Exam 4 Flashcards
Three systems of stratification
Slavery
Caste
Social Classes
Slavery
Most extreme form: individuals are owned by other people and are treated as properly
Caste
Systems of stratification are hereditary systems of rank, usually religiously dictated that tend to be fixed and immobile
Social classes
Social ranking based primarily on economic position
Marx’s Concept of Social Theory
2 Classes
Focus on conflict among social classes
Historically bases concept
differences between classes are based on economics and property
2 Class Society
Bourgeoisie: own the means of production
Proletariat: workers, labor, who don’t own property
NO middle class
Marx said they are nothing more than “better paid slaves”
Class Consciousness:
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
Five Class model
Upper Class: 1-2% US wealthiest
Upper-middle: 10-15% “wealthy professionals”
Lower middle: 30-35% less affluent professionals
Working Class: 40-45% Manual labor
Lower Class: 20-25% minority ethnic groups
Webers view
no single statistic describes ones position
3 components: Property, Prestige, Power
Status Inconsistency
Predicts that people whose status is inconsistent will be more frustrated and dissatisfied
Is inequality inevitable?
Mosca: Yes due to need for structure, political structure requires inequality of power
Davis and Moore: Yes(functionalist theory) society must give reward to most important positions
Marx: No(workers revolt and over throw owner)
Social Mobility
upward and downward movement within stratification classes
Social mobility rules
Rules governing how we keep our position
Achieved status rules= based on merit
Ascribed status rules= based on who you are
Structural mobility
movement between classes due to changes in the number of upper and lower class positions
Exchange Mobility
Movement between classes due to positions opening at the top from downward mobility
Racial
A group set a part from others because of obvious physical differences
Physical racial distinctions only become important when people attach cultural meanings to them
Ethnic Group
A group set apart from others primarily because of its national origin(geographic) or distinctive cultural patterns
Social construction of race
Process by which people come to define a group as a race based in part on physical characteristics but also on historical, cultural, and economic factors
Hypodescent
Children whose parents are from different groups are automatically put into the minority group
Minority Group
A subordinate group whose members have significantly less control or power over their own lives than members of a dominant group
5 Properties of minority group
Experience unequal treatment Distinguishing Characteristics Involuntary Membership Strong sense of group solidarity In group marriage
Racism
Believing that one race is supreme and others are inferior
Ethnocentrism
assume our culture and way of life represents the norm and is superior to others
