Using an example of engineers vs. unskilled laborers at a factory, Tumin asserts that while the unskilled laborers might appear more dispensable, over time their functions are just as vital to the operation of the factory, reducing Davis and Moore's claim to a fantasy world removed from the realities of forward-moving time (Tumin, 1953). The main problem with such a justification, however, is that functional importance is determined by the society after stratification, and the system will necessarily uphold its already present system of stratification and assigned importance values, thus perpetuating the status quo regardless of societal benefit (Tumin, 1953). Tumin goes on to point out other flaws with the functional stratification theory, but the main flaw he sees is its perpetuation of the status quo without real consideration (Tumin, 1953).

The theory of functional stratification is closely linked to that of meritocracy. John Andersen claims that meritocracy, a system...
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