• Social stratification refers to the ranking of individuals and

groups in any given society

• Social stratification tends to be transmitted from one generation to another.

Meaning and Nature

• Social stratification is the hierarchical arrangement

and establishment of social categories that may evolve into social groups as well as

of statuses and their corresponding rules.

• Social stratification may be viewed as a social structure, social process, or as a social

problem.

As a:

Social Structure: It may be viewed as the differentiation of statuses and

social roles into ranked orders.

Social Process: It may be viewed as the splitting up of society into social categories that develop into social

groups cooperating, competing, conflicting – for the status quo or

social change.

Social Problem: It involves bitter feelings of discontent and of strong

demands for equality or “social justice”.

Basic Concepts of Inequality“Inequality”

• Concepts of Inequality1. Attributions- It assigns to people different attributes

as a result of differences.2. Stereotype- In this process, one assumes that

persons who fall into a particular category on the basis of certain characteristics also have many characteristics that we assume to belong to that category.

3. Self-fulfilling prophecies- In this process, we pay more attention to behaviors that fit the stereotype, and we act toward the person as though he or she possesses the characteristics included in the stereotype.

4. Social comparisons- Social scientists find that people need to compare themselves with others in order to establish for themselves what kind of people they are.

♥ Leon Festinger

5. A fair world- Related to the key role of comparison in social life are beliefs about justice or the fair distributions of rewards.

6. Just world hypothesis- According to this, people like to believe that there is justice, that people get what they deserve.

Social Stratification System

• Differentiation• Stratification

Dimensions of Stratifications1. Wealth and Income2. Inequalities of Power3. Inequalities of prestige

Methods of Determining Class Division

1. The subjective method♥ Researchers simply ask a random sample of the

population to name the class they belong to.

2. The reputational method♥ Researchers select a small town and ask a number

of residents to assist them in their study. The residents are usually “Old Timers”.

3. The objective method♥ Researchers divide people into social classes

according to their income, occupation, education, and type of residence.

Theories of Social Stratification

Conflict Theory→ it maintains that the stratification is the result of the

struggle among people for scarce rewards and that it persists in society because the “haves” are determined and equipped to preserve their advantage by dominating and exploiting the “have nots”.

○ Karl Marx◘ he believed that all history has been the story of

class conflict over material privilege and power.

“Capitalist Society”

• bourgeoisie or capitalist• proletariat or workers

Four ways on how wealth can be distributed: “According to Karl Marx”

○ To each according to need

○ To each according to want

○ To each according to what is earned

○ To each according to what they can be taken

Max Weber

Reasons why Weber agreed with Karl Marx:○ People are motivated by self interest.

○ Group conflict is a basic ingredient of society.

○ Those who do not have property can defend their interests less well than those who have property.

○ Economic institutions are of fundamental importance in shaping the rest of society.

○ Those in power promote ideas and values that help them maintain their dominance.

○ Only when exploitation becomes extremely obvious will the powerless object.

Functionalist Theory

Kingsley David & Wilbert Moore

“If all the positions that have to be filled in a society were equally important and everyone were equally capable of doing their jobs, there would be no need of stratification. But this is not the case. Some tasks are clearly more necessary than others, and some require a great deal more talent and training.”“Societies must motivate people to seek socially important positions

and to fill these positions conscientiously by rewarding those who do so with more of the things that contribute to sustenance and comfort, humor and diversion, self-respect and ego expansion.

Theodore D. Kemper

Common ground for the conflict and functional theories:

○ both theories acknowledge that the evaluation of the contributions of jobs to society also determines unequal rewards.

○ the Marxist theory leans heavily on the significance of power in the distribution of resources, while the functionalists emphasize the necessity of assigning some positions or work higher status than others.

○ both theories recognize that social power plays a part in determining the unequal distribution of rewards.

Comparison of functionalist

and conflict

Functional View Conflict View

1. Stratification is universal, necessary, and inevitable.

2. Social organization shapes the stratification system.

3. Stratification arises from the societal need for integration, coordination and cohesion.

4. Stratification facilitates the optimal functioning of society and the individual.

5. Stratification is an expression of commonly shared social values.

1. Stratification may be universal without being necessary and inevitable.

2. The stratification system shapes social organization.

3. Stratification arises from group conquest, competition, and conflict.

4. Stratification impedes the optimal functioning of society and the individual.

5. Stratification is an expression of the values of powerful groups.

6. Power is usually legitimately distributed in society.7. Tasks and rewards are equitably allocated.8. The economic dimension is subordinate to other dimensions of society.9. Stratification systems generally change through evolutionary processes.

6. Power is usually illegitimately distributed in society.7. Tasks and rewards are inequitably allocated.8. The economic dimension is paramount in society.

9. Stratification systems often change through revolutionary process.

Two Distinct Types of Stratification System

○ Open System→ Class System

“A class society encourages striving and achievement.”

○ Closed System

→ Caste System

“Status is ascribed, and determined at birth and people are locked into their parents’ social position.”

Classes in Some Countries

○ People who have made it.○ People who are doing very well.

○ People who have achieved the middle class dream.

○ People who have a comfortable life.

○ People who are just getting by.

○ People who are having a difficult time.

○ People who are poor.

Fichter classification of Class System○ Upper Class○ Upper-middle Class○ Lower-middle Class○ Working Class○ Lower Class

Indicators of Social MobilityPowerPrestigeWealth

Social MobilitySocial mobility is the movement of an individual or a group within a stratification system that changes the individual’s or group’s status in society.

The amount of mobility in a society depends on two things.

1. The rules governing how people can gain or keep their positions may make mobility difficult or easy.

2. Whatever the rules, mobility can be influenced by structural changes in society.

Types of Social Mobility○ Upward mobility- this refers to the movement of individuals or groups from lower to higher status in a social stratification system. In an open system, upward mobility or success is a right that belongs to everyone. In some instances, the movement may also be downward, resulting in a change in social status.

→ also called as vertical mobility

○ Downward mobility

○ Horizontal Mobility- no corresponding change in social class.

Geographical Migration→ also known as physical mobility

It is the movement of people from one geographical spot to another, and it is a phenomenon of increasing frequency in modern society.It includes forced relocation of large groups of people, eviction, and dispossession of unwanted people, voluntary permanent migration from one country to another, or from one region to another within the same country, as well as local residential changes.

Types of Geographical MigrationVoluntary MigrationForced Migration

Reasons for Voluntary Migration○ Economic Factor

○ Political Reason○ Religious Liberty○ Educational Opportunities○ Natural Calamities

Effects of Migration○ Diffusion of Cultures○ Biological Mixture

○ Urbanization of Culture

Role Mobility This is the shifting of individual

from role to role.Factors Affecting Social Mobility

○ Hard Work○ Social Structure○ Societal Vales and Norms○ Level of Education○ Marriage○ Luck

Mobility and Social PersonalityEducation and Social MobilitySocial Mobility and Success