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Social Stratification
Chapter 9: 1
Systems of Stratification
What is
SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION?
The division of society into
categories, ranks, or
classes based on certain
characteristics
If it were up to you to distribute
scarce resources and social
rewards to members of society,
what criteria would you use to
stratify the society?
Discuss with your neighbors and jot
down a few criteria.
Types of Stratification
 Vary
from society to society
 Often based on ascribed statusancestry, race, age, physical
appearance, gender
 May also be based on achieved
status- education, occupation
 Talent and effort may also be factors
What is the result of
social stratification?
Social inequalitythe unequal sharing
of scarce resources
and social rewards
Types of Stratification Systems
 CLOSED
SYSTEM- movement
between the strata (status levels) is
impossible = Caste systems
 OPEN
SYSTEM- movement is
possible; ease of movement depends
on degree of openness = Class
systems
Caste Systems
 Based
on ascribed status
 A child’s caste is based on his/her
parents’ caste
 Elaborate norms
 Endogamy- marriage between same
castes only; Exogamy – marriage
outside one’s social category, is
forbidden
Caste Systems
 Common
in South Asia, esp. India
 Indian caste system developed 3,000
years ago
 New constitution adopted in 1950
declared equality and outlawed
discrimination against low castes
 In cities, caste lines have since
blurred, but they remain important
everyday life for most Indians, who
live in rural areas
Indian Caste System
Brahmanspriests, scholars
Kshatriyasrulers, nobles, soldiers
Vaisyasmerchants, bankers,
businesspeople
Sudraslaborers, artisans
Harijansoutcastes, limited to the
most undesirable tasks
Class Systems
 Based
on achieved status
 One can move up the social ladder
with talent, effort, and opportunity
 Circumstances can also reduce one’s
social standing
Marxist View of Class
 Defines
class in terms of who owns
the means of production (materials
and methods used to produce goods
and services)
 Class divided into two groups:
– Owners/”Have’s”= bourgeoisie
– Workers/Have not’s= proletariat
Weber’s View of Class
 Consists
of 3 factors
– Property
– Prestige
– Power
Dimensions of Social
Stratification
Many sociologists today
adopt Weber’s view and
define social class as a
grouping of people with
similar levels of wealth,
power, and prestige
WEALTH
 Assets-
everything a person owns
 Income- money earned through
salaries, investment returns, or other
capital gains
 In the U.S. the richest 1% control
more than 1/3 of the country’s
wealth (208 chart)
 Recent research shows income gap is
growing (1980, income ratio of
executive to worker was 42:1; In
1997, it was 327:1)
POWER
 The
ability to control the behavior of
others, with or without their consent
 May be based on force, a special skill
or knowledge, social status, custom
or tradition, or personal
characteristics
PRESTIGE
 The
respect, honor, recognition, or
courtesy an individual receives from
other members of society
 Based on any characteristics a
society deems important
 Income, occupation, education,
family, where you live, possessions,
club memberships
 Occupation most important in U.S.
(209 chart)
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
 Rating
that combines social factors
such as educational level,
occupational prestige, and place of
residence with the economic factor of
income
 Used to determine an individual’s
relative position in the stratification
system
SURVEY DIRECTIONS
 Ask
10 people which they would
prefer- wealth, power, or prestige?
(you may need to define prestige for
them; see previous slide)
 Results due Mon. Feb. 13- 20 points
– Make sure when you ask them they
have not already been asked to ensure
valid data
– Record briefly if they explain their
choice
Explaining Stratification
FUNCTIONALIST THEORY
a necessary feature of the social structure
 certain roles in society must be played to
maintain society
 The more important the role and the
higher the skill needed, the higher the
reward
 However, not everyone in society has
equal access to resources like education!
 Ignores talent in lower classes
 Rewards sometimes do not reflect the
social value of the role (pro athletes)

Explaining Stratification
CONFLICT THEORY
 Competition
is cause of inequality
 Owners exploit workers
 Groups compete with other groups
for resources; when one group gains
power, it can shape public policy and
opinion
 Fails to recognize unequal rewards
are in part due to differences in
talent, skill, and desire