Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Social Stratification A system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Basic Principles A trait of society –Doesn’t reflect individual differences, but society’s structure Persists over generations –Social mobility happens slowly. Universal but variable –While universal, it varies in type. Involves not just inequality, but beliefs –Ideologies justify existence of social stratification.

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. The Caste System Birth determines social position in four ways: –Occupation –Marriage within caste –Social life is restricted to “own kind.” –Belief systems are often tied to religious dogma. Many of the world’s societies are caste systems. Caste system is illegal, but elements survive. Social stratification based on ascription, or birth

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Class Systems Social mobility for people with education and skills All people gain equal standing before the law. Work involves some personal choice. Meritocracy: Based on personal merit Social stratification based on both birth and individual achievement

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Class Systems Status consistency–The degree of uniformity in a person's social standing across various dimensions of social inequality. A caste system has limited social mobility and high status consistency. The greater mobility of class systems produces less status consistency.

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Caste and Class Systems Aristocratic England: Castelike system of aristocracy. –First estate: Church leaders –Second estate: Aristocracy –Third estate: Commoners The United Kingdom Today –Caste elements still evident. –Commoners control the government. –Mixed caste elements and meritocracy.

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Japan Nobility, samurai, commoners, burakumin (outcasts) Former Soviet Union –Feudal estate system –Russian revolution “classless society” –Perestroika “restructuring” China –Economic change –A new class system Caste and Class Systems

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Ideology Plato –Every culture considers some type of inequality just. Marx –Capitalist societies keep wealth and power for a few. Spencer –“Survival of the fittest” Cultural beliefs that justify particular social arrangements, including patterns of inequality

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. The Davis-Moore Thesis The greater the importance of a position, the more rewards a society attaches to it. Egalitarian societies offer little incentive for people to try their best. Positions a society considers more important must reward enough to draw talented people Social stratification has beneficial consequences for the operation of a society

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Karl Marx: Class and Conflict Most people have one of two relationships with the means of production. –Bourgeoisie own productive property. –The proletariat works for the bourgeoisie. Capitalism creates great inequality in power and wealth. This oppression would drive the working majority to organize and overthrow the capitalism.

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Why No Marxist Revolution? Fragmentation of the capitalist class Higher standard of living More worker organizations More extensive legal protections

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Was Marx Right? Wealth still remains highly concentrated. –One percent of the population owns 40% of the property White-collar jobs offer no more income, security, or satisfaction than factory work did a century ago.

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Was Marx Right? Current workers’ benefits came from struggle. –Workers have lost benefits recently. Ordinary people still face disadvantages that the law cannot overcome.

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Max Weber: Class, Status, and Power Socioeconomic status (SES) –Composite ranking based on various dimensions of social inequality Class position –Viewed classes as a continuum from high to low Status Power Inequality in history

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Stratification and Interaction Differences in social class position can affect interaction. People interact primarily with others of similar social standing. Conspicuous consumption refers to buying and using products because of the "statement" they make about social position.

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Stratification and Technology: A Global Perspective Hunting and gathering societies Horticultural, pastoral, and agrarian societies Industrial societies The Kuznets curve –Greater technological sophistication generally is accompanied by more pronounced social stratification.

Sociology, 12 th Edition by John Macionis Copyright  2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Social Stratification Vonnegut: An egalitarian society can exist only if everyone is reduced to the lowest common denominator. Davis-Moore thesis: Class differences reflect variation in human abilities and the relative importance of different jobs. Marx: Inequality causes human suffering and conflict; social stratification springs from injustice and greed.