 Describe/Explain Global Stratification

 The system in which groups of people are divided into layers according to their relative power, property, and prestige.  It’s a way of ranking large groups of people in a hierarchy that shows their relative privileges.

 Slavery- whose essential characteristic is ownership of some people by others. Example- Whites owning slaves during the Civil War  Caste- Status is determined by birth and is lifelong. Example- Someone born into the lower class will have low status no matter how much he/she accomplishes.

 Estate- Consisted of three different groups, or estates.  First  Second  Third

 Class- The class system is based primarily on money or material possessions.  Social Mobility

 Max Weber Property- is significant in determining a person’s standing in society Prestige- the wealthy in general Power- the ability to control others In short, social class was based on a combination of property, power, and prestige.

 Karl Marx Means of Production- the tools, factories, land, and investment capital used to produce wealth.  Bourgeoisie  Proletariat In short, people’s relationship to the means of production determined their social class.

 Society must ensure certain positions are filled.  Positions are more important than others.  More important positions= more qualified individuals.  Greater rewards= greater motivation.

 How do you measure importance?  Based on meritocracy.  Dysfunctional stratification.

 Stratification based on power: -Organization is key to society’s existence. -Leaders and followers. -People are self-centered by nature.

 Conflict makes stratification.  All ruling groups develop an ideology to justify their top position.

 Ideology Versus Force.  Divine Right of Kings. -Nobility and clergy used this to great advantage.

 Controlling Information: -Dictatorships -Democracies  Technology  Social Networks

 First World  Second World  Third World  All transformed

 Colonialism is the process by which one country takes over another, usually for the purpose of exploiting its labor and national resources  World System is economic and political connections that tie the world’s countries together

 Dependency Theory is the view that least industrialized nations have been unable to develop their economies because they grew dependent on the most industrialized nations  Culture of Poverty a culture that perpetuates poverty from one generation to the next

 Neocolonialism  Multinational Corporations  Technology and Global Domination

 Is social stratification beneficial or detrimental to a society? -Beneficial, because even though people deny the fact that they wish to be in a controlled environment, it helps that we are contained by social classes.  How is social stratification evident in the United States? -The rich control most of the power and prestige making them the ruling class in America.

 Baron, James. "Social Stratification." Organizational Perspectives on Stratification. 28 May May  Henslin, James. A Down-to-Earth-Approach. 5. Massachusetts: APearson Education, Print.  Lounsbury, Larry. "Global Stratification." Recent Articles by Larry Lounsbury. 23 April May  Wood, Robert. "Social Stratificiation." Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Campus at Camden. May May 2009.