1. Social Stratification

2. Warm-up
Identifying social classes

3. The American Dream Is it slipping away? Is it an unreal expectation?
Is it harder to get ahead in life?

4. Social Stratification
Separating and categorizing its members on the basis of certain characteristics. Levels/ types vary from society to society.

5. Types of Stratification

6. Caste System Ascribed status; newborn gets a lifelong designation
Can’t move up to a higher caste
Effort and talent can move a person up within their caste
People almost always marry within their caste

7. Caste System Ex. India Brahmans- Priests, scholars
Kshatriyas- Rulers, nobles
Vaisyas- Merchants, bankers, business people
Sudras- Laborer
Harijans- Outcasts, Limited to most undesirable jobs

8. Class Systems Basis of achieved status, individuals can move up/down
Karl Marx- Bourgeoise- owners
Proletariat- workers
Max Weber- expanded on Marx, said class was made up of property, prestige, and power

9. Dimensions of Social Stratification
Wealth
Value of everything a person owns and income
In US richest 1% own 1/3 of country’s wealth
4/5 of US wealth in hands of top 20%
Income is also distributed very unequally- Top 1/5 earn almost 50% of nation’s income

10. Dimensions of Social Stratification
Power- ability to control the behavior of others
Prestige- respect, honor, recognition or courtesy an individual receives from others. In the US, occupation tends to be most important determinant of prestige

11. Socioeconomic Status
Rating that combines factors such as educational level, occupational prestige, and place of residence with the economic factor of income

12. Functionalist Theory Necessary feature of social structure
Manual labor still needs to be performed
Some jobs (doctors) need to be rewarded
Why would someone take the time and expense to become a doctor if the pay was the same as a sales clerk?

13. Conflict Theory
Competition over scarce resources is the cause of social inequality
Once a groups gets control (industrialist) they have the power to stay in control

14. The Functions of Social Stratification

15. The Davis Moore Thesis
Assertion that social stratification has beneficial consequences for the operation of a society
Some jobs are easily performed by almost Everyone (ex??) , some require high responsibility and special abilities
The greater the functional importance of a position, the more rewards a society attached to it

16. The Davis Moore Thesis
Society becomes more efficient and productive when members strive for the reward and prestige of certain jobs
Davis Moore implies that a productive society is a Meritocracy: a system of social stratification based on personal merit. In this society, there is great social mobility as people move up or down based on their performance

17. Davis Moore Thesis
Class systems do not completely disappear in a meritocracy because social structure would be eroded
Ex- families in 1 social class would not have certain members belonging to a different class (is this practical?)

18. Flaws of Davis- Moore
Can functional importance of certain jobs be held artificially high by limiting enrollment in fields such as medicine or law?
Some incomes are so high that it is hard to justify its functional worth (Oprah- $100 million/yr)
Wealth can be transferred from one generation to the next
Inequality promotes conflict and tension- not good

19. Are The Rich Worth What They Earn?
Respond to the article.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
Using social worth to justify income is hazardous.
Why or why not?

20. Stratification and Conflict

21. Karl Marx 2 Classes Class conflict inevitable
Owners of productive property
Those who labor
Class conflict inevitable
Capitalism reproduces the class structure from generation to generation as wealth is passed down and children attend elite schools with children of other elite

22. Why No Marxist Revolution?
Fragmentation of the capitalist class stock holders and managerial class
Higher standard of living
Labor Unions (Strike)
Government proctections
Workplace safety
Min. Wage
Max. Work hours
Unemployment Insurance
Social Security

23. Why No Marxist Revolution?
Many still support Marx’s premise
Wealth remains highly concentrated
White collar work is often monotonous and offers little in the way of income perks
Labor unions continue to negotiate and struggle
Law favors the rich

24. Max Weber: Class, Status, and Power
Weber did not see class as crude categories (rich/poor) but as continuum ranging from high to low with a lot of people in the middle
Term- Socioeconomic status
Social conflict highly variable and complex

25. Stratification and Technology
Kuzzhet’s Curve
Greater technological sophistication is generally followed by more pronounced social stratification
The trend reverses itself as industrial societies become more egalitarian (equal).
Other characteristics
Castelike structures relax in favor of greater opportunity
More equality under the law
Women gain more rights

26. Debate:
Is the US truly an open society- on that provides the same opportunities to every citizen regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or family history?

27. A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

28. Do you see any indications that the people in the painting are of different social classes?
If so, what are they?
Imagine that the artist is alive today and is about to paint a similar painting-this one of people in New York’s Central Park (or a park in your own community)
What indications, if any, would you see that the people in the painting were of different social classes?

29. Characteristics of social class ws

30. Social class differences ws

31. Determining social class ws
Education
Income
Power
Prestige

32. Jobs that pose potential health risks:
Social class?

34. The Bell Curve Debate: Are Rich People Really Smarter?
Read the article and answer the 3 questions at the end of the article.
Be prepared to debate in class

35. Extra credit: (5 Points)
Ads to consider…Social class and advertising ws
(10 Points)
Research system:
Apartheid
Caste
Class
(15 Points)
Study of Status Attainment

36. Poverty

37. Poverty stations