Sociological Perspectives
Sociology: AQA GCSE, topic 5.3.2
Marxism and Feminism on Power
In society, different groups exercise power and authority. Power may come from government in the form of laws, customs and traditions. Different sociological perspectives view power and authority in varying ways.
Marxist perspectives on power
- Marxists see power as closely linked to social class; the bourgeoisie’s power is based on their ownership of the means of production and they use this power to exploit the proletariat.
- Political power arises from economic power, so the wealthy (the bourgeoisie) also hold political power.
Feminist perspectives on power
- Feminists see gender inequality as the most important source of division in society.
- Some feminists argue that society is patriarchal, that is, controlled by men who had considerable power within politics and the workplace.
- Women are underrepresented among holders of political power, decision makers and the top levels of the judiciary in Britain.