SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: INTRODUCTION AND SIGNIFICANCE

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Introduction to Sociology SOC101

Lesson 21

SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: INTRODUCTION AND SIGNIFICANCE

Social strata are levels of social statuses. Members of a society who possess similar amount of wealth,

power, and privileges occupy each social stratum. We can see layers of social statuses occupied by members

of society. Organized systems of such strata are conceptualized as social stratification system.

Social stratification refers to a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy.

Four basic principles of stratification:

1. Social stratification is characteristic of society, not simply a reflection of individual

differences. Children born into wealth families are more likely than born into poverty to enjoy

good health, achieve academically, succeed in their life's work, and live well into old age. Neither

rich nor poor people are responsible for creating social stratification, yet this system shapes the

lives of them all.

2. Social stratification persists over generations. In all societies parents pass their social position

along to their children, so that patterns of inequality stay much the same from generation to

generation. Some individual experience change in their position in the social hierarchy. For most

people, social standing remains much the same over a lifetime.

3. Social stratification is universal but variable. Social stratification is found everywhere. At the

same time, what is unequal and how unequal people are vary from one society to another.

4. Social stratification involves not just inequality but beliefs. Any system of inequality not only

gives some people more resources than others but also defines certain arrangements as fair. Just as

what is unequal differs from society to society, then so does the explanation of why people should be

unequal. People with the greatest social privileges express the strongest support for their society's

social stratification, while those with social resources are more likely to seek change.

Closed social system: A system of stratification where the status of person is determined by birth. There

is a rigid social hierarchy. Social stratification is based on ascription and there is little social mobility. Such a

system is supported by its culture. (Traditional Indian caste system).

Open social system: A social system based largely on individual achievement; therefore it permits

considerable social mobility. Here strata are called as social classes. Social class is a stratum of people of

similar social standing. They have their own way of life.

MEASURING SOCIAL CLASS

Subjective Method: Ask people what their social class is.

This approach has limitations. For example there may be just denial of social class. Similarly people may

classify themselves by aspiration. But the most commonly observed situation is where everybody belongs to

middle class. Is this method useful?

Reputational Method. We ask the informants to classify others. They do it by using their own criteria.

Objective Method. Develop some objective criteria so that the others know exactly what measurements

were made. If others like to verify they could do so. The components of these criteria could be the

income, education, occupation (prestige), and other wealth related items.

Introduction to Sociology SOC101

SIGNIFICANCE OF SOCIAL CLASS

Social class determines the life chances of an individual: It implies that the social class determines the

probabilities concerning the fate we can expect in life. From before one is born until one is dead,

opportunities and rewards are affected by class position. Poor nutrition for the mother may affect the

health and vigor of the fetus before birth, while poverty thereafter continues to handicap the poor. The

lower class person is not only likely to die prematurely but will also endure more days of illness during a

lifetime. Even the poor are more exposed to accidents.

Social class influences physical and mental health: Underlying the differential death rates is unequal

access to medical care and nutrition. Medical care is expensive, and even with government-funded plans for

the poor; the higher classes receive better treatment.

Social class also affects mental health. Lower class experiences stress from unemployment, dirty and

dangerous work, the threat of eviction, expenses of life, and so on. People higher up the social class ladder

also experience stress in daily life, but their stress is generally less and their coping resources greater. Their

class position gives them greater control over their lives, a key to good mental health.

Social class and family life: Social class influences the mate selection, age at marriage, number of

children, child rearing patterns, women empowerment, educational aspirations and achievements. Lower

class children supposed to be obedient at home and at work, whereas middle class children are trained to be

creative, independent, and tolerant. The vision of children about future varies by social class.

Social class and education/employment opportunities: Education increases as one goes up the social

class ladder. It is not just the amount of education but also the type of education. Public schools are for

the poor and private schools are for the rich. In private schools the children are trained to take

commanding role in society. With better qualifications from prestigious institutions children from affluent

families have better employment opportunities.

Social class and crime and the criminal justice system: The upper and lower classes have different

styles of crime. The treatment by the judiciary and by the police also varies by social class.

Social class and lifestyles: Social class determines the lifestyle of the people. In the current age `symbols'

and markers related to consumption are playing an ever-greater role in daily life. Individual identities are

structured to a greater extent around lifestyle choices such as how to dress, what to eat, how to care one's

body, and where to relax. One is distinguished on the basis of cultural tastes and leisure pursuits. They are

aided in process by the proliferation of `need merchants' (advertisers, marketers, fashion designers, style

consultants, interior designers, web-page designers) involved in influencing cultural tastes and promoting

lifestyle choices among the ever-increasing community of consumers. Therefore class divisions can be

linked to distinctive lifestyle and consumption patterns. Although in the modern societies have become

consumer societies. Consumer society is a mass society where class differences are overridden. All watch

the same programs; all shop at the same plazas, yet class differences become intensified through variations

in lifestyles and taste.

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