1. Social Stratification

2. What is it? Social Stratification:
The division of large numbers of people into layers according to their relative power, property, and prestige.
Applies to both nations and to people within a nation, society, or other group.
How large groups fit into the social hierarchy

3. Why does it matter? Sociological Significance
Affects our life chances
Affects the way we think about life
“The differences in behavior and attitudes are due not to biology (race-ethnicity, sex, or any other supposed genetic factors) but to people’s location in the social structure.”

4. Social Stratification
Every society stratifies its members
Some inequality is greater than others
Gender is considered a universal basis for stratifying
“on the basis of their gender, people are either allowed or denied access to the good things offered by their society.”
Do you agree?

5. Four Major Systems of Social Stratification
Slavery
Caste
Estate
Class

6. Slavery An institution in which some individuals own other people
History
Common in agricultural societies
Occurred in ancient Rome, Greece, and Africa

7. Causes of Slavery
Slavery was not necessarily based on racism, the following were the most common factors:
Debt
Creditors would enslave people who couldn’t repay their debts
Crime
A convicted murderer or thief would be put into slavery as punishment
War
Conquered people became slaves

8. Conditions of Slavery In some places, slavery was temporary
In Rome, slaves could sometimes purchase their freedom
Slavery was not necessarily inheritable
Ancient Mexico, children of slaves were born free
Slaves were not necessarily powerless or poor

9. Slavery: In the New World
Indentured Servants
A contractual system in which someone sells his or her services for a specific period of time
Voluntarily entered into
Common in the
13 colonies

10. Racism and Slavery
Contrary to popular belief, racism did not lead to slavery, slavery led to racism
Why do you think that is?
Ideology
Beliefs that justify social arrangements, making those arrangements seem necessary and fair

11. Slavery Today
Slavery still exists and experts estimate more than 20 million people are currently enslaved
Sudan example
Pg. 223

12. Caste System
A form of social stratification in which people’s statuses are lifelong conditions determined by birth
Achieved status cannot change an individual’s place

13. Caste System and Endogamy
Societies with caste systems developed a way to perpetuate their social institutions
Endogamy: The practice of marrying within one’s own group

14. India’s Religious Caste System
Four Major Castes
Brahman (Priests and Teachers)
Kshatriya (Rulers and Soldiers)
Vaishya (Merchants and Traders)
Shudra (Peasants and Laborers)
Dalit (Untouchables)

15. Apartheid
A form of the caste system based upon racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa.
Apartheid was in
effect for over 40 years
before Nelson Mandela
was elected president.

16. Estate System
Estate Stratification System: The stratification system of medieval Europe, consisting of three groups or estates: the nobility, the clergy, and commoners

17. Class System
Class System: A form of social stratification based primarily on the possession of money or material possessions
Social Mobility: Movement up or down the social class ladder

18. Why is Stratification Universal?
Stratification exists in every society, but why?

19. Universality of Stratification
Functionalist View
Stratification of society is inevitable because:
Society must make sure certain positions are filled.
Some positions are more important than others.
The more important positions must be filled by the more qualified people.
To motivate the more qualified people to fill these positions, society must offer them greater rewards.

20. Universality of Stratification
Criticisms of Functionalist View:
How do we know some positions are more important than others?
Our society is not totally a meritocracy – positions are not always awarded on the basis of merit (college)
If social stratification is functional, it should benefit everyone, but stratification is dysfunctional for many.

21. Universality of Stratification
The Conflict Perspective
Mosca’s Argument
No society can exist unless it is organized, which requires leadership
Leadership requires inequalities of power
Human nature is self-centered: people will use their power to gain rewards for themselves

22. Universality of Stratification
Which theory to you think is the more accurate depiction of why our society is stratified?

23. Social Class in America
Read the following article about the class system in the United States
Class in America: The Shadowy Lines That Still Divide
Answer the discussion questions found on the Wiki page