Sociology 3321F/G Lecture Notes - Gerontocracy, Population Pyramid
1 Feb 2013
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Document Summary
The point in history when people are born also influences what people experience as they go through life. The term cohort refers to a category of people who share some trait, usually their age. Age-cohorts share similar experiences because they are influenced by the same economic and cultural trends over time. Additionally, the oldest people own most of the land, giving them real power. Thus, preindustrial societies take the form of a gerontocracy, a social system that gives a society"s oldest members the most power, wealth, and prestige. In contrast, the great pace of cultural change associated with industrial societies led people to dismiss the knowledge and skills of old people as irrelevant to the lives of the young. Pyramid will look more like a pillar with the exception of the very top, which will reflect the large proportion of elderly people in the population.
