1 - Dependency culture

• Saunders


  Evidence suggests generations are climbing the social classes therefore meritocracy is about empowering people, who are not breaking the cycle. People from marginalised populations are improving. Inequality is beneficial to improve fair opportunities by creating competition.
• Saunders (1996)


  Argues stratification does serve important functions and most agree it is almost universal but questions whether any future society would need to be cooercive (use force) to ensure equality without incentives/motives of rewards.
• Inequality promotes economic growth, individuals get rich and society becomes more affluent as it gains by their efforts
• Absolute chance of getting a higher paid job increased for everyone regardless of relative chances of class.
• Saunders argues working class fail to become rich as of lack of ability rather than blocked opportunities (focuses on single mothers)
• Social inequality is thus a small price to pay for society as a whole becoming more prosperous
• Influenced by Hayek (1944)


  Argued capitalism is a dynamic system that continually raises standards of living so the poor is better off than 30 years ago. Without incentives, consumer goods would not exist today as people would not have been motivated to produce them.
• Evaluation of Sanders:

  • Downplays the argument that the disparity of rewards may create resentment and dissatisfaction leading to deviance and social disorder.
• Dependency culture by Saunders:

  • Benefits are so high and generous that people no longer feel the need to go out and work as they can live comfortably without work.
  • Tax-free cash-in-hand work and commit crimes to supplement incomes.
  • Badly educated and lack skills so if they get jobs, they're so low paid that it isn't in their interests to work.