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Social Stratification, Social Class, and Ethnicity

Social StratificationA system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy based on their access to scarce resources.

Four Basic Principles of Social Stratification:

It is a characteristic of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences.

It persists over generations.It is universal but variable.It involves not just inequality but beliefs.

Cultural beliefs serve to justify social stratification.

That is part of the reason why it persists.

Types of Stratification Systems

Caste System- social stratification based on ascribed status.

India and South Africa

Class System- social stratification based on achieved status.

Interpretations of Stratification Functionalist

Meritocracy Social Conflict (Marx) Max Weber

Wealth, Prestige, PowerSocioeconomic status- An individual’s comparative status in a society based on factors (education, income and occupation).

People in the US are stratified based on the following:

IncomePrestigeWealth

EducationPower

Income Wages or salaries from work and earnings from

investments. Distribution of Income in the US

–Top 5th 47%–Next 5th 24%–Third 5th 16%–Fourth 5th 10%–Bottom 5th 4%

Wealth Total value of money and other assets, minus

outstanding debts.Distribution of Wealth in the US

–Top 5th 80%–Next 5th 15%–Third 5th 5%–Fourth 5th less than 1%–Bottom 5th less than 1%

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