Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-3-power-relationships

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# Power Relationships

Sociology: AQA GCSE, topic 5.3.3

## Power Relationships

The relationship between those with and without power can be different depending on the group involved. The state may exert power different in relation to particular groups, such as woman, the working class or the young.

### Power and age

![Power and age](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-04/e7150b03-c303-412d-85a9-696bd3de1192/iraq-school-children-girls-learn-read-write-.jpg)

- People under the age of 18 are expected to attend full-time education/training, or be suitably educated at home, or in alternative provision; this is a legal requirement.
- Young people also have restrictions placed on them, for example they aren’t permitted to buy alcohol or cigarettes.

### Marxist views of power relationships

![Marxist views of power relationships](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/6fc55151-5ddd-4b39-b8de-a10ad2518865/police-crime-scene.jpg)

- Marxism argues that power is unequally distributed and that the working classes are treated more harshly than the middle-classes.
- They point to instances where so-called working-class crimes, such as theft and benefit fraud, are treated more severely by the courts than ‘white-collar’ crime such as corporate fraud and tax evasion.

### Everyday power relationships

![Everyday power relationships](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/09543ee4-a509-4f8f-9bdc-78289d9c2a4b/Work-office-discussion-.jpg)

- Power can be exercised in relationships between people in everyday settings such as the home, workplaces and classrooms.
- People enter into power relationships when they try to control or influence other people’s behaviour, or when others try to control them.

### Inequalities

![Inequalities](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/e2148239-a410-4d0c-8863-3c46df223e9e/police-british.jpg)

- Power relationships operate when there are inequalities in power between individuals and groups.
- For example, between children and parents, students and teachers, and the public and the police.

## Walby on Patriarchy

Sylvia Walby (1990) defined patriarchy as a system of social structures and practices in which men dominate and exploit women, and highlighted six patriarchal structures.

### Paid employment

![Paid employment](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/4e7806be-7b07-412b-8579-2e2a8e9049a5/shutterstock_344017262.jpg)

1. Paid employment: 
  - Women typically earn less than men and are excluded from better types of paid work.

### The household

![The household](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-12/8202952a-96af-4983-ae20-82147e10f995/cleaning-clean-housework-.jpg)

2. The household: 
  - Husbands and partners exploit women by benefiting from their unpaid labour at home.

### Culture

![Culture](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/e32876a0-7e5b-48ec-817e-cdbe418beb4b/trans-sexuality-3554250_1920.jpg)

3. Culture: 
  - Culture differentiates between masculinity and femininity, which is defined as being sexually attractive to men.

### Sexuality

![Sexuality](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/285eb045-4eac-401c-bf3e-52fb5aad4157/man-woman-bed-chaste.jpg)

4. Sexuality: 
  - The double standard is an aspect of male dominance; sexually active women may be viewed negatively while sexually active men are admired.

### Violence

![Violence](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/1cb2d50e-1396-4109-94a1-ff456aa90635/stop-1131143__480.jpg)

5. Male violence against women:
  - Male violence affects women’s actions in the form of power over them.

### The state

![The state](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/c81297c7-4cb2-4af1-949f-b9dbd449becf/shutterstock_89100241.jpg)

6. The state: 
  - State policies are biased towards patriarchal interests.
  - There has been little effort to improve women’s position in the public sphere, including the workplace.

## Test yourself on Power Relationships

- How many patriarchal structures did Sylvia Walby (1990) identify?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/31b5a110-bffe-4156-a620-495a430ceed1/section/9435dfd2-2dc2-4381-95d1-a17498f9782d/session)

- Previous topic: [5.3.2 Sociological Perspectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-2-sociological-perspectives.md)
- Next topic: [5.3.4 End of Topic Test - Power & Authority](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-4-end-of-topic-test-power-and-authority.md)

## Sociology: AQA GCSE contents

### 1 The Sociological Approach
- 1.1 Introduction to Sociology
  - [1.1.1 What is Sociology?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-1-1-what-is-sociology.md)
  - [1.1.2 Culture & Socialisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-1-2-culture-and-socialisation.md)
- 1.2 Sociological Approaches
  - [1.2.1 Marxism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-1-marxism.md)
  - [1.2.2 Marxism 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-2-marxism-2.md)
  - [1.2.3 Functionalism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-3-functionalism.md)
  - [1.2.4 Feminism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-2-4-feminism.md)
- 1.3 The Consensus vs. Conflict Debate
  - [1.3.1 The Consensus vs. Conflict Debate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-3-1-the-consensus-vs-conflict-debate.md)
  - [1.3.2 End of Topic Test - The Sociological Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/1-3-2-end-of-topic-test-the-sociological-approach.md)

### 2 Families
- 2.1 Functions of Families
  - [2.1.1 Functionalist Views on Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-1-1-functionalist-views-on-family.md)
  - [2.1.2 Marxist Views on Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-1-2-marxist-views-on-family.md)
  - [2.1.3 Feminist Views on Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-1-3-feminist-views-on-family.md)
- 2.2 Family Forms
  - [2.2.1 What is a Family?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-1-what-is-a-family.md)
  - [2.2.2 Nuclear Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-2-nuclear-family.md)
  - [2.2.3 Families in a Global Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-3-families-in-a-global-context.md)
  - [2.2.4 The Rapoports & Family Diversity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-4-the-rapoports-and-family-diversity.md)
  - [2.2.5 Causes of Family Diversity](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-5-causes-of-family-diversity.md)
  - [2.2.6 End of Topic Test - Family Forms](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-2-6-end-of-topic-test-family-forms.md)
- 2.3 Conjugal Role Relationships
  - [2.3.1 Conjugal Roles](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-3-1-conjugal-roles.md)
- 2.4 Changing Relationships Within Families
  - [2.4.1 Timeline](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-4-1-timeline.md)
  - [2.4.2 Domestic Abuse](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-4-2-domestic-abuse.md)
  - [2.4.3 Symmetrical Family](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-4-3-symmetrical-family.md)
- 2.5 Criticisms of Families
  - [2.5.1 Functionalist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-1-functionalist-views-of-families.md)
  - [2.5.2 Marxist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-2-marxist-views-of-families.md)
  - [2.5.3 Feminist Views of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-3-feminist-views-of-families.md)
  - [2.5.4 Declining Marriage Rate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-4-declining-marriage-rate.md)
  - [2.5.5 End of Topic Test - Criticisms of Families](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-5-5-end-of-topic-test-criticisms-of-families.md)
- 2.6 Divorce
  - [2.6.1 Reasons For Rise in Divorce Rate](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-1-reasons-for-rise-in-divorce-rate.md)
  - [2.6.2 Consequences of Divorce](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-2-consequences-of-divorce.md)
  - [2.6.3 Functionalist Views](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-3-functionalist-views.md)
  - [2.6.4 Marxist Views](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-4-marxist-views.md)
  - [2.6.5 Feminist Views](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-5-feminist-views.md)
  - [2.6.6 End of Topic Test - Divorce](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/2-6-6-end-of-topic-test-divorce.md)

### 3 Education
- 3.1 Roles & Functions of Education
  - [3.1.1 The Functionalist Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-1-the-functionalist-approach.md)
  - [3.1.2 Evaluating Different Perspectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-2-evaluating-different-perspectives.md)
  - [3.1.3 Types of School](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-3-types-of-school.md)
  - [3.1.4 Alternative Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-4-alternative-education.md)
  - [3.1.5 State & Private Schools](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-1-5-state-and-private-schools.md)
- 3.2 Processes Within Schools
  - [3.2.1 Internal Processes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-2-1-internal-processes.md)
  - [3.2.2 External Processes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-2-2-external-processes.md)
- 3.3 Educational Achievement
  - [3.3.1 Measuring Educational Success](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-1-measuring-educational-success.md)
  - [3.3.2 Social Class & Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-2-social-class-and-education.md)
  - [3.3.3 Social Class & External Factors](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-3-social-class-and-external-factors.md)
  - [3.3.4 Gender & Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-4-gender-and-education.md)
  - [3.3.5 Ethnicity & Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-5-ethnicity-and-education.md)
  - [3.3.6 Parental Choice](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-6-parental-choice.md)
  - [3.3.7 History of UK Education Policy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-7-history-of-uk-education-policy.md)
  - [3.3.8 Recent UK Education Policy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-8-recent-uk-education-policy.md)
  - [3.3.9 End of Topic Test - Education](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/3-3-9-end-of-topic-test-education.md)

### 4 Crime & Deviance
- 4.1 The Social Construction of Crime
  - [4.1.1 Defining Crime & Deviance](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-1-defining-crime-and-deviance.md)
  - [4.1.2 Sociological Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-2-sociological-explanations-of-crime.md)
  - [4.1.3 Interactionist Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-3-interactionist-explanations-of-crime.md)
  - [4.1.4 Alternative Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-1-4-alternative-explanations-of-crime.md)
- 4.2 Social Control
  - [4.2.1 Informal Social Control](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-2-1-informal-social-control.md)
  - [4.2.2 Formal Social Control](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-2-2-formal-social-control.md)
  - [4.2.3 End of Topic Test - Social Construction of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-2-3-end-of-topic-test-social-construction-of-crime.md)
- 4.3 Criminal & Deviant Behaviour
  - [4.3.1 Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-1-explanations-of-crime.md)
  - [4.3.2 Social Class & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-2-social-class-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.3 Gender & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-3-gender-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.4 Ethnicity & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-4-ethnicity-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.5 Age & Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-5-age-and-crime.md)
  - [4.3.6 Criminal Responsibility](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-6-criminal-responsibility.md)
  - [4.3.7 The Prison System](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-7-the-prison-system.md)
  - [4.3.8 Media Reporting of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-8-media-reporting-of-crime.md)
  - [4.3.9 Functionalist Explanations of Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-3-9-functionalist-explanations-of-crime.md)
- 4.4 Data on Crime
  - [4.4.1 Measuring Crime](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-4-1-measuring-crime.md)
  - [4.4.2 End of Topic Test - Criminal & Deviant Behaviour](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/4-4-2-end-of-topic-test-criminal-and-deviant-behaviour.md)

### 5 Social Stratification
- 5.1 Social Stratification
  - [5.1.1 What is Social Stratification?](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-1-what-is-social-stratification.md)
  - [5.1.2 Functionalism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-2-functionalism.md)
  - [5.1.3 Socio-Economic Class](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-3-socio-economic-class.md)
  - [5.1.4 Socio-Economic Class 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-4-socio-economic-class-2.md)
  - [5.1.5 Life Chances](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-5-life-chances.md)
  - [5.1.6 The Affluent Worker](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-6-the-affluent-worker.md)
  - [5.1.7 End of Topic Test - Social Stratifictaion](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-1-7-end-of-topic-test-social-stratifictaion.md)
- 5.2 Poverty as a Social Issue
  - [5.2.1 Defining Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-1-defining-poverty.md)
  - [5.2.2 Factors Affecting Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-2-factors-affecting-poverty.md)
  - [5.2.3 Explanations of Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-3-explanations-of-poverty.md)
  - [5.2.4 Impact of Globalisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-4-impact-of-globalisation.md)
  - [5.2.5 End of Topic Test - Poverty as a Social Issue](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-2-5-end-of-topic-test-poverty-as-a-social-issue.md)
- 5.3 Power & Authority
  - [5.3.1 Weber](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-1-weber.md)
  - [5.3.2 Sociological Perspectives](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-2-sociological-perspectives.md)
  - [5.3.3 Power Relationships](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-3-power-relationships.md)
  - [5.3.4 End of Topic Test - Power & Authority](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/5-3-4-end-of-topic-test-power-and-authority.md)

### 6 Sociological Research Methods
- 6.1 Research Methods
  - [6.1.1 Research Design](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-1-research-design.md)
  - [6.1.2 The Scientific Method](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-2-the-scientific-method.md)
  - [6.1.3 Other Considerations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-3-other-considerations.md)
  - [6.1.4 Primary Sources](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-4-primary-sources.md)
  - [6.1.5 Secondary Sources](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-5-secondary-sources.md)
  - [6.1.6 Surveys](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-6-surveys.md)
  - [6.1.7 Sampling](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-7-sampling.md)
  - [6.1.8 Questionnaires](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-8-questionnaires.md)
  - [6.1.9 Interviews](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-9-interviews.md)
  - [6.1.10 Observation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-10-observation.md)
  - [6.1.11 Statistics](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-11-statistics.md)
  - [6.1.12 Case Studies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-12-case-studies.md)
  - [6.1.13 Longitudinal Studies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-13-longitudinal-studies.md)
  - [6.1.14 Ethnography](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-14-ethnography.md)
  - [6.1.15 Experiments](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-15-experiments.md)
  - [6.1.16 Small Scale Research](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-16-small-scale-research.md)
  - [6.1.17 End of Topic Test - Research Methods](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/sociology/aqa/6-1-17-end-of-topic-test-research-methods.md)