SOCIAL STRATIFICATIONSOCIAL STRATIFICATION

WHAT IS SOCIAL WHAT IS SOCIAL STRATIFICATION?STRATIFICATION?

SYSTEM IN WHICH GROUPS OF SYSTEM IN WHICH GROUPS OF PEOPLE ARE DIVIDED INTO LAYERS PEOPLE ARE DIVIDED INTO LAYERS ACCORDING TO THEIR RELATIVE ACCORDING TO THEIR RELATIVE POWER, PROPERTY AND PRESTIGEPOWER, PROPERTY AND PRESTIGE

Systems of StratificationSystems of Stratification

Describes systems of social Describes systems of social inequality among different groups of inequality among different groups of peoplepeople

People in our society are classified as People in our society are classified as members of various categories members of various categories according to their gender, race and according to their gender, race and classclass

TYPES OF STRATIFICATIONTYPES OF STRATIFICATION

SLAVERY-ownership of some people by SLAVERY-ownership of some people by othersothers

CASTE-system in which status is CASTE-system in which status is determined by birth and is lifelong; determined by birth and is lifelong; organization of people into fixed organization of people into fixed hereditary groups in which there is little hereditary groups in which there is little or no chance for children to escape the or no chance for children to escape the groupgroup

SLAVERYSLAVERY

DebtDebt CrimeCrime WarWar

CASTECASTE

Brahman (Priests and teachers)Brahman (Priests and teachers) Kshatriya (Rulers and soldiers)Kshatriya (Rulers and soldiers) Vaishy (Merchants and traders)Vaishy (Merchants and traders) Shudra (Peasants and laborers)Shudra (Peasants and laborers) Dalit (outcastes doing degrading Dalit (outcastes doing degrading

or polluting laboror polluting labor EndogamyEndogamy Ritual pollution/ablutionRitual pollution/ablution

Class SystemsClass Systems

Social Class-group of Social Class-group of individuals or families individuals or families who occupy a similar who occupy a similar position in the position in the economic system of economic system of production, distribution production, distribution and consumption of and consumption of goods and services in goods and services in industrial societiesindustrial societies

What is Social Class?What is Social Class?

1. Class is economically based and is 1. Class is economically based and is measured by economic variables measured by economic variables such as occupation, income and such as occupation, income and ownership of wealthownership of wealth

What is Social Class?What is Social Class?2.2. Class is a social Class is a social

relationship. There must relationship. There must be more than one class be more than one class as class is dependent on as class is dependent on inequality. There is an inequality. There is an assumption that some assumption that some people have a people have a relationship of inequality relationship of inequality with others in the with others in the society….society….

What is Social Class?What is Social Class?

Class system boundaries are fluid. Class system boundaries are fluid. People can move in and out of the People can move in and out of the class into which they were born.class into which they were born.

What is Social Class?What is Social Class?

Class positions are in some part Class positions are in some part achieved (rather than ascribed). It is achieved (rather than ascribed). It is difficult (and highly unlikely) to be difficult (and highly unlikely) to be born into a working-class family and born into a working-class family and later become a member of the later become a member of the owning class but not impossible…owning class but not impossible…

Weber and Social ClassWeber and Social Class

Three components:Three components: PropertyProperty PrestigePrestige powerpower

Perspectives on ClassPerspectives on Class An example of a Functionalist An example of a Functionalist

Perspective (Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Perspective (Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore)Moore)

1.1. Society must make certain that its Society must make certain that its positions are filledpositions are filled

2.2. Some positions are more important than Some positions are more important than othersothers

3.3. The more important positions must be The more important positions must be filled by the more qualified peoplefilled by the more qualified people

4.4. To motivate the more qualified people to To motivate the more qualified people to fill these positions, society must offer fill these positions, society must offer them greater rewardsthem greater rewards