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2. Social Stratification, Social Class, and Ethnicity

3. Social Stratification A system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy based on their access to scarce resources.

4. Four Basic Principles of Social Stratification:  It is a characteristic of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences.  It persists over generations.  It is universal but variable.  It involves not just inequality but beliefs.

5. Cultural beliefs serve to justify social stratification. That is part of the reason why it persists.

6. Types of Stratification Systems  Caste System- social stratification based on ascribed status.  India and South Africa  Class System- social stratification based on achieved status.

7. Interpretations of Stratification  Functionalist Meritocracy  Social Conflict (Marx)  Max Weber Wealth, Prestige, Power Socioeconomic status- An individual’s comparative status in a society based on factors (education, income and occupation).

8. People in the US are stratified based on the following: Income Prestige Wealth Education Power

9. Income  Wages or salaries from work and earnings from investments.  Distribution of Income in the US –Top 5 th 47% –Next 5 th 24% –Third 5 th 16% –Fourth 5 th 10% –Bottom 5 th 4%

10. Wealth  Total value of money and other assets, minus outstanding debts.  Distribution of Wealth in the US –Top 5 th 80% –Next 5 th 15% –Third 5 th 5% –Fourth 5 th less than 1% –Bottom 5 th less than 1%

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