New Right views on inequality:
Intro:
New Right theories developed from a combination of extreme
conservatism and Functionalism
It is very significant politically, but has not been adopted by many
sociologists as a mainstream way of analysing society
Neoliberalism is a theory of economics that suggests governments
cannot run economies efficiently. It argues that control of services
should be left to commercial companies. People can then make
rational choices about how they spend her money
Point 1: The Underclass
AO2:
Murray is linked to underclass theory, where he claimed that the UK
is developing an underclass of people with a culture characterised
by crime, unemployment and illegitimacy
Women who are unmarried are unable to control their children. Lack
of a father causes children to be badly socialised
This results in poor educational attainment and criminality
An entire class of people is developing who are welfare dependent
and unwilling/unable to help themselves
He blames the rise in single parenthood, which he associates young
single mothers, with being the cause of rising crime
He claims the underclass consists of the very poorest people in
society, those for whom crime has become a way of life
Benefits are too generous, and this means that people prefer to
survive on benefits rather than getting work
AO3:
Marxists argue that Murray ignores the root causes of poverty, like
class inequality, capitalism and lack of opportunity
They say that the working class are not to blame for their position,
instead inequality is produced by the economic system itself
Bourdieu talks about cultural capital and how working-class people
lack the resources and networks to succeed, not the will
Erik Ohlin Wright argues that Murray oversimplifies class by blaming
individuals instead of power structures and exploitation
Marxists reject the idea of a “culture of poverty” and argue poverty
is imposed, not chosen
Point 2: The cycle of criminality
AO2:
Murray believes that a culture of dependency creates and leads to
crime
Crime and benefit dependency means that fathers do not have to
look after their children, leading to single parenthood among
women, which means mothers survive on benefits
Intro:
New Right theories developed from a combination of extreme
conservatism and Functionalism
It is very significant politically, but has not been adopted by many
sociologists as a mainstream way of analysing society
Neoliberalism is a theory of economics that suggests governments
cannot run economies efficiently. It argues that control of services
should be left to commercial companies. People can then make
rational choices about how they spend her money
Point 1: The Underclass
AO2:
Murray is linked to underclass theory, where he claimed that the UK
is developing an underclass of people with a culture characterised
by crime, unemployment and illegitimacy
Women who are unmarried are unable to control their children. Lack
of a father causes children to be badly socialised
This results in poor educational attainment and criminality
An entire class of people is developing who are welfare dependent
and unwilling/unable to help themselves
He blames the rise in single parenthood, which he associates young
single mothers, with being the cause of rising crime
He claims the underclass consists of the very poorest people in
society, those for whom crime has become a way of life
Benefits are too generous, and this means that people prefer to
survive on benefits rather than getting work
AO3:
Marxists argue that Murray ignores the root causes of poverty, like
class inequality, capitalism and lack of opportunity
They say that the working class are not to blame for their position,
instead inequality is produced by the economic system itself
Bourdieu talks about cultural capital and how working-class people
lack the resources and networks to succeed, not the will
Erik Ohlin Wright argues that Murray oversimplifies class by blaming
individuals instead of power structures and exploitation
Marxists reject the idea of a “culture of poverty” and argue poverty
is imposed, not chosen
Point 2: The cycle of criminality
AO2:
Murray believes that a culture of dependency creates and leads to
crime
Crime and benefit dependency means that fathers do not have to
look after their children, leading to single parenthood among
women, which means mothers survive on benefits
