Structured inequality: class and stratification M2 Flashcards
Define social stratification
A system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy
What are the four principles that underlie social stratification?
Social stratification:
- is a trait of society, not individual differences
- persists across generations
- is found everywhere but varies in how extreme
- involves not just inequality but beliefs, says why some get less than other and defines it as fair
What can caste system be labelled as for social mobility?
Closed
Define meritocracy
Social stratification based on personal merit
How do class systems in industrial societies balance meritocracy and caste?
- they move toward meritocracy to promote productivity and efficiency
- but keep caste elements, family, to maintain order and social unity
Define status consistency
Consistency in a persons social standing across various dimensions of social inequality
Which type of system has high status consistency?
caste
Which type of system has lower status consistency?
More mobile class systems
How do people justify social inequality?
With ideology, poor people are lazy
Define the David Moore thesis
Social stratification has beneficial consequences for the operations of a society
What did Weber disagree with Marx about?
Said Marxist economic model was simplistic
What inequality did Weber claim social stratification was made up of instead of Marx’s ideas?
-class position (economic inequality)
What is the Kuznet curve and what is it an example of?
- It is a curve showing different types of societies, hunter gatherers to post-industrial, and it compares it to intensity of social stratification
- it shows social stratification reflects technology
Why is studying intergenerational mobility important?
Shows trends in a society over time
Define functional literacy
Lack of reading and writing skills needed for everyday living
