SOCIAL AND POLITICAL

STRATIFICATION
The Concept of Social Stratification
Social Stratification—refers to the division of
large groups into smaller groups based on
categories determined by economics.
Related to the concept of Social stratification
and inequality is Social Exclusion. This refers to
the process by which individuals are cut off from
full involvement in the wider circles of society.
 Systems of Stratification
Sociologists distinguish between two primary
systems of stratification, namely the closed &
open systems
Closed systems—impose rigid boundaries
between social groups and limit interactions
among members.
On the other hand, stratification in an open
system is based on achievement, allowing more
flexibility in social roles.
Caste systems— are closed stratification systems
because people are unable to change their social
standing.
Class System—is a stratification system based on
the ownership of resources and the individual's
occupation or profession.Social Class is composed
of people who share the same background and
characteristics.
The openness in class systems results in the
prevalence of exogamous marriages or marriages
between people who come different Social classes.
endogamous marriages —marriages between
People from the Social classe—are also common
• But these unions are not imposed and are
entered into freely by The individuals.
Meritocracy—is another system of stratification
that is determined by personal effort and merit.
 Theoretical Perspectives on Social
Stratification
• In the context of sociology, social stratification
can be examined using three different theoretical
perspectives namely functionalism, conflict
theory, and symbolic interactionism.
 Functionalism
Functionalist Perspective— examines how the
different aspects of society contribute to ensuring
it's stability and continued function.
Davis-Moore thesis — is introduced by Kingsley
Davis & Wilbert Moore in 1945, proposed that a
social role that has a greater functional purpose
will result in greater reward.
In 1953, Melvin Tumin proposed an alternative
perspective on the significance of employment on
Social Stratification.
 Conflict Theory
Conflict Theory— takes a critical view of social
stratification and considers society as benefitting only
a small segment.
Karl Marx — believed that Social Stratification is
influenced by economic forces, and that relationship's
in society are defined by the factors of production.
He considered Society as being devided between two
groups : the Bourgeois or Capitalist & Proletariat
Bourgeois or Capitalist— who own the factors of
production such as resources,land, and business
Proletariat— who are the workers that provide the
manual labor needed to produce goods.
 Symbolic Interactionism
Symbolic Interactionism—refrains from looking
into the larger structural factors that define Social
stratification and contribute to inequality and
poverty.
Theory of Conspicuous Consumption—refers to
buying certain products to make a social statement
about status.
 Social Mobility
• Social Mobility—is the ability of individuals or
groups to change their positions within a social
stratification system.
There are two main types of Social Mobility
★Upward Mobility ★Downward Mobility
Refers to an refers to the lowering of an
upward movement individual's social class.
in social class
• Intragenerational mobility—focuses on the
experience of people who belong to the same
generation.
• Intergenerational mobility—refers to the change
in social standing experienced by individuals
belonging to to different generations.
Structural Mobility—changes in Society can result in
the improvement or decline of the conditions and
status of a large group of people.
 Social Inequality
• Societies are usually characterized by divisions.
Social Inequality and Poverty
—Social Class and Stratification are
important concepts in understanding social
inequality.
Max Weber defined stratification through the
Concept of STATUS w/c he defined as the esteem
or "social honor" given to certain individuals or
groups. In his discussion on status, Weber focused
on the concept of "market position" which refer to
the ability of individuals or groups to engage in
economic activities.
Karl Marx considered CLASS an essential
characteristics based on the economic structure of
society.
Warner, Meeker, and Eels considered that CLASS is
influenced by cultural factors such as lifestyle and
consumption patterns.
• The concept of CLASS is evident in many
industrialized societies, which is divided into
UPPER CLASS, MIDDLE CLASS AND THE LOWER
OR WORKING CLASS.
• Upper Class— is usually composed of rich, well
born, powerful, or a combination of these.
• Middle Class—the most contested of the three
categories.
• Lower Class—refers to those employed in law-
paying wage jobs with very little economic
security. They are also sometimes called blue-
collar workers.
• The term UNDERCLASS is also utilized to refer to
the segment of the society
• Income, affluence and poverty are also
important factors that Define social inequality.

• Poverty is defined according to two types.

• ★ABSOLUTE POVERTY refers to the lack of basic
resources like food and etc.
• ★RELATIVE POVERTY meanwhile, applies to
those who maybe able to obtain basic necessities
• Subjective poverty— Finally, is a type of poverty
that is defined by how an
 Gender Inequality
• Is another important aspect of social inequality
• Gender refers to the culturally-imposed
characteristics that define masculinity and
femininity.
• And it is being social construct
• Sex which refers to biological and anatomical
differences that distinguish males from females.
• And it is an unchanging aspect of a person's identity.
• Gender is particularly important in determining the
Gender role of individuals, which refers to specific
tasks and behaviors expected of a person.
• Gender Identity is another important concept
which refers to how a person identifies himself or
herself as belonging.
• Men are expected to fit a certain "masculine"
behavior which is characterized by assertiveness,
courage and interdependence.
• Females, on the other hand, identify with the
female gender and perform roles associated with
being a woman
• Patriarchy refers to the socially sanctioned and
systematic domination of males over females
• CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all Forms
of Discrimination
• —which defined discrimination directed against
women and called for action to end such
discrimination.
• Also known as the International Bill of Rights for
Women.
• Liberal Feminists explain gender inequality in terms
of social and cultural attitudes.
• Radical feminists on the other hand, argue that men
are responsible for the exploitation of women
through patriarchy
• Black feminism another feminist strand, identifies
• factors such as class and ethnicity.
 Ethnicity and Race Issues
• Ethnicity is the feeling of affinity or loyalty
towards a particular population.
• Race on the other hand, refers to a group of
people who share a common ancestry.
• Racism refers to a set of attitudes, beliefs, and
practices used To justify the superior
• Racist believes that some individuals are
superior or inferior to others as a result of racial
differences.
• Displacement and scapegoating are
psychological mechanisms associated with
prejudice and discrimination.
• Prejudice involves holding "stereotypes" or
preconceived views that are often based on faulty
generalizations
• Discrimination meanwhile, refers to actions or
behavior of members of a dominant social group
• Racial inequality and discrimination is most
prevalent in modern multicultural societies
 Other Minorities
• Primary issues involving these groups include lack
of access to resources and opportunities
 Global Inequality
• Just as society is defined by inequality and division as
seen in the existence of varied social classes
• Global stratification refers to the unequal distribution
of wealth,power,and prestige on a global basis.
• Countries can be classified and differentiated according
to their per-person Gross National Product (GNP) or
the per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP)— which
is a country's average national wealth per person
• The richest in the world was Qatar
• IMF (International Monetary Fund)
• GNI (Gross National Income)
• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme's)
• HDI (Human Development Index)
• MDGs (Millennium Development Goals)
• There are variety of theories that explain global
inequality.
• Market-oriented theories such as modernization
theory claim that cultural and institutional barriers to
development explain poverty in law-income
countries.
• Dependency theories claim that global poverty is the
result of exploitation of poor countries by wealthy
ones.
• World system theory focuses on the relationship
Among the '' core'','' peripheral'', and ''
semiperipheral'' countries in the global
economy.

State - centered theories emphasize the role of

governments in fostering economic
development.
These theories draw on the experiences of the
newly - industrialized countries in East Asia like
hongkong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea.