ch 9 stratification Flashcards
most extreme form individuals are owned by other people and treated as property
slavery
part of three systems of stratification
systems of stratification are hereditary systems of rank, usually religiously dictated that tend to be fixed and immobile (born into it)
caste
part of three systems of stratification
social ranking based primarily on economic position
social classes
part of three systems of stratification
focused on conflicts among social classes
Marx’s concept of class
differences between classes are based on economics and property (all about material)
Marx’s concept of class
historically based concept – not one answer to the question of social class
Marx’s concept of class
some societies in history have many classes, but modern society only has two
Marx’s concept of class
class defined by means of production – everything that produces wealth (land, machinery, factories, tools, investments) EXCEPT LABOR
Marx’s two class society
whether or not you control the means of production determines your class
Marx’s two class society
own the means of production
bourgeoisie
workers, laborers, who don’t own property
proletariat
Marx’s said these people are nothing more than “better paid slaves”
middle class
lower class will not unite to resist those in power until they become aware of…
- their common interest (“we are all in this together”)
- their common enemy (bourgeoisie)
1-2% of U.S. wealthiest
upper class
10-15% of U.S. wealthy professionals
upper middle class
30-35% less affluent professionals, or uneducated but upwardly mobile (send kids to college)
lower middle class
40-45% manual labor or blue collar
working class
20-25% of U.S. minority ethnic groups, single parents who can’t find work
lower class
no single characteristic totally defines one’s position in the system
Weber’s View of Stratification
- property (Weber’s term “class”)
- prestige (“status”)
- power (“party”)
Three Components of Stratification
predicts that people whose status is inconsistent (higher in one dimension than another) will be more frustrated & dissatisfied
status inconsistency
- people must have political structure
- political structure requires inequality of power
- those with power will exploit others to gain advantage
Is inequality inevitable?
Mosca: yes
- functionalist theory of stratification: inequality has a function
- society must give more reward to the most important positions/roles to ensure supply
- inequality must exist to fill key jobs (key is replacability
Is inequality inevitable?
Davis and Moore: yes
- workers revolt and overthrow owners
- start over with no classes
Is inequality inevitable?
Marx: no