Social Stratification Max Weber Social Stratification

Both images within one mile in NYC Definition Social Stratification : the unequal manner in which resources and social rewards are distributed among different social categories and groups. Both images within one mile in NYC

“Murdered Mozarts” (Malcolm X) Life Chances refer to the likelihood of realizing a certain standard of living or quality of life, including health and well-being.

Stratification is a social process Characteristic of society, not simply individual differences • Persists over generations/centuries • Involves not just inequality but beliefs about inequality (If you are rich it’s fine) Universal (everywhere) but variable Think about last week –who is more likely to be rich? (How does that work)

Trophy Wives Trophy wife is an expression used to refer to a wife, usually young and attractive, who is regarded as a status symbol for the husband, who is often older and wealthy (Wikipedia, September 15, 2013).

Won’t work in Caste system (India) closed system based on status at birth - No chances of changing one’s social position - Interaction between people of different castes are prohibited (because Indians believe they contaminate members of the higher caste) - Such a system promotes endogamy ( i. (marriage within one’s own caste)

Estate system (England) Very pronounced, not permeable Nobility – the wealthy and powerful families that ruled the country and own the land (Not always rich – Gaskell, Bronte write on this) Landed gentry - is a traditional British social class, consisting of land owners who could live entirely off rental income Bourgeoisie – Owners of factories, shops Workers – Actually work in those factories Underclass – underemployed, unemployed

Communist system Supposedly classless, actually has strata Party chairmen are at top Government administrators Economic controllers Police and military White collar workers Skilled specialists Farmers in collectives

America/Canada Super rich, Rich and upper middle class own 86% of all wealth Canada slightly better (72%)

America/Canada Super rich, Rich and upper middle class own 72% of all wealth Middle Class is largest group but eroding (Inflation) Myth of moving up class (Hereto Algiers, Rocky genre) Some people go up but a lot more go down so difference is about 1% going up generationally

Homelessness As many as 3.5 million people experience homelessness in a given year (1% of the entire U.S. population or 10% of its poor) 842,000 people in any given week. Most were homeless temporarily. 40% are families with children— th fastest growing segment.

Many slip between these classes

Weber (Wikipedia) Three-component theory of stratification Social class is based on economically determined relationship to the market (owner, renter, employee etc.). Status class is based on non-economical qualities like honour, prestige and religion. Party class refers to affiliations in the political All three dimensions have consequences for what Weber called "life chances" (opportunities to improve one's life (Malcolm X Murdered Mozarts)