Question

Explain any two of Davis and Moore’s core principles in their analysis of the education system.

Answer 1

Davis and Moore are the pioneers of the principle of stratification in the social system on the basis of education system. The main principles of the theory are- 1. Any society must motivate individuals to fill various positions which are necessary for the production of goods & services in a society. They believe that there has to be a system of unequal rewards which can be in the form of more money, power or high status to motivate talented & highly skilled personnel to attain important positions in the society. Therefore social inequality is a conscious effort to ensure that the most important positions are filled by most qualified persons. However, the critics believe that creating a selective mechanism in the stratified society is harmful because sometimes talented & capable individuals don't get suitable oppurtunities to trained themselves to attain higher posts. On the other hand individuals who has already attained highly rewarded positions they naturally wants to give same position to their own children, in this way the very purpose of this principle doesn't works in every situations. 2. Education is the only medium to categorize individuals according to their talent & abilities. They assume that those who perform well in the school will do well for the society also. According to them without stratification of society, the society will eventually break down. So they argued that inequality, reward & status are essential to motivate talented individuals as it requies long period of training. They are in support of a degree of individual mobility as they think it is necessary condition for the success of stratification of society. If there is any restriction to access the training & oppurtunities to attain top positions then the optimum utilization of talent do not take place.