highlighting the presence of barriers that limit access to better opportunities. He argues that social discrimination is a pervasive issue in every society, making it difficult for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to compete for better positions. In India, for instance, social inequalities hinder access to quality education for the children of poor families, limiting their ability to improve their positions. Similarly, in the United States, racial and economic disparities create barriers that prevent certain groups, such as Afro-Americans, from competing for better positions.

Reproduction of Inequality

Tumin raises a critical point regarding the perpetuation of inequality within a stratified society. He suggests that those who already receive higher rewards are likely to ensure that their children also benefit from the same rewards. This perpetuates a cycle of inequality, as individuals in privileged positions not only strive to secure their children’s access but also create barriers to prevent others from entering the same positions. Tumin cites the example of civil servants in developed countries like Britain and France, where an overwhelming majority of civil servants are the children of civil servants, illustrating the reproduction of privilege.

The Lack of Equal Opportunity

Tumin’s overarching argument is that the functional theory of social stratification is unrealistic because it assumes equal access to recruitment and training for all potentially talented individuals. He contends that in most societies, such equal access is rarely achieved, rendering the justification of differential rewards based on functional importance untenable. Tumin concludes that stratification systems inherently hinder the development of full equality of opportunity, further undermining the functional theory’s validity.