The main question is understanding the concept of morality and the market is whether moral restraints should be available in the market. It is imperative to note that free markets are positive forces that make society active due to the competitive nature of the activities undertaken in the market. For example, free markets make it possible for people to purchase goods and services at relatively reasonable and lower prices (Eugene, 2003). Such forms of exchanges are fair because they ensure that a large number of people benefit from the free market. This means that any restrictions levelled against a free market would be detrimental to many people even though such restrictions good be well-intentioned (Barker, 2005, p.436).
The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the United States has achieved the free level market or whether the US is still a stratified society and economy. A stratified society and economy refer to an arrangement of the society and economy in form of wealth and power present in the society ad economy. This entails the classification of people into different groups depending on their socio-economic status which is based on social, political, economic and ideological elements.
From the Marxist perspective, production in capitalistic nations involves two parts which include Superstructure and the Base. The Base involves the production relations between the employer and the employee conditions of work, property relations and labour division. From Marxists philosophical point of view regarding society and the economy, means of production are owned by the ruling class. Based on Marxists societal and economic perspective, it is evident that the US has achieved a market since means of production in the United States are freely traded in a free market and they are owned by all the people who can afford them. Hence, the argument postulated by the Marxists that means of production are owned by the ruling classes who have absolute control of such means of production is not practical in the United States.
However, exploring Max Weber’s perspective of what makes a stratified society and economy, it is true that the US is still a stratified society and economy. According to Max Weber, the society and the economy in the US is characterized by several classes which include workers in white-collar jobs, upper class, workers in manual jobs and petite bourgeoisie. This is true because of the free market system that exists in the United States where every individual strives to fit in one of the four classes mentioned above.
From Weber’s standpoint, the US has indeed achieved a market that is characterized by a stratified society and economy in form of the types of jobs held by individuals in the market and people’s standards of living. From the two arguments derived from Marxists and Weber’s point of view regarding stratification in the society and economy, the US indeed deviates from Marxist’s stratification in that the ruling classes no longer command the market in the US (Saunders, 1990). However, Weber’s stratification of the society and economy converges with the present reality in the US because different types ranging from white-collar jobs to manual jobs exist in the US economy. The differences in the types of jobs performed to result in different lifestyles which gives rise to different classes of people in the society. Hence, the US has achieved a market but elements of stratified society and economy still exist.
Works Cited
Barker, C. Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice. London: Sage, p. 436. 2005.
Eugene, H. Morality and the Market, McGraw Hill Publishers, 2003.
Saunders, P. Social Class and Stratification, Rutledge, 1990.