1. Sociology: Chapter 8 Sec 1
“Social Inequality”
“Systems of Stratification”
Standards: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3

2. Types of Stratification
Social Stratification: ranking of individuals or categories of people on the basis of unequal access to scarce resources and social rewards
Social Inequality: The unequal sharing of scarce resources and social rewards
Types…
1. Caste System
2. Class System

3. Caste System
-Usually occurs in an area where resources are scarce for a variety of reasons
-Ascribed Status: Status that is assigned based on factors that one can not control
-One can not marry outside of one’s own Caste
-Endogamy: Marriage w/in one’s own social group
-Exogamy: Marriage outside of one’s own group
-Think about it… If your arm was in a “CASTE” you would not be able to “MOVE” it
*It is impossible to move between Castes

4. Indian Caste System: 187 19th Century 1. Brahman: Priests
2. Kshatriya: Warrior, Landowner, Ruler
3. Vaishya: Merchants
4. Shudra: Artisans, Agriculturalists (Farmers)
5. Harijan: “Outside” the Caste System
“Untouchables”

5. The Class System Class System: Based on ACHIEVED status
Achieved Status: Variable; can change
-People judged by accomplishments
-Based on who owns the Means of Production: Tools, Buildings, Materials needed to produce goods
Bourgeoisie: Own the means of production
Proletariat: Workers who sell labor
Social Class: Grouping of people with similar levels of wealth, power, and prestige

6. Socioeconomic Status
Socioeconomic Status: Rating of individuals based on
1. Educational Level
2. Occupational Prestige
3. Income
4. Place of Residence
Dimensions of Stratification:
Wealth: Individual’s Assets
Power: Ability to control the behavior of others
Prestige: Respect, Honor and Recognition one receives from other members of society (See p. 209)

7. Explaining Stratification
Functionalist Perspective: Stratification is necessary for social order
Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore
-Reward must match the task
Ex: Doctor: $100,000+ Janitor: $25,000+
Conflict Perspective: Karl Marx: Competition over scarce resources causes social inequality. In equality will lead to “friction” between classes
Both have good points: Neither FULLY Explains

8. Efforts at “Synthesis”
Both conflict and functionalist perspective have valid points, but they ignore other important details.
Ralf Dahrendorf: They explain specific problems, but do not speak to the entire system.
Gerhard Lenski: Usefulness depends on society being studied
Eg: Functionalist: Better at explaining “small-group” structure
Conflict: Better at explaining “Large” group structure

9. Sociology: Chapter 8 Sec 2
“The American Class System”
Standards: ,

10. The American Class System
-Social Inequality exists in all class systems
-U.S. has a “fairly” open system
Determining Social Class
-Some Sociologists see three classes
1. Upper
2. Middle
3. Lower

11. Determining Social Class
Other Sociologists
1. Upper-Upper
2. Lower-Upper
3. Upper-Middle
4. Lower-Middle
5. Upper-Lower
6. Lower-Lower

12. Determining Social Class
Most Sociologists agree on a six category system: P 194
1. Upper Class- 1%
2. Upper Middle Class-14%
3. Lower Middle Class- 30%
4. Working Class-30%
5. Working Poor-22%
6. Underclass- 3%

13. Techniques for Ranking People
1. Reputational Method: Individuals in community rank others in community based on characteristics and life styles
2. Subjective Method: Individuals asked to determine own rank (Shy away from lower and upper)
3. Objective Method: Class defined by income, occupation, and education
*Most Scientific

14. Social Classes
1. Upper Class: Own a sizable portion of the nation’s wealth
-Prestigious Universities
-Upper-Upper: “Old” Money
Kennedy, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt
Born into
-Lower-Upper: New Money
Acquired wealth through own work
Thorstein Veblen: Conspicuous Consumption:
-Rich buy goods for status
-Control Gov’t
-Help Needy
- Tend to be Politically Conservative

15. Social Classes 2. Upper Middle Class: High income professionals
-College or University (4-10YR)
-Career oriented
-Power on the local levels
3. Lower-Middle Class: Lower income “White Collar” (no manual labor)
-High School
-Some College (2-4 YR)
Live Comfortable life, but must work hard to maintain (Nurses, Teachers…etc)

16. Social Classes 4. Working Class: Largest segment of population
-High School/Trade School
-Work “blue-collar” jobs (manual labor)
-trades people
* “pink-collar” (lower level clerical, sales, service jobs) *Few financial reserves
5. Working Poor:
-Some High School
-Laborers
-Service workers
6. Underclass:
-Some/No High School
-Undesirable/low paying jobs

17. Social Mobility Social Mobility: Movement between classes
-Vertical Mobility: Upward or downward movement BETWEEN classes
Ex: Job promotion/ Demotion
-Horizontal Mobility: Person moves to s different job within the same class
Ex: Teacher who switches school
-Intergenerational Mobility: status differences between members of the same family
Ex: Son of a mechanic becomes a doctor
-Intragenerational Mobility: status change during a person’s life

18. Social Mobility: Causes
Upward Mobility
-Technology
-Change in merchandising patterns
1940: 31% White Collar 2009: 77% White Collar
-Increase in Education-Society
1940: 75% No Diploma 2009: 15% No Diploma
26% of people over 25 have at least a Bachelor’s Degree
Downward Mobility
-Illness
-Divorce (Temporary)
-Widowhood (“ “)
-Retirement
-Economic changes: Ex LTV Steel

19. Sociology Chapter 8 Sec 3 “Poverty”
Standards: 5.3, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8

20. Poverty: Page 198
Poverty: A standard of living that is below the minimum level considered “Descent and Reasonable” by Society
Poverty Level: Minimum income to survive
“relative term”
-Calculate cost of diet and multiply by three since 1/3 of income spent on food
U.S. 12.6% Live BELOW poverty line

21. Variations in American Poverty
-Factors of Poverty
-Age: Largest % of people living below the poverty line = children
-Two times higher in black/latino vs. white families
-Women: make up 57% of poor over age 18
40% homes headed by minority women in poverty
25% homes headed by white women in poverty

22. Effects of Poverty Life Chances: Opportunities to succeed
-greatly reduced in the lower classes
Life Expectancy:
-Infant mortality: Twice as high with poor
-Behavior:
-Low income: High divorce rates and high crime rates

23. Government Responses to Poverty: P. 201
1960’s: LBJ “War on Poverty”
-% of elderly poor went down
1. Transfer Payments: Gov’t redistributes money over various social classes
-Social Security
-Welfare
-Aid to families w/ dependent children (tax breaks)
2. Subsidies: Transfer of goods and services; NOT MONEY (Directly)
Ex: Food stamps, Head Start, Meals on Wheels