THE STRUCTURAL BASIS OF SOCIAL-INEQUALITY

This article discusses the concept of rent and its use in analysis of inequality in society. Rents are resources that provide advantages for incumbents of social positions that are independent of the characteri stics of the incumbents. Inequalities created by rents generate intere sts in the protection and the acquisition of advantages that can be sa id to form ''objective'' interests attached to positions in social str ucture. Rent, therefore, is the basis for the formation of classes, in the general meaning of conflict groups. The article also discusses re nts not located in positions in social structure but based on natural abilities.