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What Is Social Stratification?

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a hierarchical ranking of people in a society who have different access to valued resources Resources: property, power, and prestige Can be relatively closed or open

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Closed stratification systems

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movement from one social position to another is limited due to ascribed statuses Based on sex, skin color, or family background Include slavery and caste systems

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Slavery

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In slavery, some people own others and have control over their lives. Slaves are abducted, inherited, or given as gifts to pay debts. In chattel slavery, people are bought and sold as commodities. Although banned by the United Nations in 1948, slavery persists.

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In caste systems

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In caste systems, social categories are based on heredity. Status is ascribed at birth. Caste restricts social relationships, residence, and occupation.

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Indian system

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The Indian system is the classic example of a caste system. The system was outlawed in 1949. Social distinctions persist.

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Indian Castes

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Brahmins: educated priests and scholars Kshatriyas: kings and warriors Vaishyas: merchants and farmers Shudras: peasants and laborers, craftspeople Dalits: poor, untouchables, menial and unpleasant jobs

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Open stratification systems

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social classes are relatively fluid Based on achieved statuses A social class is a category of people who have a similar rank based on wealth, education, power, or prestige.

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The dimensions of stratification are

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wealth, power, and prestige.

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wealth

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Wealth: money and economic assets Includes property (what people own) and income (money that comes in regularly. Wealth is cumulative, passed on to the next generation, and produces income. Income inequality is increasing in the U.S.

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Wealth and income inequality

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Top 1%: 43% of income / 36% of wealth Next 4%: 29% of income / 28% of wealth Next 5%: 11% of income Next 15%: 24% of wealth Next 10%: 10% of income Bottom 80%: 7% of income / 13% of wealth

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Wealth, money and economic assets

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Wealth: money and economic assets Includes property (what people own) and income (money that comes in regularly. Wealth is cumulative, passed on to the next generation, and produces income. Income inequality is increasing in the U.S.

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Prestige

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Prestige: respect, recognition, or regard Based on wealth, family background, fame, occupation, and leadership. Prestigious occupations require more formal education, pay more, involve mental activity, offer autonomy, and are seen as more socially important.

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Power

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Power: the ability of individuals to achieve goals, control events, and maintain influence over others despite opposition. Power is based on tradition, personal charisma, and social class. Power elite: a small group of white men who make the important decisions in U.S. society

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Among America's working poor are

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housekeepers. They earn less than 19,000.00 a year even in prestigious hotels

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Socioeconomic status (SES)

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Socioeconomic status (SES): an overall ranking of peoples positions based on their income, education, and occupation Classes differ in values, power, prestige, social networks, and lifestyle. Four general social classes in U.S.: upper, middle, working, lower

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Upper and lower class

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Upper Classes Upper-upper class—enormous wealth, inherited fortunes, considerable economic and political power Lower-upper class—nouveau riche, engage in conspicuous consumption (lavish spending to display status)

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Middle upper and lower classes

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Middle Classes Upper-middle class—live on earned income, professional and managerial occupations Lower-middle class—non-manual, semiprofessional occupations, rely on two incomes, maintain comfortable lifestyle

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Working class

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Working Class Working class—skilled and semiskilled laborers, possess high school education

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Lower classes

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Lower Classes Working poor—work at least 27 weeks a year but live in poverty Underclass—persistently poor, segregated residentially, relatively isolated, chronically unemployed, lack skills and education

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Identify the class illustrated by each example. Maria is a dental technician working in a large clinic. Kevin dropped out of high school, works in agriculture only in the summer, has trouble making ends meet. William inherited family wealth, attended private schools, and became a politician.

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Maria: Working class Kevin: Working poor William: Upper, upper class

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Life chances

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Life chances: the extent to which people have positive experiences and can secure good things in life Food, housing, good health, education Life chances are a consequence of social stratification.

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As unemployment rises

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Tent cities have sprung up in places like Sacramento, CA

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Poverty

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Poverty is increasing in America. 15% of the population lives in poverty.

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absolute poverty

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Absolute poverty: not having enough money to afford the most basic necessities

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relative poverty

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Relative poverty: not having enough money to maintain an average standard of living

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Poverty line

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Poverty line: the minimal level of income that the federal government considers necessary for basic subsistence Used to determine eligibility for government assistance 2010 poverty line was $22, 113 for a family of four

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Women and children and poverty

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Children under 18 years old are 36% of the poor. Women are 58% of those over 18 living in poverty. Feminization of poverty: higher likelihood that female heads of households will be poor

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Latinos and Blacks and poverty

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There are more poor whites than Latinos or blacks. The poverty rate is higher for blacks and Latinos (27%) than for whites (10%).

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Explanations for poverty focus on

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Explanations for poverty focus on individual characteristics or societal characteristics.

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explanations blaming the poor

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Explanations blaming the poor (based on individual characteristics) Poor people are genetically deficient. A culture of poverty transmits values, beliefs, and attitudes that encourage poverty. The poor are lazy. A majority of Americans believe is it possible to get rich through hard work.

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explanations blaming society

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Explanations blaming society (based on structural characteristics) Society's organization creates and sustains poverty. Poverty persists because many people benefit from the consequences.

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The structural view

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Evidence supports the structural view. People are poor because of economic conditions, disabilities, and lack of social support such as health insurance.

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social mobility

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Social mobility: a person's ability to move up or down in the stratification hierarchy

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horizontal mobility

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Horizontal mobility: moving from one position to another at the same level

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vertical mobility

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Vertical mobility: moving up or down the stratification ladder

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Intragenerational mobility

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Intragenerational mobility: the extent to which an individual experiences upward or downward mobility

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Intergenerational mobility:

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Intergenerational mobility:the degree to which one is better or worse off then one's parents

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Identify the type of mobility for each example. Cameron graduated from college, left welfare, and secured a semiprofessional position. Tom left his job in the factory to work in maintenance at the college. Cecelia grew up with a mother who worked cleaning motels, but Cecelia is a doctor.

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Cameron: intragenerational mobility Tom: vertical mobility Ceecelia: Intergenerational mobility

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Mobility is affected by:

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Structural factors: changes in the economy, government policies and programs, immigration Demographic factors: education, gender, race and ethnicity Individual factors: family background, socialization, connections and chance

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World Bank's Classification

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High-income countries have a developed industrial economy and 96% of the world's income. Middle-income countries have a developing industrial economy and a lower GNI per capita Low-Income countries are the least industrialized and largely agricultural. Many people are impoverished with a low standard of living. Many lack access to clean water, education, or health services

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theories

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Modernization theory suggests that low-income countries lack modern, progressive cultures. Dependency theory contends that low-income countries are exploited and dominated by high-income countries. World systems theory argues that high-income countries extract raw materials from low-income countries and set export prices.

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Functionalism

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Functionalism Stratification benefits society. It is necessary and inevitable.

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The Davis-Moore Thesis

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Every society must fill a variety of positions and ensure that important tasks get done. Some positions are more important than others. The most qualified people fill the most important positions. Society offers greater rewards to motive the most qualified.

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Meritocracy

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a society that rewards individuals for what they do and how well, rather than on the basis of their ascribed status

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Conflict Perspective

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Stratification hurts individuals and society. Capitalism pits the bourgeoisie (owners of the means of production) against the proletariat (workers). Corporate welfare subsidizes business rather than workers—subsidies, tax breaks, direct assistance

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Feminist Perspective

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Women are almost always at the bottom. Patriarchy benefits most men. Men control a disproportionate share of wealth, prestige, and power.

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Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

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People create and share stratification. Social position affects attitudes, behaviors, and lifestyle. People socialize their children to acquire and use the symbols of their class.

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Identify the theory: Inequality ensures that important jobs are filled by the most talented. High-income countries set prices for raw materials and labor. Parents teach children the habits and attitudes of their children.

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Meritocracy Conflict perspective Symbolic interactionist perspective

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Stratification ensures the most talented, hardworking people end up in important and valuable positions.

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functionalist

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The upper classes use their wealth and influence to maintain their prestige status. The wealthy exploit the poor and working class in order to gain wealth and power.

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conflict

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Individual tastes reflect class position and status.

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symbolic interactionalist

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Men have more access to positions of power, which they use to protect their status at the expense of women.

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feminist

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Some poverty is necessary to motivate people to work hard and invest in education. Society needs the poor to do undesirable but necessary work for a functioning society.

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functionalist

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conflict

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Poverty creates desperation, forcing many to work for low wages under dangerous conditions. Capitalism results in a concentration of power among a small upper-class.

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Social divisions are maintained by displays of cultural competency, making it difficult for poor people to fit in with the upper class.

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symbolic interactionalist

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Lack of economic opportunity and legal safeguards for women, particularly single mothers, leaves a disproportionate number of women in poverty.

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feminist

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absolute poverty

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not having enough money to afford the most basic necessities of life.

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bourgeoisie

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those who own and control capital and the means of production.

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closed stratification system

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a system in which movement from one social position to another is limited by ascribed statuses such as sex, skin color, and family background.

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corporate welfare

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an array of subsidies, tax breaks, and assistance that the government has created for businesses.

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Davis-Moore thesis

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the functionalist view that social stratification benefits a society.

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feminization of poverty

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the higher likelihood that female heads of households will be poor.

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horizontal mobility

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moving from one position to another at the same class level.

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intergenerational mobility

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moving up or down the class hierarchy relative to the position of one's parents.

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intragenerational mobility

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moving up or down the class hierarchy over one's lifetime.

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life chances

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the extent to which people have positive experiences and can secure the good things in life because they have economic resources.

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meritocracy

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a belief that individuals are rewarded for what they do and how well, rather than on the basis of their ascribed status.

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open stratification system

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a system that is based on individual achievement and allows movement up or down.

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poverty line

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the minimal level of income that the federal government considers necessary for basic subsistence.

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power

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the ability of individuals or groups to achieve goals, control events, and maintain influence over others despite opposition.

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prestige

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respect, recognition, or regard attached to social positions.

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proletariat

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workers who sell their labor for wages.

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relative poverty

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not having enough money to maintain an average standard of living.

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social class

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a category of people who have a similar standing or rank in a society based on wealth, education, power, prestige, and other valued resources.

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social mobility

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a person's ability to move up or down the social class hierarchy.

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social stratification

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the hierarchical ranking of people in a society who have different access to valued resources, such as property, prestige, power, and status.

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socioeconomic status (SES)

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an overall ranking of a person's position in the class hierarchy based on income, education, and occupation.

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underclass

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people who are persistently poor and seldom employed, residentially segregated, and relatively isolated from the rest of the population.

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vertical mobility

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moving up or down the class hierarchy.

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wealth

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abundance of economic assets and material possessions that a person or family owns, including property and income.

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working poor

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people who work at least 27 weeks a year but receive such low wages that they live in or near poverty.

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Stable societies have clear roles and expectations for each gender.

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functionalist

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In a patriarchal society, men wield more power both inside and outside the home, which demotes women to subordinate statuses and tasks.

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conflict

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Caring or nurturing traits often associated with women are used as insults among powerful groups. This is often seen in language (being \"sissy\").

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symbolic interactionalist

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Social structures founded on sexist principles place women in socially and economically vulnerable positions. Patriarchal societies devalue the skills and traits developed by women.

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feminist

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The traditional home, with a male breadwinner and a female homemaker, mimics the division of labor in the professional world. As gendered workforce roles have blended, so have their domestic roles at home.

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functionalist

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As both men and women increasingly work outside the home, there is more frustration over women's \"second shift\" housework. As a result, men are doing more housework than they did in the past.

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conflict

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Each gender's household roles are socially constructed from a very young age by rewarding gender conformity. For example, girls play house while boys play sports and war games.

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symbolic interactionalist

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Dominant social institutions have historically refused women. This reduces women's career independence, and encourages marriage for economic support and a domestic role in the home.

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feminist

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Social norms channel and control sexuality and are sanctioned by social institutions.

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functionalist

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Sexual norms are a mechanism of control used to benefit those who fit the dominant heterosexual ideals.

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conflict

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Sexual norms are always changing, are socially constructed as a response to shifting social conditions

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symbolic interactionalist

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In patriarchal societies, men enact mechanisms of sexual control, both formally and informally, in order to subjugate women.

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feminist

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Marriages with legal and social supports stabilize relationships. Government recognition of unions (marriage, civil union) must be extended to all to stabilize society.

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functionalist

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The battle over same sex marriage is about who controls sexual norms. Denying same sex partners full marriage rights economically marginalizes people who do not follow mainstream sexual norms.

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confict

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The institution of marriage has undergone substantial changes over time, thus new marriage arrangements should be expected as societies change.

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symbolic interactionalist

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Same sex marriage challenges traditional gender and sexual norms, by legitimating relationships, which do not support patriarchal values.

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feminist

Sociology Unit 8 Social Stratification: United States and Global

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