A Society without Class Segregation is Doomed to Stagnation.
Class segregation is the structured and enforced differences between groups of people within a community, nation, or establishment. Before modern democracy and free will, societies controlled class segregation based on personal predispositions such as race, religion, convictions, locality, and alliances. Conversely, after the introduction of constitutional equality, class segregation became a factor of social, political, and economic paradigms. The debate on merits and demerits of class segregation takes multiple perceptive based on the nature of the case and the circumstances surrounding the segregation. Although there are obvious disadvantages of class segregation, a society without it is doomed to stagnation subsequent reduced incentives for class mobility.
Karl Marx used the conflict theory to delineate the underlying nature of a normal the society. He argued that societies are in a perpetual state of conflict as individuals and groups scramble for the limited resources. This predominant characteristic of society helps people and systems to readjust based on resources accumulation, power, and other agreed-on methods that uphold a functional society. In a similar scholarly discourse, Spaiser et al., (104) analyzed the dangers of an imaginary ‘utopian’ society that ensures nearly perfect state for all citizens. In such a society, people would have no incentives to accumulate wealth leading to a gradual loss of civilization and sustainable development.
Secondly, class segregation leads to the establishment of economic and political models of growth. As observed by Wu, Edensor, and Cheng (14), the social classes are always in constant negotiation for labor, resources, and other assorted benefits. The superior class offers the resources in exchange for labor. Without segregation, there would be unintended economic stagnation due to lack of either labor or resources for development. Moreover, the constant struggle and the guaranteed class mobility based on hard work and innovation is the leading incentive for social growth. By eliminating it and assuming an equal society, individuals would become contented and less innovative.
Additionally, a society without class segregation would defy the known theories of social development. Majority of the social development theory originates from the traditional structural functionalism theory (Spaiser et al., 129). The structural functionalism theory assumes that a society is made of different parts that work together to promote solidarity and stability. The framework of theories recognizes that at every point in a society, there would be class segregation and conflict for class mobility as the lower group strives to shift to the upper class. In response, the upper class seeks to accumulate more wealth and maintain the gap between the classes. Historically, this assumption has proven to be necessary for the development and reinforcement of social development strategies. A society that assumes overall class equality would thus endure a guaranteed stagnation in the end.
Class segregation is one of the oldest social patterns before and since civilization. As supported by a framework of sociological theories, the differences between individuals, groups, and social factions create a constant state of conflict, which leads to continued growth. It is thus prejudiced to initiate development agendas based on the assumption of a ‘utopian’ society. Therefore, even though class segregation has proven disadvantages especially to the marginalized groups, it is necessary to ensure sustainable development for the entire society. The benefit of class segregation also arises from the fact that a ‘utopian’ society is impractical considering the confounding aspects of individuals and groups.
Works Cited
Spaiser, Viktoria, et al. “Identifying complex dynamics in social systems: A new methodological
approach applied to study school segregation.” Sociological Methods & Research 47.2 (2018): 103-135.
Wu, Qiyan, Tim Edensor, and Jianquan Cheng. “Beyond Space: Spatial (Re) Production and
Middle‐Class Remaking Driven by Jiaoyufication in Nanjing City, China.” International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 42.1 (2018): 1-19.