Chapter 5 - Social Stratification - SOC 1000

A comprehensive set of question-and-answer flashcards covering definitions, measures of wealth and poverty, class structure, regional disparities, homelessness, and the major theoretical perspectives (Marxist, Weberian, Functionalist) on social stratification in Canada.

What is the sociological definition of social inequality?

An unequal distribution of resources within a society.

Define social stratification.

Socially sanctioned patterns of inequality in which groups of people are hierarchically ranked.

How do closed and open stratification systems differ?

Closed systems (e.g., slavery, caste) restrict mobility; open systems (e.g., Canada’s class system) allow mobility.

What is social mobility?

Movement of individuals or groups within (horizontal) or between (vertical) social classes, either within a lifetime (intragenerational) or across generations (intergenerational).

Give one example each of vertical and horizontal mobility.

Vertical: a factory worker becomes an engineer; Horizontal: a teacher changes schools but remains a teacher.

List four forces that enable or constrain social mobility.

Family background, social definitions of ascribed traits, structural factors, unforeseen events.

What components make up financial wealth?

Income, real estate, savings, stocks, bonds, and other investments.

In 2018, what after-tax income defined someone in Canada’s highest decile?

An average after-tax income of about $204,400 (upper decile had no upper limit listed).

Which decile holds 27.2 % of Canada’s total after-tax income?

The highest (10th) decile – the ultra-rich.

How much of Canada’s total wealth is owned by the top three deciles?

About 57.6 % of total wealth.

What income range characterizes Canada’s middle class according to the lecture?

Approximately $44,400 – $82,400 per year.

Why is the Canadian middle class described as "shrinking"?

Because of structural changes in the labour market reducing mid-wage jobs.

What annual income marks the threshold below which the lower class is defined in this lecture?

Less than $39,300 per year.

How does minimum wage vary across Canadian provinces and territories?

It ranges roughly from $11.45 (Saskatchewan, May 2020) to $16.00 (Nunavut, May 2020).

What is Canada’s Official Poverty Line based on?

The Market Basket Measure (MBM).

For a family of four, what MBM income marked the poverty line in 2020?

Approximately $37,542.

What does LICO stand for and measure?

Low-Income Cut-Off; it identifies households that spend a larger portion of income on necessities than the average family.

Which population groups are at greater risk of poverty in Canada? Name two.

Examples: singles aged 45–64, lone-parent families, recent immigrants, Indigenous peoples off-reserve, persons with disabilities.

Name one myth about people living in poverty debunked in the lecture.

Myth: People in poverty do not want to work. Reality: Many are working poor or unable to work due to disability or child-care barriers.

List three consequences of social inequality highlighted in the lecture.

Educational disadvantage, poorer health, homelessness/food & water insecurity.

Differentiate between unsheltered and hidden homelessness.

Unsheltered: sleeping in public spaces or shelters; Hidden: temporarily staying with friends, family, or in rooming houses ('couch surfing').

Give two structural factors contributing to homelessness in Canada.

Underfunded mental health care and federal cuts to social housing in the 1990s (others: colonial policies, inadequate on-reserve housing).

According to Marx, what determines a person’s class?

Their relationship to the means of production.

Who are the bourgeoisie in Marxist theory?

Owners of the means of production whose income is derived from profits and who perform no physical labour.

Who are the proletariat in Marxist theory?

The working class who sell their labour but do not own the means of production.

What did Marx predict would happen when workers gained class consciousness?

They would form unions, create workers’ parties, and eventually move toward a communist system.

Name one critique of Marx’s predictions about capitalism.

Industrial societies did not polarize strictly into two classes; technology increased wages and improved conditions.

According to Weber, what three dimensions create social inequality?

Class (economic position), status (prestige), and parties (power/political influence).

List Weber’s four main social classes.

Large property owners, small property owners, propertyless but well-paid employees, and propertyless manual workers.

What is a status group in Weberian terms?

A group differing in the social honour or prestige it enjoys and in its lifestyle.

Define Weber’s concept of "parties."

Organizations that seek to impose their will on others, influencing social action and policy.

State the core argument of the functionalist theory of stratification.

Inequality exists because some jobs are more important, require greater sacrifices, and therefore must be rewarded to motivate training and performance.

Give one critique of the functionalist explanation for stratification.

It ignores the essential contributions of so-called "unimportant" jobs and overlooks how advantages are inherited across generations.

How does Canada’s stratification system differ from a caste system?

Canada is an open, class-based system allowing social mobility, whereas caste systems are closed and restrict mobility by birth.

What percentage change occurred in the net worth of Canada’s bottom quintile from 2005 to 2019?

An 82 % decrease (net worth became more negative).

Why might a province with a high median income still show high inequality?

Wealth may be concentrated among high earners, raising the median while leaving lower earners relatively worse off (e.g., Alberta).

What is the "social safety net" in the context of poverty reduction?

Governmental and societal programs providing financial supports, employment benefits, and targeted assistance to reduce poverty.

Identify one key question raised about poverty-reduction strategies.

"How do we pay for these strategies?"

Summarize the lecture’s conclusion about social mobility in Canada.

Canada offers relatively stable social mobility within an open class system, but certain groups face persistent barriers.