Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

(UCSP)
Quarter 2: Module 3:
The Concepts, Characteristics and Forms of Stratification
Systems
MELC: Examine the concepts, characteristics and forms of stratification systems using
sociological perspectives.
In the previous module, you have discussed about one of the social institutions that is
playing a great role in our society-the education institution. Specifically, you have studied the
classifications, functions and importance of education in the society. Moreover, you have also
studied how the functions of education affect the lives of people.
In this module, you shall be dealing with a new topic which is on social stratification. In
every society, stratification is a reality that is very evident. With stratification, we can observe
that there is indeed varied contrasts in the position and status among members of a community.
Others can afford to live in big houses in exclusive subdivisions and others can only afford to
live in shanties or makeshift structures just to have a roof to cover their heads. Others can buy
brand new luxury cars, but others can only afford a second- hand utility vehicle.
In Session Road, if you happen to walk along this area, you may already observe that
people passing this road come from the different walks of life-the haves and the have-nots. Karl
Marx used the terms haves and have-nots to show the big gap between the rich and the poor.
The rich as the haves and the poor as the have-nots. How would we know this stratified
composition of our society? We see store/business owners if we happen to know them. We see
that there are workers coming from banks, department stores, medical clinics, and other
professions may be because of the uniforms they are wearing. We also see vendors of many
types, street sweepers, performers and even paupers along this landmark road of Baguio City.
These observations that we can get from what we witness around us would make us realize that
social stratification is in every corner of our society.
If you happen to grow up from traditional Cordilleran families, you may have heard from
your folks some ethnic terms for the concepts of rich and poor. Here are some words from the
different ethnic groups in the Cordillera region that manifested social stratification in our region.
Examples of these are baknang/kadangyan and biteg or pobre among Kankanaeys; faknang
and kapus among some groups in Kalinga; kadangyan and nawotwot among Ifugaos; baknang
and abiteg/aubiteg among Ibalois; baknang/faknang/vaknang and panglaw among the
Tingguians and Itnegs of Abra.
Among other groups (non-Cordillerans) that I have asked, I have learned also that such
terms (rich and poor) are also present in their own settings. These are mayaman and
mahirap/maralita among the Tagalogs; nabaknang and nakurapay among Ilokanos; mayaman
and mahirap among Pangasinenses; datu and pobre among the Bisaya in Davao.
Traditionally, stratification is also very evident in our society and we could say that it is
also one of the traits of our society that had been existing for so long. These social positions
were not usually verbalized in the community but manifested in their lifestyle and to some the
designs of traditional clothing they wear.
In school, we can also see manifestations of stratification through the classifications of
students. Students who are academically performing are placed in the so called “star section or
the A-section” and all the others are placed in the regular section. In senior high school,
students are classified into the different strands based on their line of interests, skills and
academic averages. On these bases we could see not all students are meant/ accepted in the
STEM strand, Sports and Arts & Design tracks. At present, the school that children attend can
have an enormous influence in their life chances. In this way, we could say that schools are also
practicing stratification.
As to nationality, stratification is demonstrated in the use of visa. In Europe, those that
come from developed countries may get in European countries with less restrictions or even
without visa requirement but if you are one who come from a developing country, you have to
secure a visa before getting into European countries.
Looking around stratification is manifested in many ways in our society.

What Is It
This part presents to you the content of this module that you have to study and know by
heart. You will see the following topics presented: (1) Definition of terms; (2) Factors determining
a person’s social standing; (3) Characteristics of social stratification; (4) Forms of stratification
systems; and (5) The theoretical views of stratification.
Definition of Terms

Stratification This is the division of society into layers, or strata of people who
have unequal amounts of scarce but desirable resources, unequal life chances,
and unequal social influence. (Light et.al)

Social Stratification This is a social system where members of the society are ranked and
categorized in different layers. This categorization into economic tiers is based
on factors like wealth, income, race, education and power. (John Macionis)

Social class This is a concept under social stratification where people are grouped into sets of
hierarchical social categories usually based on economic criteria like wealth. In
the Philippines we use the hierarchical terms such as upper, middle and lower
classes.

Social Mobility This refers to the movement of people from one social class to another in the
person’s lifetime.

Horizontal This is a type of social mobility where a change in a person’s position does
Mobility not alter that person’s rank in the society.

Vertical Mobility This type of social mobility refers to the upward or downward changes in a
person’s status.

Social Status This refers to the relative ranking that a person holds that comes with rights,
duties, and lifestyle in the social hierarchy HYPERLINK "https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/hierarchy" based upon honor or prestige. Social status may
be ascribed or achieved.

Ascribed status This is a concept referring to a status where you are born into like castes, race
and beauty. This status is assigned without reference to any inherent abilities.
It is based on sex, age, race, family relationships, or birth.

Achieved status This is a position of a person that is conferred because of the merits earned by a
person through the person’s educational achievement, occupation, marital status,
accomplishments and other factors. This status requires special qualities and
 gained through competition and individual effort.

Factors Determining A Person’s Social Standing

These factors are also known as the social desirables.
• Wealth – This refers to the total value of money and assets of a person.
• Prestige – Cambridge dictionary defines this word as the respect and admiration
given to a person or something, usually because of a reputation for high quality,
success or social influence.
• Power – R.H. Tawney defines the word power as the capacity of a person, or group of
persons, to alter/change/modify the conduct of other persons or groups in the way he
(the power holder) desires.

Characteristics of Social Stratification

John Macionis (2001) gave the following characteristics of social stratification.
• Social stratification is a trait of society, not simply a reflection of individual
differences. Macionis explains that social stratification is an aspect that is inherently
present in the society. It is not seen as a trait of individuals. It is not the rich or the poor
people who responsibly created social stratification, but this system had impacted lives
of people in the society.
• Social stratification persists over generations. Social stratification is one that is
existent across generations. In all types of societies, parents pass their social position
on to their children, however, in some open societies, they allow degrees of social
mobilization thus people may improve their standard of living through their abilities and
merits and others may also lose their high social standing due to business setbacks,
unemployment or illness. (Macionis, 2001)
• Social stratification is universal but variable. Social stratification is existent in all
societies; however, it is manifested in different degrees and different ways dependent
on the bases/criteria used by certain societies to point out inequality. These criteria of
differences could be in the dimension of prestige, power and wealth. Some societies
recognize wider range of inequalities than others.
• Social stratification involves not just inequality but beliefs. This characteristic of
social stratification, as explained by Macionis, is one that is also defined by the people
in the society as well. How they determined and defined what is good and what is bad
in their society is also true as to how they determine and define what is fair and
unequal. Determining and defining the ideas of what is good, bad, fair and unequal is
affected by the valued beliefs of the people in the society themselves. It is on this
basis that explains the differences of what is unequal in every society.

Forms of Stratification Systems

Sociologists have recognized 2 systems of stratification. These are the closed system
and the open system of stratification.
Closed System of Stratification Open System of Stratification
It does not allow any movement from one The open system of stratification allows the mobility
hierarchy to the next level. There is no social of people in the society from one hierarchy to the
mobility. next hierarchy.
 It does not also allow social relations between This system allows interaction of people from the
levels. No intermarriage of members between different layers and classes. Allows exogamous
different strata. Must marry within your class only. (within your place) marriage of members between
layers of the society.

It confers ascribed status of persons in the society.
People are therefore socialized to accept their
assigned social standing. Acceptance of their
social standing is a moral duty. There is no chance
for people to improve their social position because
they were even assigned their occupation
regardless of their talents, interests and potential.
The categorization of persons from the different
classes or layers is based on achievement, thus
such is known as achieved status. With social
mobility allowed, one may improve his/her social
standing through education, updated skills, proper
work values, and others.

In this form of system, you are born into your In this system, you can earn your status. Status is
status and such status is permanent. dependent on how you perform as a person
(individual achievement) in the society.

An example of this is the traditional Caste System Example is the Philippine system of social
of India. stratification called the class system. To illustrate
this, let us look into the social status of one of the
Note: With the passage of time, it is also important Senators. As a child, his family’s social status is poor
to note that at present the traditional caste system just like most of us or may be even lower. He
of India had undergone changes. Most of those dropped out from school at age 14 and went to
restrictions in the past are now being diminished Manila in hopes of making money to support his
brought about by various factors like modern mother and siblings. But, when he became a
education, industrialization, urbanization, the professional boxer and won many boxing titles, he is
Indian Constitution and others. now worth millions because of his ability in the field
of boxing. At present, his social status is
nouveau riche (new rich).

Theoretical Views of Stratification

Social scientists agree that there are 3 main theoretical views about stratification. These are the
functionalist perspective, the power perspective and symbolic interactionism which explain the
unequal distribution of wealth, power and prestige in societies. These 3 theoretical views help
us to understand stratification better.

• The Functionalist Perspective

• The functionalist perspective views that stratification is both universal and necessary, and
that class arrangements of some kind exist in all societies. Functionalists posits that
stratification is primordial to induce qualified people to assume certain occupational
positions in the society because different aspects of society exist because they serve a
needed purpose.
• Kingsley Davis (1908-1997) and Wilbert Moore (1914-1987) are sociologists and the main
proponents of the functionalist perspective of stratification. They argued that the greater the
functional importance of a social role, the greater must be the reward. This belief that they
advocate implies that some occupations are more essential than others and therefore,
require more talent and training. And the qualified people who fill those more valuable
 positions must be rewarded more than the others. They advocate that societies must
motivate people to fill these positions by rewarding them with money and prestige. Further,
they believed that rewarding more important work with higher levels of income, prestige and
power encourages people to work harder and longer. In this way, it has shown that social
inequality is both necessary and just as it benefits the society.
• An example cited by David and Moore is that of a firefighter’s job versus a grocery store
cashier job. The cashier position does not require the same skill and training level as
firefighting. Without the incentive of higher pay and better benefits for firefighters, no one
would want to rush into a burning building. If the pay of the firefighter and the grocery store
cashier is the same, the firefighter might as well work as grocery store cashier as it is not as
challenging and skilled as being a firefighter.
• Davis and Moore stated that, in most cases, the degree of skill required for a job determines
that job’s importance. Moreover, they presented that the more skill required for a job, the
fewer qualified people there would be to do that job.

• The Conflict/Power Perspective

• The conflict/power perspective believes that stratification is functional only for some
members of society, namely those with power, and not all of society. Conflict theorists
believe that stratification enables inequality to be present in the society.
• Light et. al. (1989) cited that Marx is the major proponent of the conflict view. His view of
stratification is based on the idea that class struggle over a limited supply of rewards and
resources. In capitalist societies, some classes have power and control over key economic
decisions and policies, while others do not. Therefore, Marx argued, class relations
inherently involve conflicting interests: the ruling class has an interest in maintaining the
authority structure and the exploited class has an interest in overthrowing it. Marx predicted
that as the class of industrial workers grew, they would become more and more conscious of
their exploited condition. He stated that the result would be an open class warfare, where
the proletariat would emerge victorious. First, a socialist and then a classless communist
society would follow. This focus on class and class struggle separates Marxist’s thought
from other power perspectives on stratification.
• Sociologists have developed several explanations for the failure of Marx’s predicted socialist
revolution.
• First view is that the growth of the middle-class overtime has reduced the polarization
the bourgeoisie (haves) and the proletariat (have nots).
• Second view is that leading developed countries like the United States of America has
long offered opportunity for social mobility.
• Third view points out that the worker’s pay and working conditions have improved
substantially over the last century.

3. The Symbolic Interactionism Perspective

• This perspective is one that explains society as a whole by examining observed everyday
interactions of individuals. With this, the symbolic interactionism perspective studies the
society from a micro level point of view. This level of analysis endeavors to explain how
people’s social standing affects their interaction with others.
• Quoting the book, “Introduction to Sociology,” published by Open Stax College, it pointed out
that in most communities, people interact primarily with others who share the same social
 standing because of the social stratification that people tend to live, work and associate with
others like themselves. To illustrate further, people live, work and associate with whom they
share the same income level, educational background or racial background, and even tastes
in food, music and clothing. The built- in system of social stratification groups people
together.
• This perspective, symbolic interactionism, also posits that the people’s appearance reflects
their perceived social standing. This perceived social standing in the society is manifested in
the kind of house they live in, the cars they sport, their sense of fashion and hairstyle, their
taste in accessories and personal style.

Source: Glynn Jhoy B. Vicente-Tayaban The Concepts, Characteristics and Forms of Stratification Systems,
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics, Grade 12, First Semester, Quarter 2, Week 3. Deped, Division of
Baguio City.