SOCIOL 1A06 Study Guide - Quiz Guide: Indian Act, Working Poor, Nepotism
29 Jun 2018
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Social stratification and global Inequality 20:59
Ch6 Reading – Social Stratification
Social Stratification – persistent patterns of social inequality within
society
Stratification: A Cornerstone of Sociology
An understanding of social stratification is essential for studying social
change since the stratification system is always undergoing change
E.g. – changing gender roles and the slow movement of women into
positions of power and authority in North America in the past few
decades are really features of a changing stratification
Social Hierarchies in Stratified Societies
Ascribed and Achieved Status
status – the rank or position that a person has within a social
hierarchy
ascribed status – status that is assigned to individuals, typically at
birth; can be a function of race, gender, age, or something that is
not chosen or earned that cannot be changed
Achieved status – a position in a hierarchy that has been achieved
by virtue of how well someone performs in some role
oE.g. – occupational status
In a meritocracy – everyone would have equal chances to compete for
higher status positions and presumably those most capable would be
awarded the highest
A society like this would exhibit a degree of social mobility – those who were
more qualified moved up the social hierarchy
Open and Closed Stratification Systems
Open stratification system – merit, rather than inheritance (or
ascribed characteristics) determines social rank and in which social
change is therefore possible Canada’s system
Caste system/Closed stratification system – where the caste into
which an individual is born largely determines the type of work that
he or she will be allowed to do
oLess upward social mobility
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Social Class
Class – indication of the position of an individual or a family within
an economic hierarchy, along with others who have roughly the
same amount of control over or access to economic or material
resources
Class structure – the overall economic hierarchy compromising all
such classes
Socioeconomic status – where your education, occupation, and
income fits in the general hierarchy
Explanations of Social Stratification
Karl Marx: Capitalism, Exploitation, and Class Conflict
Modes of Production and Social Classes
oMode of Production – the system of economic activity in a
society – comprised of means of production and the social
relations of production
oMeans of production – technology, capital investments, and
raw material
oSocial Relations of production – the relationships between the
main classes involved in production
Within industrial capitalism, identified two major classes:
The capitalist class (bourgeoisie) – owners of the means of production
The Proletariat (working class) – exchanged its labour for wages
The Petite Bourgeoisie – comprising independent owners/producers and
small business owners
Expected largely to disappear as capitalism matured (some up, most down)
The value of product sold was directly proportional to the average amount of
labour needed to produce it – price is more valuable than the cost of it
Surplus value – exceeded amount needed to pay wages and cost of
materials, technology, and other factors of production turned into profits
for owners
Class conflict and Class consciousness
Class conflict – driving force behind Marx’s theory of social change
Previous modes of production had collapsed and been replaced because of
class conflict
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
This revolution would take place only when members of the working class
began to recognize that they were being exploited (class consciousness)
Max Weber: Class and other dimensions of Inequality
Class, status, and Party
oEconomic inequalities were central to social stratification
systems and that the ownership of property was a primary
determinant of power – the ability to get others to do what
you want them to do
Social Class and Life-Chances
Primary emphasis on the economic underpinnings of social stratification
Weber gave a broader definition of ‘class’ – including ownership of property,
and labour-market statuses such as occupation and education
Emphasized the life-chances that class positions offer; higher position =
more power and allows an individual and family to enjoy more of the good
things in life
Davis and Moore: A functional theory of stratification
Twentieth-Century Affluence and Functionalist Theory
oEmphasizes consensus over conflict and seeks to explain the
function, for society as a whole,
The Functional Necessity of Stratification
Davis and Moore argued that because inequalities exists in all societies, it
must be a necessary part of society
All societies have a variety of occupational roles that need to be filled, some
having more functional importance
To get people to fill important roles and to perform critical tasks well,
rewards must be higher
Davis and Moore concluded that social inequality is both inevitable and
functionally necessary for society but NOT a class-based and conflict-prone
stratification, rather a much more fluid socioeconomic hierarchy with many
different occupation statuses
Criticisms:
Although some differences in pay might be justified to reimburse those who
spend more years in school preparing for a specific occupation, are the huge
income and wealthy inequalities we see really necessary?
Why do women often earn less than men do if they are equally educated?
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Social stratification persistent patterns of social inequality within society. An understanding of social stratification is essential for studying social change since the stratification system is always undergoing change. Changing gender roles and the slow movement of women into positions of power and authority in north america in the past few decades are really features of a changing stratification. Ascribed and achieved status status the rank or position that a person has within a social hierarchy. Ascribed status status that is assigned to individuals, typically at birth; can be a function of race, gender, age, or something that is not chosen or earned that cannot be changed. Achieved status a position in a hierarchy that has been achieved by virtue of how well someone performs in some role: e. g. In a meritocracy everyone would have equal chances to compete for higher status positions and presumably those most capable would be awarded the highest.
