UNIT 3A

1. UNIT 3A Social Stratification

2. Social Stratification • All people are socially differentiated on some sort of criteria • Societies confer a larger share of wealth, power, and prestige on those possessing more admired characteristics • All complex societies are stratified • Simpler societies do not have clear-cut division into hierarchically ranked strata

3. Dimensions of Social Inequality • Max Weber identified 3 basic criteria for measuring levels of social inequality that can operate independently of one another • Wealth • Power • Prestige

4. Wealth • Forms of wealth can vary • Extent of economic inequality can vary • Range of wealth in U.S. is great

5. Power • Ability to achieve goals and objectives even against the will of others • Does not necessarily overlap with wealth • Theory in U.S. is power is in the hands of the people • Reality is the belief that power resides with unofficial power elite

6. Prestige • Social respect, esteem, or admiration that society confers on certain people • Sources vary from one culture to another • Based on norms and values of a particular group

7. Types of Societies • Based on levels of social inequality • Egalitarian societies • Rank societies • Stratified societies • Class societies • Caste societies

8. Egalitarian Societies • Food collectors • No individual or group has more wealth, power, or prestige than any other • Esteemed individuals cannot transform skills into power or wealth • High status positions constantly change to reflect the number of qualified candidates • As many positions of prestige as there are persons capable of filling them • Are usually transformed to non-egalitarian when contact with stratified societies occurs

9. Rank Societies • Oceania and among Native Americans of the Northwest Coast • Unequal access to prestige or status but not unequal access to wealth or power • Fixed number of high-status positions • High prestige positions are largely hereditary • Kinship plays an important role • Basic standard of living of chief is not significantly different from ordinary people • Chief has no real power or control over land and maintains position by virtue of generosity • Redistribution is not only economic but validates rank

10. Stratified Societies • Inequality in power, wealth, and prestige • Inequality is permanent and formally recognized • Access to resources is inherited • Arose approximately 5500 years ago with the rise of civilization • Population is highly differentiated into role specialization • 2 different kinds: class-based or caste-based

11. Stratified Societies: class vs. caste • Differ in social mobility • Class is associated with achieved status • Caste is associated with ascribed status • Caste and class systems may overlap each other • All stratified societies are along continuum from perfect class to perfect caste system

12. Class societies • Social classes are population segments • Members hare relatively similar life styles • Share levels of wealth, power, and prestige • According to US national mythology, there is a good deal of social mobility • Reality is most don’t change class in lifetime • Members of class share economic level, experiences, education, politics, values, and social memberships

13. Caste societies • Members are ranked according to birth • Membership is unchangeable • Usually associated with specific occupation • Are ranked hierarchically • Higher castes have more and do less • Members of caste share same social status and are socially segregated • Caste exclusiveness is furthered by rituals • Higher castes have most interest in maintaining the existing system

14. Hindu caste system • 4 sacred categories (varnas) associated with occupations • Dalits (outcastes) are below these four • Each varna is subdivided and stratified (jati) • Jati are subgroups • Local family groups that are strictly endogamous • Ranking varies regionally • Social interaction with jati is egalitarian • Avoid egalitarian socializing with other jati • Hindu religion sanctions caste system • Castes are economically interdependent