Social Stratification

A “Basic” Example of Stratification

What is social stratification?

“A system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy”

1.A trait of society, not of individuals. 2.Carries over from generation to generation.3.Universal (seen in all societies) but changes

from society to society. 4.Not only a system of material inequality, but

also a system of beliefs.

What is social stratification?

Caste System (closed) Class System (open)

Based on ascription/birth (remember the difference between ascribed and achieved status)

People can easily differentiate castes

No social mobility You interact and marry

with people of the same position

Based on both birth and achievement (both ascribed and achieved status)

People can move up (or sometimes down) in social position based upon merit

What is social stratification?

Caste System (closed) Class System (open)

Cultural beliefs justify the system, and people do not question their position

Found in farming/agricultural systems

Waste human potential…why?

Very orderly…why?

Cultural beliefs = meritocracy

Found in industrialized societies

Increases human potential…why?

Weakens families and other social groups…why?

What is social stratification?

India is the most well-known example of a caste system

Most societies are a mixture of class and caste systems

The United Kingdom is a class system…but because of its

history there are still strong elements of a caste system.

Royal familes control large amounts of money “blue-bloods”.

America is a mixture of class and caste (we saw the upper

class in the Born Rich documentary…they form a caste in

the sense that they will never move down and they intermat

Why do people accept stratification?

Stratified societies can be seen as unfair…but people accept it? Why?

Every society has an ideologyideology that reinforces the system. IdeologyIdeology is the cultural beliefs that justify particular social arrangements, including patterns of inequality.

Who knows the history of this man (his educational background and how he made his money)?

Why do people accept stratification?

In class systems, there is an ideology that the rich deserve what they have gotten through hard work…and the poor have not worked hard enough to succeed in life.

In caste systems, religion (another form of ideology) justifies people being born into caste and not another

Why do people accept stratification?

“The Davis Moore Thesis” - Social stratification has beneficial consequences for society. A “structural functional” approach to stratification

1.The more important a job is for society, the more rewards (money, prestige) society offers for that job.

2.Because more rewards are offered, more people will compete for these jobs

3.The most talented people end up in the most important jobs

Why do people accept stratification?

Do you agree or disagree with the Davis-Moore Thesis? Why or why not?

[in-class discussion…looking at salaries and making a relationship between salary and

importance of the job]http://www.nycareerzone.org/cz/search.jsp

How do we describe inequality in the United States?

How do we describe inequality in the United States? The Upper Class Earn at least $185,000 The upper class can be divided into the upper-

uppers (the people we saw in the video) and lower-uppers.

Lower uppers generally did not inherit their money and are currently working for their money…

How do we describe inequality in the United States? The Middle Class Are most of the population (45%) Separated into upper middles ($100,000 to

$185,000) and average middles ($45,000 to $100,000)

Are the “symbolic” class of the United States…all politicians talk about the middle class

Generally white collar workers Build wealth over time Ethnically and racially diverse

How do we describe inequality in the United States? The Working Class Make between $25,000 and $45,000 Have little or no wealth Sudden unemployment and illness is

disastrous Jobs for the working class offer few benefits

How do we describe inequality in the United States? The Lower Class 20% of the population Low education Society segregates the lower class (especially

minorities)…through housing in trailor parks and urban ghettos

Lower class families live in inner cities and in the rural south

Why does inequality (class) matter? First, people political opinions, values, and

norms are related to their class position

Second, depending upon the class you were born into, you have a greater or lesser chance of succeeding in life. This is a problem, because US society highly values

equality and the “pursuit of happiness”. For many years, America was seen as a place

where there was high social mobility Currently in US, there is still upward mobility, but

because the middle class is shrinking, there is a lot of downward mobility