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CHAPTER 8Social Stratification
True or False:
● Social status in an society is basically determined by individual achievements and abilities
● False - some rank by attributes (race, ancestry, gender, wealth, power)o The most important predictor for social
status is the status of your parents
True or False:
● Except for occasional success stories, most Americans remain in the same social class their entire lives
● True
True or False:
● Americans of all classes have similar life spans and access to similar health care, housing, education, and other resource
● False
True or False:
● In the United States, the gap between the rich and the poor is widening.
● True - average CEO makes 419x as average production worker (In 1980 that ratio was 42 to 1)
True or False:
● A full-time worker can still live in poverty in the USA.
● Trueo Someone making $10, working 40
hours per week, 50 weeks a year, will make $20,000, just before the poverty line for a family of four. (And minimum wage is less than $8).
True or False:
Stratification systems differ little from society to society.
True or False:
Applicants should be drug-tested before receiving welfare benefits.
True or False:
Money can buy happiness.
True or False:
The American class system is unfair.
True or False:
Raising the minimum wage would help the poverty rate in America.
Social Stratification
The division of society into categories, ranks, or classes based on certain characteristics
Social Inequality
● The unequal sharing of scarce resources and social rewards
● If you were going to stratify a society - how would you distribute scarce resources and social rewards?
Open vs Closed Systems
● Open: movement between strata is possible
● Closed: impossible - assigned a status at birth
Class System
● Distribution of scarce resources and rewards based on achieved statuses
● Marx - bourgeoisie & proletariatso Only determining factor - ownership of
property and the means of production● Weber - Class consists of power,
property, & prestige
Wealth
● Made up of o assets - value of
everything one owns (bonds, land)
o income -money earned through salaries, investments, etc.
Power
● Ability to control the behavior of others, with or without their consent
● Can be based on force, the possession of a special skill or type of knowledge, social status, personal characteristics, or customs and traditions
Prestige
● The respect, honor, recognition, or courtesy an individual receives from other members of society
● Determining factors: income, occupation, education, family background, area of residence, possessions, club memberships
Caste System● Elaborate norms
govern interaction among castes
● Exogamy - marriage outside one’s caste forbidden
● Endogamy - marriage within one’s own social caste
Social Class
The grouping of people with similar levels of wealth, power, and prestigeUse socioeconomic status
The American Class System
● The Upper Class - 1% of population● Old vs New money ● Many are traditionalists and
politically conservative● Conspicuous consumption by the
newly rich
The Upper Middle Class
● Mostly high-income businesspeople & professionals
● Most have college ed & advanced degrees
● Membership based on income not assets
● Career-oriented● Politically & socially active● Power & influence limited to
community level
The Lower Middle Class
● White-collar jobs● Many jobs require less education● Live comfortable life but must work
hard to keep what they have● Many hold traditional values & are
politically conservative
The Working Class
● Manual labor jobs & pink-collar jobs● Some paid as much as lower middle
class, but not as prestigious● Few financial reserves - unexpected
crisis can push them into lower class
The Working Poor
● Lowest paying jobs - often temporary / seasonal
● Work hard but rarely make a living wage
● Depend on govt. support programs● High school dropouts● Not involved politically● Often purposefully disenfranchised
The Underclass
● Chief source of income usually public assistance
● Day-to-day struggle● Some work, but usually very low-
paid● Unemployment and poverty
The Game
You all represent the country’s population. And everyone in the country has a chance to become wealthy and move into the upper class.
To move into the upper class, all you must do is throw your wadded up paper into the bin while sitting in your seat.
Conclusion
The closer you were to the recycling bin, the better your odds.
This is what privilege looks like.
Who complained?
Your Job (for life) - -
As students who are receiving an education - - is to be aware of your privilege. And use this particular privilege called “education” to do your best to achieve great things, all the while advocating for those in the rows behind you.
Social Mobility
● Movement between or within social classes
● Three types: horizontal, vertical, and intergenerational
Horizontal Mobility
● Movement within a social class
● Example - accountant moves to new firm
Vertical Mobility
● Movement between social classes - upward or downward
● Example - teacher becomes superintendent
Intergenerational Mobility
● Status differences between generations in the same family
● A special form of vertical mobility● Example: son of mechanic becomes
a lawyer● Most Americans achieve higher
occupational status than their parents, but stay in same social class
Poverty
● Standard of living below the minimum level considered adequate by society
● Poverty level - minimum income (adjusted each year)
American Poverty
● Age - Children overrepresented in poverty
● Hispanic / African American kids 3x more likely to be impoverished
● Sex - Over half of all poor are women
● African American / Hispanic women more likely
● Race & Ethnicity - African Americans & Hispanics much more likely
The Effects of Poverty
● Life Chances - life expectancy, health, housing, education
● Poor children 60% more likely to die in first year than those not born into poverty
● Why? - inadequate nutrition & less access to medical care
● Housing usually inadequate, unsafe
● School-funding partially based on local taxes
Patterns of Behavior● Divorce rates
higher
● More likely to be arrested, convicted, imprisoned
● More likely to be victims of crime
Government responses to Poverty
● War on Poverty - LBJ
● Has helped for elderly - because of Social Security & Medicare
Social-Welfare Programs2 Types:1.Transfer Payments - redistribute
money (through taxes) a. Elderly, blind, disabled, kids
2.Subsidies - transfer goods & services instead of casha. Example- food stamp program (poor
receive coupons or cards for food)b. Other examples - housing, school
lunches, medicaid, etc.)
Criticism of Welfare Program● Created a permanent ‘welfare class’
● Power given to states to decide their own system - some chose not to give payments after a certain number of years
Questions
● What characteristics do you have that might give you a higher status?
● Can you think of any examples of stratification locally?
● What could we do to make society more equal? Or should we?
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