Sociology concepts and applications

SOCIOLOGY

Would it be either desirable or possible to establish a truly classless society? Why? Provide both supporting and opposing viewpoints. In other words, the pros and cons to this type of society.

It is not entirely clear whether it would be either desirable or possible to establish a truly classless society. However, the idea of a truly classless society offers many advantages. First, a truly classless society would eliminate the conflicts and tensions which presently exist between the "haves" and the "have nots." The source of these conflicts and tensions is primarily due to the fact that certain individuals (i.e., "have nots") cannot afford even basic needs such as clothing, food, health insurance, and shelter while other individuals (i.e., "haves") may afford not only basic needs but also "luxury" items such as sports utility vehicles.

Next, a truly classless society would allow every individual to compete solely on the basis of merit. This is vital because presently, certain individuals receive opportunities (i.e., jobs, promotions, raises, etc.) merely because of their financial status or because of whom they know. Eliminating the class divisions in society would ensure that all individuals who were qualified based upon objective factors such as education, experience, intelligence, skills, training, etc. would be given a fair opportunity to compete for a position. In addition, emphasizing objective factors would allow society to return to a meritocracy, which would ensure that jobs, promotions, raises, etc. were doled out to the individual who was most qualified, not the individual who had the better class position or most connections.

While the notion of a truly classless society offers numerous advantages, there are also many disadvantages. First, a truly classless society devalues one of the core hallmarks of our democratic society, i.e., the theory of capitalism. One of the things which makes our democratic society function as well as it does is capitalism, i.e., the concept that individuals who work hard will eventually reap the financial rewards of their sweat. Next, although a truly classless society would theoretically enable all individuals to meet their basic needs, someone (most likely the government) would then have to pay for or subsidize these needs. Arguably this would create incentives for individuals to not work as hard because they would know that the government (or welfare state) would pay for all of their basic needs.

Third, although a truly classless society would erase some of the conflicts and tensions between the "haves" and "have nots," it would not eliminate other sources of conflict and tensions. For example, individuals are divided along educational levels, ethnic lines, occupational lines, political beliefs, religious ideologies, etc. In addition, a truly classless society would eliminate the order and structure of our present society, leading to chaos, disorganization, and perhaps lawlessness. Lastly, a truly classless society would result in stasis, i.e., there would be no incentive for individuals to compete, to strive to reach a higher level. It is the concept of striving to constantly improve one's economic, educational, financial, or occupational position that is what makes our society one of the most innovative and technologically advanced.

QUESTION #2: Do you think it would be possible to establish a totally liberated society in which all gender-related differences were seen as just that- differences- and were not evaluated as more or less desirable. Why?