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STRATIFICATION
Social stratification is the way in which
society is divided into unequal
layers/strata according to, for example,
class, gender, age or ethnicity
DIFFERENT FORMS OF
STRATIFICATION
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DIFFERENT FORMS OF
STRATIFICATION
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SLAVERY
CASTE
FEUDALISM
SOCIAL CLASS
AGE
GENDER
ETHNICITY
CASTE
A
FEUDALISM
(ESTATE)
B society is stratified because
SOCIAL CLASS
C In India, this form of
GENDER
D some commentators argue
ETHNICITY
E this form of stratification was
Social class is the dominant
form of stratification in western
industrial societies. It is based
on economic inequalities
of inequalities between ethnic
groups
stratification is based on the
Hindu religion
that society is stratified because
inequalities exist between men
and women
dominant in Medieval Europe
made up of nobles, clergy and
commoners
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CLASS is the dominant
i form of
stratification within western industrial
societies
CLASS is a matter of economic
inequalities and each class consists of
people who share similar positions in
the economic structure
SOCIETIES CAN BE EITHER:
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OPEN
CLOSED
OPEN SOCIETIES HAVE SOCIAL
MOBILITY
CLOSED SOCIETIES DO NOT HAVE
SOCIAL MOBILITY
Systems of Stratification can
be based on:
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Ascription (no social mobility)
Achievement (social mobility). A
system based on achievement is also
known as a meritocracy
Or a mixture of both
Contemporary Class Structure
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Upper class
Middle class
Working class
Underclass
UPPER CLASS
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Landowners and aristocracy – traditional
members of the upper class whose wealth
and income is acquired through land and
property
Entrepreneurial rich – owners of companies
and industry whose wealth is mostly inherited
through family
Self made rich – wealth maybe as a result of
a specific talent or through luck
MIDDLE CLASS
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Those in clerical (white collar ) work
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Those in the professions
WORKING CLASS
There are two general views
1.
Some sociologists argue that a process of
embourgeoisement has taken place.
2.
Some sociologists argue that the working
class is divided into two groups
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the traditional working class
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the new working class
UNDERCLASS
CHARLES MURRAY
GROUPS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CLASS
STRUCTURE
MEMBERS OF THE UNDERCLASS INCLUDE:
 UNEMPLOYED
 SINGLE PARENTS
 HOMELESS
 ELDERLY
 DISADVANTAGED MEMBERS OF ETHNIC
MINORITTY
THE UNDERCLASS
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The term “the underclass” was coined
by an American writer named Charles
Murray.
Some argue that the underclass are the
most disadvantaged part of the working
class
Others argue that they are a class on
their own
STRATIFICATION CAN AFFECT
MANY LIFE CHANCES, FOR
EXAMPLE:
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EDUCATION
INCOME
WEALTH
HOUSING
HEALTH
HOW DO WE DEFINE AND MEASURE
SOCIAL CLASS?
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Occupation is the most common measure of
social class used by:
governments
advertising companies doing market research
sociologists doing social surveys
Occupation is generally a good guide to
people’s skills and qualifications, incomes,
present standing and future prospects
REGISTRAR’S GENERAL
CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPATION
SOCIAL CLASS I –
PROFESSIONAL
SOCIAL CLASS II – INTERMEDIATE NON MANUAL
SOCIAL CLASS IIIN – SKILLED NON MANUAL
SOCIAL CLASS IIIM – SKILLED MANUAL
SOCIAL CLASS IV SEMI SKILLED MANUAL
SOCIAL CLASS V UNSKILLED MANUAL
Used by from 1911 until 2000
PROBLEMS WITH SOME
OCCUPATIONAL SCALES
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Very rich people who do not work are not
included
The scales are not detailed enough, eg head
teacher and teacher would be in the same
class
The scales assume that the “head” of the
household is male
The unemployed/never worked are not
included
Neglects dual career families – could give
them a lifestyle of higher class
The National Statistics – Socioeconomic
Classification
NS-SEC
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RG Scale used from 1911 – 2000
Replaced by NS-SEC in 2000
CLASS
CATEGORY
CLASS 1
HIGHER MANAGERIAL
AND PROFESSIONAL
CLASS 2
LOWER MANAGERIAL
AND PROFESSIONAL
CLASS 3
INTERMEDIATE
CLASS 4
SMALL EMPLOYERS
AND OWN-ACCOUNT
WORKERS
CLASS 5
LOWER
SUPERVISORY, CRAFT
AND RELATED
CLASS 6
CLASS 7
CLASS 8
SEMI ROUTINE
ROUTINE
LONG TERM
UNEMPLOYED OR
PROFESSION
STATISTICAL DATA
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http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/d
eaths-registered-area-usualresidence/2012/sty-esp.html