Final answer:
Davis and Moore claimed society must offer higher rewards to ensure qualified people take important positions, serving efficiency. Tumin argued that social stratification can prevent capable individuals from attaining these positions, challenging the idea that rewards lead to the best filling roles.
Step-by-step explanation:
Davis and Moore posited that to ensure the most qualified individuals occupy important positions, society must provide greater rewards such as higher income, prestige, and power. These incentives motivate people to acquire the necessary skills and education, thus contributing to a more efficient and productive society. They argue that this system benefits everyone by filling each role with the most capable individual, which is essential for tasks that require a high degree of skill like designing a highway system or practicing medicine.
However, Melvin Tumin criticized this view, pointing out that social stratification can prevent very capable individuals from attaining high-level positions due to inequalities in opportunities related to education, race, or gender. Tumin suggested that this undermines the argument that the most qualified people always end up in the most important roles, as the stratification system itself can inhibit this from happening.
In conclusion, while the Davis-Moore thesis suggests that societal rewards are necessary to ensure the most skilled individuals are motivated to take on important jobs, it is also important to consider the counterarguments presented by Tumin regarding the impact of social stratification on equal opportunities.