CLASS, STATUS, PARTY

Economically Determined Power and the Social Order

1. Definition of power
2. Relationship among the various orders (social, economic, legal, etc).
3. Concept of social honor - its relationships with power

Determination of Class Situation....

1. Definition of class and class situation
2. What is the role of material property in Weber's analysis of class, class power, and class differences?
3. Definition of life chances.
4. What are the two major classes?
5. Discuss the differentiation within classes - is Weber's analysis relevant to study contemporary social stratification? Why?
6. What is the difference between classes and status groups?

Communal Action Flowing from Class Interest-Types of "Class Struggle"

1. What is the relationship between class and class interest?
2. Define communal action and societal action.
3. Under what conditions do class situations lead to the emergence of mass actions, communal actions and societal actions?
4. How does Weber define class struggle? Where does he locate them?
5. Historically, how have class struggles changed?
6. Identify Weber's main contributions to the study of class consciousness and class struggles.

Status Honor - Guarantees of Status Stratification

1. Why are status groups normally communities?
2. Define status situation
3. Compare and contrast class situation and status situation
4. Can people in the same status situation belong to different class situations? If so, illustrate the point with contemporary examples.
5. What are the guarantees of status stratification?

Ethnic Segregation and "Caste" - Status Privileges

1. Examine the links between status groups, ethnicity and caste.
2. Is the notion of status privilege similar to or related to the contemporary notion of "life style"? Why?
3. Apply Weber's analysis to the U.S. situation today.

Economic Conditions and Effects of Status Stratification

1. Discuss the characteristics of market relations
2. Discuss the characteristics of the status order
3. How are classes stratified?

4.. How are status groups stratified?

5. Outline Weber's main observations about the dynamics between the

economic order and the status order.

6. Outline Weber's theory of social dynamics or social change. Under

what conditions does economic stratification prevail? Under what conditions does status stratification become dominant?

7. Apply These insights to current U.S. conditions

Parties

1. Parties live in a house of power. Explain.
2. Identify Weber's main ideas about political parties and apply his insights to the U.S. situation.

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