The Concept of Social Stratification

Social Stratification
r e f e r s t o t h e d i v i s i o n of l a r g e s o c i a l g r o u p s i n t o
smaller groups based on categories determined by
e c o n o m i c s . M e m b e r s of s o c i e t y a r e a r r a n g e d i n
hierarchy based on their access to or control over
basic economic resources.

GIVES RISE TO INEQUALITY

“SOCIAL STANDING”
The Concept of Social Stratification

Common Basis o f s o c i a l
stratification:
Wealth Property Gender

Access to political Access to material

Race and Religion
power and cultural
goods
The Concept of Social Stratification

SOCIAL EXCLUSION
Process by which individuals are cut off from full
involvement in the wider circles of society. May
be due to poor housing, lack of employment,
inferior schools, or limited transportations.
Leads to lack of opportunities for self-
improvement.
 SYSTEMS OF
STRATIFICATION
 Closed
• Impose rigid boundaries between social groups
• Limit interactions between members who belong to different
social groups or occupy different levels in social hierarchy.
• Resistant to change in social roles
 Open
• Mainly based on achievement, allowing more flexibility in
social roles, increased social mobility, and better interaction
 SYSTEMS OF
STRATIFICATION
Caste Systems
Are closed stratification systems because people are
unable to change their social standing. Caste systems
promote belief in fate, destiny, and the will of higher
spiritual power rather than promotion of individual
freedom. People born into caste society are socialized to
accept their standing for the rest of their lives. There
are no oppurtunities to improve one’s social position.
SYSTEMS OF
STRATIFICATION
Class system
stratification system based on ownership of
resources and the i ndividual’ s occupation or
profession. A social class i s composed of people who
share the same background and characteristics
(income, education & occupation).
SYSTEMS OF
STRATIFICATION
Class system
People are free to move from one social class to
another and achieve higher status in life
through education and employment. Openness in
class systems results in prevalence of
exogamous marriages.
SYSTEMS OF
STRATIFICATION
ex oga mous ma r r i ages
Marriages between people from d i fferent social
classes
endoga mous ma r r iages
Marriages between people from same
social class
SYSTEMS OF
STRATIFICATION
MERITOCRACY
System of stratification that i s determined by
p e rsonal e f fort and merit . Social
standing advancements are determined by
how well a
p e rson p e r forms hi s or he r social
role .
However it remains an ideal and is on ly
implemented in business or industry.
SYSTEMS OF
STRATIFICATION
SOCIETY INGENERAL, STILL
REMAINS STRONGLY INFLUENCED BY
OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS
INHERITANCE AND PRESSURE
TO CONFORM.
Theoretical Perspectives on Social
Stratification

FUNCTIONALISM

CONFLICT THEORY

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM
Theoretical Perspectives on Social
Stratification
FUNC TION AL I S M
• Examines how the different aspects of society
contribute to ensuring its stability and continued
function.
• Each part or aspect of society serves an important
purpose
• Stratification is based on intrinsic value of social
activities or roles
Theoretical Perspectives on Social
Stratification
FUNC TION AL I S M

• Davis-Moore Thesis
- Social role that has greater functional purpose will
result in greater reward.
- Certain tasks in society are more valued than others,
and those who perform highly valued work are
rewarded with greater income, prestige and power.
Theoretical Perspectives on Social
Stratification

FUNCTIONALISM

CONFLICT THEORY

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM
Theoretical Perspectives on Social
Stratification
CONFLICT THEORY

• Takes critical view of social stratification

• Considers society as benefitting only a small
segment
• Stratification causes inequality
• Drawn from ideas of Karl Marx
Theoretical Perspectives on Social
Stratification
C O N F LIC T T HEO R Y

• Karl Marx
- social stratification is influences by economic forces and
relationships in society are defined by factors of production.
- Two groups:
• Bourgeois (capitalists) – own factors of production ( land,
resources, business and ploretariat ); UPPERCLASS
• Ploretariat – workers who provide manual labor;
LOWERCLASS
Theoretical Perspectives on Social
Stratification
CONFLICT THEORY

• Karl Marx
- INEQUALITY CAUSES WORKERS TO
EXPERIENCE ALIENATION, ISOLATION,
AND GREAT MISERY DUE TO POWERLESS
STATUS. THIS LEADS TO CLASS CONFLICT.
Theoretical Perspectives on Social
Stratification

FUNCTIONALISM

CONFLICT THEORY

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM
Theoretical Perspectives on Social
Stratification
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

• Microlevel perspective
• Attempts to explain how people’s social standing
affects their everyday interactions
• Leads to interaction within the same class.
• Stratification becomes a System that GROUPS
people (interests, background, way of life)
Theoretical Perspectives on Social
Stratification
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

• People’s appearance reflects their perceived

social standing
• Theory of Conspicuous Consumption
- Buying certain products to make a social
statement about a status
Social
Mobility
• Ability of individuals or groups to change
their positions within a social stratification
system

• How individuals progress from a lower to a

higher class, or how they lose their status and
occupy much lower position in society

• Major factor: Economic status (accumulation

of wealth)
Social
Mobility
• TWO MAIN TYPES:
a) Upward Mobility – upward movement in social
class. May be through education, employment
or marriage.

a) Downward Mobility – lowering of social class.

Brought by economic setbacks, unemployment,
illness and dropping out of school.
Social
Mobility
• Classification based on GENERATION:
a) Intragenerational
-focuses on experiences of people who belong to
same generation.
-changes in mobility throughout the person’s
lifetime
a) Downward Mobility
- Changes in individuals belonging to
different generations
Social
Mobility
• STRUCTURAL MOBILITY
- large-scale changes resulting
in improvement or decline of
the conditions and status of a
large group of people.
- Main example: Industrial Age
Social Inequality
Societies are usually characterized
by divisions that reflect unequal
distribution of status, wealth, and
power within society.

SOCIAL INEQUALITY AND

POVERTY