3. Social Stratification
4 Principles of Social Stratification:
Dimension of Stratification:
Max Weber – Economic, political, social prestige
Merton – “Matthew Effect”

5. 4 Kinds of Social Stratification
Caste
Class
Estate
Slavery

6. Caste
1. closed
2. ascribed
3. endogamy (no interdining)
4. religious justification
5. originally linked to occupation; segregation
6. agricultural societies
Class
1. open
2. achieved and ascribed
3. endogamy – yes and no
4. no
5. not rigidly linked to occupation
6. industrial societies

7. The Upper Class
Upper upper
Lower upper

12. The Middle Class
Upper middle
Lower middle

14. The Working Class: The Lower Class: The Poor The Working Poor
The Underclass
The Homeless

16. Poverty in the USA Relative Poverty Absolute Poverty Abject Poverty
Poverty Threshold or Poverty Line

17. Who Are The Poor?
Race and Ethnicity
Sex and Age
Residence of the Poor

19. Theories of Social Stratification and Poverty
1. The Functionalist Perspective (Davis-Moore)
Unequal rewards necessary to motivate people to play vital roles
2. Herbert Gans
3. The Conflictists: Karl Marx
Ideological Hegemony
False Consciousness – Dhalits
Class Consciousness

20. 4. A synthesis of perspectives: Lenski
Power determines the control of surplus of goods and services
5. Personal Inferiority
6. Cultural Inferiority
Oscar Lewis – “culture of poverty” unique value structure
Edward Banfield – defer gratification

21. 7. W.J. Wilson’s views Developed Nations: M. D. C.
Developing Nations: L. D. C.