Social and Political Stratification Flashcards
refers to the division of large social groups into smaller groups
based on categories determined by economics.
Social stratification
gives rise to inequality in society, as members are
distinguished by their membership in and relation to social groups and categories.
Social stratification
the common bases of social stratification
-wealth
-property
-access to material
-cultural goods
-access to political power.
Other identifiable bases of social
stratification
-race
-gender
-religion
This
refers to the process by which individuals are cut off from full involvement in the
wider circles of society
social exclusion
Systems of Stratification
Closed system
Open system
impose rigid boundaries between social groups and limit interactions among members who
belong to different social groups or occupy different levels in the social hierarchy.
Closed system and open system
is based
on achievement, allowing more flexibility in social roles, increased social mobility, and better interaction among
social groups and classes.
Open systems
impose rigid boundaries between social groups and limit interactions among members who
belong to different social groups or occupy different levels in the social hierarchy. This system is also resistant to
change, particularly in the social roles of its members.
Closed systems
promote belief in fate, destiny, and the will of a higher spiritual power rather
than the promotion of individual freedom.
Caste systems
A caste system, therefore, promotes ___________________
social inequality
are closed stratification systems because people are unable to change
their social standing.
Caste systems
In 1948, the __________________________ instituted apartheid, a system of racial segregation which lasted until 1994.
Under this system, the rights and activities of black South Africans were curtailed, and
the rule of white citizens was emphasized.
South African
government
is another system of stratification that is determined by personal
effort and merit. Social standing and advancement in this system is
determined by how well a person performs his or her social role.
Meritocracy
THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES
ON SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
-Functionalism,
-Conflict theory
-Symbolic interactionism.
The functionalist perspective examines how the different aspects of society contribute to ensuring
its stability and continued function.
FUNCTIONALISM
believe that each part or aspect of society
serves an important purpose. They also believe that social stratification is based on the intrinsic
value of social activities or roles.
Functionalists
proposed that a social role that has a greater functional purpose will
result in greater reward, and that stratification represents the inherently unequal value of different
types of work.
Davis-Moore hypothesis
Who introduced the Davis-Moore hypothesis
Kingsley Davis and
Wilbert Moore in 1945
is further defined by the fact that highly
demanding jobs that require more skills to perform can only be
performed by a few, select individuals, Thus, highly skilled and
greatly-rewarded workers, such as doctors and engineers, tend to be
few.
stratification (functionalism)
proposed an alternative perspective on the significance of
employment on social stratification. He criticized the Davis-Moore hypothesis and said
that it was unable to consider situations where individuals of little talent or skill are able
to access better opportunities or occupy higher positions in society, citing the example
of media personalities who attain great social status but do not possess traits that would
characterize them as productive citizens.
Melvin Tumin (1953)
sees social stratification as
being defined by the lack of opportunities for the less-privileged sectors of society.
Melvin Tumin
takes a critical view of social stratification and considers society as benefitting
only a small segment.
Conflict theory
believe that stratification perpetuates inequality, and
they draw many of their ideas from the works of Karl Marx.
Conflict theorists
believed that social
stratification is influenced by economic forces and that relationships in society are defined by
the factors of production.
Karl Marx
He considered society as being divided between two groups
Karl Marx
According to Karl Marx, society i divided into two:
bourgeoisie or the capitalists
proletariat
own the factors of production such as resources, land, and
businesses
bourgeoisie or the capitalists
are the workers that provide the manual labor needed to
produce goods
proletariat
The ________________ belongs to the upper classes of society and gained wealth
due to the profits from their businesses.
bourgeoisie
The _____________ belongs to the lower
classes, lacks power and influence, and experiences great hardships.
proletariat
Karl Marx
believed that the
inequality prevalent in societies causes workers to experience alienation, isolation, and great
misery due to their powerless status. The inequalities brought about by social stratification lead
to class conflict.
refrains from looking into the larger structural factors that define social
stratification and contribute to inequality and poverty. Instead, it examines stratification from a
micro-level perspective and attempts to explain how people’s social standing affects their
everyday interactions.
Symbolic interactionism
often leads people to
interact with others within their own social class - people who have the same background,
interests, and way of life. Social stratification, therefore, is a system that groups people together.
Social Stratification (for symbolic interactionism)
is the ability of individuals or groups to change their positions within a social
stratification system. It also refers to how individuals progress from a lower to a higher social
class, or even how individuals lose their status and occupy a much lower social position in
society.
SOCIAL MOBILITY