Weber’s “The Distribution of Power within the Political Community: Class, Status, Party” illustrates how all groups within a society react to individuals who wish to improve their social standing. Weber says that this response is because all groups within a community know the significance of the status order and how it can impede the unrestrained growth of the market. The development of the free market is hindered by factors such as differences in occupational status, the doctoral rule that does not favor transformational policies in the free market, social status and class conflicts.
The unbalanced occupational status within the society has a consequential effect on social status since it creates imbalances that cause unstrained growth. Weber argues that occupational status is a social honor virtue and describes a unique manner of living (Appelrouth et al. 367). The occupational position divides communities in terms of honor, creating a high degree of indifferences to income levels in society. The indifferences in the income levels can be minimized only when the general economic conditions are stratified; consequently, the acquisition and distribution of products are relatively constant. Nonetheless, uneven occupational position impedes the unrestrained growth of the market because it results in imbalanced economic transformation and technological ramifications, bringing the class issue to the forefront of concern. The slowed rate of change in economic stratification influences a society’s social status (Appelrouth et al. 367). In addition, occupational status produces imbalances that lead to the emergence of free market competition, resulting in conflicts between the status order and the economic order (Appelrouth et al. 366). Consequently, altering the hard bargaining, especially among peers and members of the same group, stigmatizes the economic position that ends up with free development of the market.
The traditional authority establishes the beliefs and regulations that govern the society. The power is restored to kings and chiefs and is obtained through hereditary lines and initiation procedures that tend to favor their policies without looking into market value; hence, this affects the development of the free market. Thus, the loyalty and legitimacy of the rule of law are served under the leaders’ authority because the leaders impose immutable laws and norms that tend to benefit them. This leadership is resistant to societal transformative change, inhibiting the market’s unrestrained growth (Appelrouth et al. 371). In addition, the consequence of a rule of dominance demands a specific group of individuals to obey certain norms while excluding others. The rule of dominance influences economic means. The reign of domination empowers specific individuals who create policies and particular instructions. The upshot of this type of control is that the administrative staff offers their bosses their allegiance and obedience. The charisms are turned into common occurrences (Appelrouth et al. 374). As a result, it generates anti-economic policies and impedes the unrestrained growth of the market (Appelrouth et al. 384). These policies must be revised to meet the requirements of all members of society
The dominance of the personal domain in the market influences the economic conditions that influence free market development. A personal domain is determined by a person’s way of life and honor, which determines the source of their economic acquisition and strength. Economic strength and acquisition impact the market’s free exchange and monopolization. The establishment of economic power results in the restriction of the free market, which leads to the formation of classes of people who oppose and hinder the development of the free market. The frequent stratification of status permeates economic empowerment, with persons of higher political positions dominating the market; consequently, this results in the absence of free market competition. For instance, ancient and medieval communities controlled the market, making the formation of a free market as it is now tricky (Weber 936). Consequently, the political supremacy of the establishment that dictates the economic autonomy that impacts the development of competitive markets inhibits the growth of free markets.
Influential pattern on the distribution of honor, the notion of classes within the economic system that the status groups establish develops inside the social order. The status group influences each other, influencing the legal system, which drives market power development. The effect of social classes on individuals is directed toward the acquisition of social power, so influencing communal behavior and the growth of the free market. The purpose of community action is to foster socialization that enables a society to be materialistic or to generate personal power, particularly for its leaders (Weber 176). Building materialistic or personal power for leaders inhibits the market’s unfettered development. Moreover, stratification leads to the market monopolization of materials and goods. This results in the formation of conventional status that leads to the market. Monopoly (Weber 168).
Class conflict produces ambiguity in the economic interests that define the market’s survival. Class-interest subjects members of society to distinct social classes. The class circumstance impacts what an individual may wish to pursue; consequently, this helps to assess the degree to which an individual is qualified for particular work. Consequently, the class condition impacts the performance of community actions, such as trade unions that affect the performance of goods in the market (Weber 168). As a result, the establishment of class situations inhibits the market’s unfettered development.
The disqualification of the application of the concept of status stratification that permits the use of social order affects the allocation of power, which is exclusively managed by the market. Personal distinctions, whereby functional interests predominate the market, and so affect the growth of a free market, are among the elements influencing the market’s functioning. In addition, the acquisition of status causes all social groupings to take a keener interest in the status hierarchy than in purely economic acquisition (Weber 173). The more people are interested in acquiring status orders, the more it inhibits free market development.
In conclusion, Weber explores how groups within a community react to pretensions that try to elevate social standing. Society acknowledges the relevance of the status order and how it impedes the growth of the free market. According to Weber, social status includes occupational virtue, which causes a significant degree of disparities in the income levels of society that can be reduced by stratifying economic conditions. When occupational virtue in society is imbalanced, direct market growth is impeded. The stratification promotes monopolization that consequently causes monopolies in the market. As a result, the market situation is affected by the hindrance of free market development. The status of the personal domain leads to the determination of economic power that results in the monopolization of the free market, hence, hindering the free market development. Class conflicts create ambiguity in the market, thus, affecting the market conditions that end up hindering free market development.
Works Cited
Appelrouth, Scott, and Edles, Laura. “Max Weber (1864-1920).” Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory, Text and Readings. Sage Publications, 2020, pp. 306-399
Weber, Max. “Class, Status, Party.” Social Theory: A Reader, edited by Jonathan Joseph, Edinburgh University Press, 2005, pp. 165–177, Web.
Weber, Max.” Political Communities.” Distribution of power within political community, pp. 926-940