SOCIAL

STRATIFICATION
• Social stratification is the division of society into the permanent group and
linked with each other by the relationship of superiority and subordination . 
CHARACTERISTICS / FEATURE /
FUNCTION : 
1. Universal , dynamic  and ancient
2. It can be in different form and result inequality 
3. social in nature and Persist over generation
4. Based on group difference than individual difference 
5. Help to create peace, harmony , order and equilibrium in society , peruse
different works , occupation or profession , foster democratic spirit ,
progress and prosperity 
6. Ensure the circulation of elites for attaining gratification and social
recognition  
DIMENSION OR BASICS OF SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION :

1. Functional (Work based ) and economic dimension of stratification 

2. Age dimension of stratification 
3. Cast based dimension of stratification
4. Class dimension of stratification 
5. Gender based dimension of stratification 
6. Ethnicity based dimension of stratification
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION FROM
FUNCTIONALISTS PERSPECTIVE :
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION FROM CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE :
SOCIAL DIFFERENCES : 
Social statification  Social differences 

1. Social stratification is the division 1. When members are arranged

horizontally without hierachy there
of society into the permanent
still exist difference between
group and linked with each other people based on the skin colour , 
by the relationship of superiority religion , ethnicity , age , profession
and subordination .  , ability and performance . 
2. Means social inequalities  2. Not necessarly means social
3. Means different access to inequalities 
resources such as power , 3. It does not means different acess to
property , status  among social resources
groups .  4. Eg : black and white differences as
4. Eg :  high caste and low caste there is no proven fact that whites
division  are better than black .
SOCIAL INEQUALIY : 
Social stratification  Social inequalities 

1. Social stratification is the

1. Unequal access to the power ,
division of society into the prestige and privilage by the
permanent group and linked people in the society  .
with each other by 2. Does not assume hierarchy
the relationship of superiority and judgemental 
and subordination .  3. It is consequences  
2. Assume hierarchy and it is 4. Eg : absence of equality 
division not always
judgemental 
3. It is cause 
4. Eg :  high caste and low
caste division 
CASTE :

Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary

transmission of a lifestyle which often includes an occupation, ritual status in
a hierarchy and fixed social interaction and rejection based on
cultural belief of purity and pollution . 
CHARACTERISTICS / FEATURE /
FUNCTION : 
1. Hierarchical and segmental division of society
2. Uniquely hindu tradition 
3. Ascribed status by birth and endogamous 
4. It is social purity or blood purity supported by genetically character 
5. Cast has social ranking according to which social status and privileges
are given 
6. Restriction on marriage  and purity and pollution , social discrimination  ,
occupational choice and economic dissimilarity  , Restriction of social
relation , Restriction of food habits and social interaction 
1. Is constant ,
2. Permanent / stable organization
3. heriditary status is the life time status  
4. Is  hindu in origin 
5. Social relation are formal and stable
6. Cast system are conservative 
7. Birth ascribed status 
8. Based on birth 
CAST BASED SOCIAL INEQUALITY IN CONTEXT OF NEPAL :

1. Origin of caste system in Nepalese and indian society related to

chaturvarna system of hindu philosophy . Chaturvarna doctoriate explain
the hindu society was dicided into four main varnas and the varna system
which was prevalent during vedic period was mainly based on the division
of occupation and labour . Therefore , the caste system has its origin to the
varna system . 
2. There are four varnas : 

Br
ah
mi
ns 
Kshatriyas 

Vaisyas

Sudras 
3. 

Brahmins 
( Mouth )

Kshatriyas 
( Arms ) 

Vaisyas
( Thighs ) 

Sudras 
( Feet ) 
4. At present caste system in nepalese society has three categories 
 Tagadhari 
 Matwali 
 Paninachalne or dalits  
5. caste are ranked along the principle of purity and pollution . As the tagadhari
are considered as the purest and the paninachlne as the polluted . 
6. According to the rule of orthodox Nepali hinduism brahmin , chhetri ,
thakuries annot accept the food and wated that is cooked and touch by
untouchable and they donot alow them to enter in their home . Also they they
don’t allow them to physically touch them and if they touch them they purify
themselves with water . 
7. Although the caste system represented the division of society based on
occupation but later over the centuries caste became heredity and lead to
social inequalities , discrimination and untouchability . 
8. However the caste system was once a convenent tool to integrate
multicultural society into common system as Prithivi Narayan Shah said "Neapl
chaar jaat chattis varna ko saajha fulbari ho" . Caste system is officially and
legally eradicated by constitution of 2019 . Howevwe , in remote part of the
country ad to some extent in urban places active in nation . 
 CLASS :
Class is the group of people of similar status , rank or
common characteristics and commonly sharing similar level of power and
wealth .
CHARACTERISTICS / FEATURE /
FUNCTION : 
1. Based on occupation , wealth, education . Age and sex 
2. Class is mode of feeling of superiority and inferiority , mode of lifestyle 
3. Characterized by resources they have owned and unequal distribution of resources 
4. They have provision of authority , power and privileges
5. Open and democratic
6. Provision  of class consciousness between and among the members of social group 
7. Universal and economic group  
8. It is an element of prestige and status group 
9. Achieved and secular in nature
10. Can political class economical class , academic class, and profession class in society 
1. Changeable , 
2. Less stable than cast system 
3. open system in which movement from one class to another is
completely unrestricted 
4. European or western in origin 
5. Social relation are informal and unstable 
6. Class system is progressive 
7. Achieved status 
8. Based on birth , education , wealth and type of occupation 
CLASS BASED STRATIFICATION OR  SOCIAL
INEQUALITY IN CONTEXT OF NEPAL : 

1. According to Marx there are two classes : 

 Bourgeoisie 
 Proletariat 
2.   According to Weber there are four classes : 
 Property owners 
 Professionals 
 Petty bourgeoisie
 working class 
3.  According to chaitanya mishra there are two classes 
Ø Upper classes
       - Aristocracy 
       - the land owing nobility 
       - the national and local level politicians 
      -  urban adminstrative , technical and business elites 
Ø Lower classes    
       - petty traders
       - wage labour
       -  marginal and non-marginal farmers
       – tenants
        – landless people of rural Nepal 
     
4.  Blaikie , cameron and seddon classified class structure of nepali society into
seven categories : 
Ø Aristocracy 
Ø Bourgeoisie 
Ø Petty bourgeoisie 
Ø Modern bureaucrats 
Ø Middle class 
Ø Peasants 
Ø Rural proletariats 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CAST AND
CLASS :
CAST CLASS

1.  a division of society based on differences of 1. Class is the group of people of similar status ,

wealth , profession, occupation , race. common characteristics and commonly
sharing similar level of power and wealth .
2.  Number of cast is comparatively higher 
2. Class has five subclasses such as upper , middle ,
3.  Even , Sanskritisation is unable lower , peasants and under-class . 
to change caste
3.  Can be changed quite easily
4.  closed system with no social mobility 
4. open system with increased Social mobility
5.  Members not conscious of their social status  is possible 
6. Ascribed status  5.  Members are conscious of their social status 
7. Cast system inhibit the democracy  6. Achieved status 
8.  Cast system is based on inferiority 7. Class system does not hinders the democracy
or superiority of human beings . 8.  Social class is based on inferiority or superiority of
Therefore does not prompt democracy social status of an individuals . Social class help in
9.  Caste system works as a political force working of democracy . 
9. Does not act as political force
10. Cast system expects members to  10. Social class has no prescribed
follow certain customs , folkways , customs rituals and folkways 
rituals 11.  members of social class may
11. In cast system members must follow any religion 
follow particular religions .  12. Dispersed  inequality
 12. Cumulative inequality Is Is a distinctive feature of the
a distinctive feature of the class system
caste system 
13. For example , a child of brahmin 13. 
will always be a brahmin but not so in
class .
ETHNICITY :

Ethnicity is the set of cultural characteristics that distinguished one group from

another group . 
CHARACTERISTICS / FEATURE / FUNCTION : 
1. Unique cultural traits
2. Cultural traits ( language , clothing , holidays )
3. A sense of community
4. Ascribed membership from birth 
5. A feeling of ethnocentrism 
6. Tendency to occupy a geographical area 
7. Ethnic group have a sense of people hood that is maintained with in a larger society 
8. Ethnic group is set apart from other primarily because of its national origin or distinctive
cultural patterns 
9. Membership in an ethnic group is believed to past on from generation to generation from
parents to child 
10. Member of an ethnic group take part together in activities that are centred in their
shared traits and background activities  
FOUR ETHNIC GROUP OF HILLY
REGION : 
1. Rai 
2. Limbu 
3. Gurung 
4. Magar 
CAST  ETHNICITY

1. Caste is a form of social stratification 1. Ethnicity is the set of

characterised by endogamy, cultural characteristics that
hereditary transmission of a lifestyle which distinguished one group
often includes an occupation, ritual status in a from another group .  
hierarchy and fixed social interaction
and rejection based on cultural belief of purity 2. Ethnicity need social equivalence
and pollution . and does not inherently allow such
2. Caste need hierarchy such as high caste group exploitation and marginalization . 
and low caste group and the hierarchy in caste 3. Comparatively less restriction in
system allow the economic exploitation and marriage from different ethnicity . 
political marginalization of lower caste . 
4. Ethnicity is more of recognition that
3. Strictly endogamous marriage in caste
groups .  opposite group identifies with on
the basics of unique cultural traits
4. Caste is more of order that is forcefully
imposed which is rooted in hindu scriptures .  such as food habit , language . 
Ethnocentrism Cultural Relativism

1. Ethnocentrism is the belief that  1. cultural relativism is the process of

own cultures are better viewing the other culture from the own
and superior than other culture . point of view rather than judging on the
basics of own culture and the people
2. While ethnocentrism involves who belief in cultural relativisum belief
looking at another culture from that no one culture is better than other . 
the perspective of one’s own 2. cultural relativism involves looking
culture, at another culture by its own perspective
instead of one’s own culture.
3. An ethnocentric individual will
believe that his culture is ‘correct’ 3. but a person who believes in
cultural relativism understands that one
and ‘normal’,  culture is not better than another.
4. For example  4. Example Religious beliefs and arranged
5. Expecting Others to Speak English marriages
Ethnocentrism Xenonocentrism

1. Ethnocentrism is the belief that  1.  xenocentrism is the belief that

own cultures are better and
superior than other culture .
2. Ethnocentrism means you prefer
your own culture.
3. An ethnocentric individual will
believe that his culture is
‘correct’ and ‘normal’,  4. Example : prefer to buy imported
4. For example :
Expecting Others to Speak English
other cultures are better than
one's own culture . 
2.  Xenocentrism means you prefer
other cultures over your own .
3. Xenocentrism reverse of
ethnocentric .
items from other countries, such
as America, since they believe
those products are superior than
their own.
GENDER :

Gender includes the social , cultural , psychological and behavioral aspects of

being a man, woman, or other gender identity . 
CHARACTERISTICS / FEATURE /
FUNCTION : 
1. Socially constructed
2. Power in equality 
3. Involves learned behaviour 
4. Different gender plays different roles 
5. Work division on gender basis and power is driven by gender
6. Favouratism on the basics of gender , unequal pay 
7. Gender shapes the right , role , responsibility and relationship 
8. Gender roles and norms can change overtime 
9. Gender roles vary across culture
10. Genders includes personality traits , attitude , behaviour and values 
GENDER BASED SOCIAL INEQUALITY IN
CONTEXT OF NEPAL :