Class & Power Structure
Karl Marx studied the structure of society in relation to its major classes. For that, through economic systems, he categorised the society into classes - proletariat and bourgeoisie. In some theoretical traditions in sociology, most notably Marxism, class figures at the very core of the theoretical structure (Wright, 2003).
Social stratification on the basis of ‘class’ system remains one of the most widely discussed issues. Meanwhile, this rationale has been immensely used to study or understand the power structures across the world.
Further, Max Weber was of the opinion that “class is more complex than Marx initially supposed.” According to him, status and party (power) are some important factors that add to the social inequality (as quoted in Wright, 2003).
Contrary to functionalists, conflict theorists who mostly work with Weber’s three systems of stratification - class, status, and power - argue that power is the central feature of society. Besides others, Ralf Dahrendorf sees ‘class’ as related more to power than to money or occupation. Even though class system based on economic stratification remains one of the most important frameworks to understand power structure in major parts of the world, it has some exceptions in few regions as well (Allen, 2006).