Transcript of SOCIAL STRATIFICATION Slavery, caste, estate and class.
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- SOCIAL STRATIFICATION Slavery, caste, estate and class
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- How much chance does someone from a poor background have of
reaching the top of the economic ladder? Why do economic
inequalities exist? What social factors influence your economic
position in society? Are your chances any different if you are
..?
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- Social stratification Inequalities that exist between
individuals and groups within societies. Not just in terms of
property or assets but differential access to rewards occur also
because of Gender Age Religion Race/ethnicity Structured
inequalities between different groupings of people.
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- Social Stratification A system by which a society ranks
categories of people in a hierarchy based on their access to scarce
resources. IT HAS FOUR BASIC FEATURES: 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. However, most societies allow some
social mobility or changes in peoples position in a system of
social stratification. Social mobility may be upward, downward, or
horizontal.
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- Social stratification is all about structured inequalities;
i.e., in terms of assets, property, attributes (such as gender/
race /religion, ethnicity or military rank) among different groups
unequal access to rewards with respect to ones position in society
layering of society; less privileged to most favored sharing common
characteristics without necessarily interacting or identifying with
one another being male/ female/ black/ white/ upper class/ working
class makes difference about life chances stratification changes
through time early human societies versus advanced societies
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- Individuals from a category can change their rank but the
category continues to exist even if people move out of it and into
another category (sharing common characteristics without
necessarily interacting or identifying with one another ).
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- Life experiences and opportunities depend on how social
category is ranked (can sometimes be more significant than personal
effort). Ranks of social categories change slowly over time.
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- Classical Stratification Top ( Most privileged ) Middle (more
privileged ) lower (least privileged)
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- Stratification in Modern Industrial societies Upper class
Middle classes Working classes
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- Stratification and Inequality Social inequality: condition in
which members of society have different amounts of wealth,
prestige, or power Stratification: structured ranking of entire
groups of people that perpetuates unequal economic rewards and
power in a society Four major stratification systems: slavery,
caste, estate, and class
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- IS STRATIFICATION NATURAL? Is it possible to change ones
position in any social stratification system? 4 basic systems of
stratification: Slavery Caste Estate Class
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- SLAVERY Extreme form of organized inequality Certain groups of
people are treated as property Legal procedures/conditions
regarding slavery varied and changed over time/ place domestic
slavery gang/plantation slavery constant threat of punishment and
supervision Obvious form of subjection; therefore slave systems
were vulnerable for rebellions Spartacus case Economically not
quite efficient Since the 18th century, social movements to abolish
slavery Slavery is illegal, however different forms of it exists;
trafficking and enslavement for sex work (child+female
prostitution) forced labor and bondage
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- CASTE Systematic inequalities that are believed to be bestowed
by birth Life-long social position race/ethnicity or perceived
physical characteristics can be the criteria purity- occupational
and group purity limiting contact Caste is ascribed and reproduced
through family. A person is born into a caste and remains there for
life. Special type of class society in which class position is
ascribed by birth.
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- Common in agricultural and not fully developed and industrial
societies. Contact with members of other caste is discouraged.
Purity maintained by rules of endogamy.
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- Caste Systems A caste system is social stratification based on
ascription or birth. Caste systems are typical of agrarian
societies because the lifelong routines of agriculture depend on a
rigid sense of duty and discipline Caste systems shape peoples
lives in four crucial ways: Caste largely determines occupation.
Caste systems generally mandate endogamy. Caste systems limit
out-group social contacts. Powerful cultural beliefs underlie caste
systems.
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- Indian caste system until 1949 South African apartheid regime
before 1992 whites 15 % -- land, capital, political power blacks
(majority) no right to vote, can only work for the white minority,
lived in bantustas African National Congress (ANC)-- boycott of
South African business. 1992 apartheid abolished by popular vote
(among whites) Jewish communities in Europe- until 1945
(ghetto)
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- Caste system in India
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- Caste in Japan Feudal Japan was divided into several castes:
Nobility. Samurai or warriors. Commoners. The burakumin or
outcasts. Japan today consists of upper, upper-middle, lower-
middle, and lower classes. People move between classes over time.
But they may still size up ones social standing through the lens of
caste.
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- ESTATES Differentiated and unequal social groupings in
preindustrial and tributary societies Distinct strata and
differentiated mutual obligations Major examples of estate system
European feudalism- manorial community aristocracy-gentry- noble
birth clergy commoners- serf, free peasants, merchants Ottoman Tmar
& Millet System- national/ empire based; non-muslims Social
mobility is possible; via intermarriage and affluence, or bestowing
of titles and knightship
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- Characteristics of Estate Systems Estate stratification systems
were agrarian and peasants were required to work land leased to
them by nobles in exchange for military protection and other
services. Local, not national system of stratification in medieval
Europe. During the feudal era, British society was divided into
three estates: The first estate was the hereditary nobility. The
second estate was the clergy. The third estate was the commoners.
The United Kingdom today is a class society, but it retains
important elements of its former caste system
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- Estate societies
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- CLASS Large scale grouping of people with respect to economic
resources and their position in the production system Common
factors affecting life chances and life style Class is fluid, open
for mobility and not legally defined, no formal restriction on
intermarriage. Class is (rather) achieved- not simply given by
birth, upward and downward mobility is possible. Class is
economically based (inequalities in the possesion of material
resources). Class systems are large-scale and impersonal.
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- Characteristics of Class Systems In a class system, social
stratification is based partly on birth, but largely on individual
achievement/merits. Industrial societies move towards meritocracy,
social stratification based on personal merit. In class systems,
status consistency, the degree of consistency of a persons social
standing across various dimensions of social inequality, is lower
than in caste systems
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- The American Class System Inequality follows relatively
consistent and stable patterns that persist through time.
Typically, stratified groups in the United States are referred to
as the upper class, the upper middle class, the lower middle class,
the working class and the lower class. Income inequality is high in
the United States; it is increasing; and it is at its highest level
in 50 years. In 2001, the top 20 percent of the population received
half of the income and inequality in wealth is even greater.
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- Social class largely determines peoples life chances and style
of life. Children and the elderly account for nearly half of all
the Americans living in poverty. Three theories predominate
regarding poverty: The culture of poverty theory Poverty as
situational Poverty as a structural feature of capitalist
societies
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- MARXIST THEORY OF SOCIAL/ CLASS CONFLICT Human societies are
stratified- class based societies Every society/ each historical
period and mode of production has its own exploitative class
relations Social class according to Marx; group of people who have
similar/ common relations with the means of production Means of
production Mode of production Surplus production Accumulation of
wealth Pauperization Classes in different mode of productions
Pre-industrial societies land-owning classes vs. producers (serfs,
slaves, free peasantry) Industrial societies owners of means of
production (capitalist-investors) vs. laborers the proletariat
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- Relationship between classes is exploitative. With the
development of modern industry wealth is produced in enormous
amounts but workers have little access to the wealth their labor
creates. Pauperization: working class grows increasingly
impoverished in relation to the capitalist class. Even if workers
get more affluent in absolute terms, the gap separating them from
the capitalist class widens.
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- Interpretations of Stratification Functionalist Meritocracy
Social Conflict (Marx) Max Weber Wealth, Prestige, Power
Socioeconomic status- An individuals comparative status in a
society based on factors (education, income and occupation).
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- Functional Analysis of Stratification The Davis-Moore thesis is
the assertion that social stratification has beneficial
consequences for the operations of a society. It is difficult to
specify the functional importance of a given occupation; some are
clearly over- or under-rewarded. Davis-Moore ignores how social
stratification can prevent the development of individual talents.
The theory also ignores how social inequality may promote conflict
and revolution.
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- Conflict Analysis of Stratification Marx saw classes as defined
by peoples relationship to the means of production. Capitalists (or
the bourgeoisie) are people who own factories and other productive
businesses. The proletarians sell their productive labor to the
capitalists. Big Bucks: Are the Rich Worth What They Earn? Equating
income with social worth is risky business. Critiques Marxism is
revolutionary and highly controversial. Marxism fails to recognize
that a system of unequal rewards may be necessary to motivate
people to perform their social roles effectively. The revolutionary
developments Marx considered inevitable within capitalist societies
have failed to happen.
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- How economic inequalities are translated into other
inequalities; in addition to economic disparities, oppressive
working conditions, wear- some, tedious work, politics Class
conflict and class struggle Class in itself Class for itself- class
consciousness transformation of state & politics proletarian
dictatorship (state capitalism), then communism (stateless society)
CRITIQUE ON MARXIST THEORY * over-simplified; no specific emphasis
on other forms of inequalities and their relationship with class
inequality such as gender, race, ethnicity, skill levels * rigid
bi-polar view * class consciousness only arises from shared
experiences, but there are various forms of sources for social
identities
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- Weberian Theory of Class, Party & Status Weber based his
theory on Marxian theory; elaborated on Marxist theory of class
conflict (society is sum of conflicts over power and limited
resources) Weber had a multi-dimensional view: -- social
stratification is not merely a class conflict, there are other
dimensions; -- class divisions are not only about lack of control
over means of production or directly related to economic
differences -- there are issues regarding skill definitions,
property, credentials, qualifications and market position
(managerial professions vs. blue collar jobs) * Weber introduced
status and party for the analysis of stratification.
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- STATUS & PARTY STATUS- differences according to social
honor and prestige Styles of life may be resembling for a WC and a
MC person According to Marx, status is a class bound concept, but
for Weber status varies independently of class divisions i.e.,
genteel poverty, old money, new money social esteem even after one
looses his/ her fortune PARTY An important aspect of power. A group
of individuals working together because of common background, aims
and interests for special goals Party interest is not reducible to
class difference Protestant/Catholic Interests/ ideas cross-cuts
classes Weber provided complex interpretations of class/ status and
party
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- Life Chances In times of danger, affluent and powerful have a
better chance of surviving than people of ordinary means. Max Weber
saw class as being closely related to peoples life chances: their
opportunities to provide themselves with material goods, positive
living conditions, and favorable life experiences
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- What Difference Does Class Make Health. Richer people live, on
average, seven years longer because they eat more nutritious food,
live in safer and less stressful environments, and receive better
medical care. Values. Affluent people with greater education and
financial security are more tolerant of controversial behavior,
while working-class people tend to be less tolerant. Politics.
Well-off people tend to be more conservative on economic issues but
more liberal on social issues. The reverse is true for those people
of lower social standing. Higher-income people are more likely to
vote and join political organizations than people in the lower
class.
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- What Difference Does Class Make Family and gender. Most
lower-class families are somewhat larger than middle-class
families. Working-class parents encourage conventional norms and
respect to authorities Whereas parents of higher social standing
transmit a different cultural capital to their children, stressing
individuality and imagination.
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- Income and Wealth Income: wages and salaries measured over some
period, such as per hour or per year Wealth: total of a persons
material assets, including savings, land, stocks, and other types
of property, minus his or her debts at a single point in time
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- Who are the poor? Age. 2001, 16.3 percent of people under the
age of eighteen (11.7 million children) were poor. Race and
ethnicity. African Americans are about three times as likely as
non-Hispanic whites to be poor. Gender and family patterns. The
feminization of poverty is the trend by which women represent an
increasing proportion of the poor. Urban and rural poverty. The
greatest concentration of poverty is found in central cities.
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- Explaining poverty One view: The poor are mostly responsible
for their own poverty. The poor become trapped in a culture of
poverty, a lower-class subculture that can destroy peoples
ambition. Another view: Society is primarily responsible for
poverty. Most of the evidence suggests that society rather than the
poor is responsible for it While people continue to talk about
welfare reform, no major political party has said anything about
the lack of work in central cities.
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- Social Mobility The process of moving from one stratification
level to another takes a number of forms: vertical horizontal
intergenerational intra-generational. Intra-generational social
mobility is a change in social position occurring during a persons
lifetime Intergenerational social mobility is upward or downward
social mobility of children in relation to their parents.
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- Social Mobility Religion Historically, people of English
ancestry have enjoyed the most wealth and wielded the greatest
power in the United States. Throughout our history, upward mobility
has sometimes meant converting to a higher- ranking religion
Turkey??
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- Social Mobility Education Impact of formal schooling is even
greater than that of family background Important means of
intergenerational mobility Critical factor in development of
cultural capital
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- Social Mobility Income and Wealth Mobility occurs, but most do
not move very far Likelihood of ending up in same position as ones
parents has been rising since 1980 Occupational Mobility Common
among males Most mobility is minor
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- Understanding Gender Stratification Masculinity and femininity
are culturally and historically constructed (non-essentialist)
Masculinity and femininity are constructed in relation (often in
opposition) to one another. Simone de Beauvoir One is not born but
becomes a woman Man: the norm, neutral, autonomous (mankind) Woman:
the other, the one that lacks, dependent Gender is one of the
fundamental forms of social stratification in all societies
(patriarchy exists in different forms and degrees). Multiple
masculinities and femininities (hegemonic masculinity and hegemonic
femininity) in a given society.
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- How Sexism and Patriarchy works? Avenues of gender
stratification; how sexism and patriarchy are built? family private
property marriage sexual reproduction labor market (segmented labor
market) ideology & culture religion/ traditions/ politics
language