'The Book' - Blog 14

chapter three continued...

The last section is called the inequality and social relations of work. This looks at the hierarchical division of labour. How and why are people promoted? What attributes are looked at? How does this relate to sex, class and race?

1. Cognitive capacities and skills is the first category. The authors found that there is an access and denial of skill training that maintains economic inequality.

2. Personality traits: this means understanding hierarchical roles. This also has to so with ones motivation, perseverance, and docility. These are traits that enables one to operate effectively within a job.

3. There are modes of self-presentation. This may be used by employers in their efforts to stabilize and legitimize the power relationship.

4. Ascriptive characteristics and acquired credentials: (race, sex and age) : The policy of basing pay on race, sex, credentials, and seniority is used by employers to control wages in the pursuit of profits.

Studies from the book: Avenues for getting ahead work most effectively for the already economically advantaged. This is the same for seniority and education credentials. This is not just in the idea of white vs. black but also includes high vs. low socio-economic class.

The authors conclude the chapter stating that economic life must be democratized to realize John Deweys ideal society. Failure of liberal educational reform must be linked to fundamental characteristics of the economy.

Onto Chapter 4...