New York Institute of Technology 22

Social Stratification

• Social stratification refers to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals or groups in society.

• It is often based on factors such as power, property, and prestige.

• Gender is consistently a dimension that influences stratification across different societies.

Factors Influencing Stratification

• Wealth

• Income

• Education

• Occupation

• Race

• Religion

• Gender

Forms of Social Stratification

Slavery

• A rigid hierarchical structure where certain individuals/groups own others.

• Historically rooted in debt, punishment, or defeat in battle.

• Initially, slavery was temporary and not always passed to offspring.

• In the context of American history, slavery transitioned to lifelong ownership of individuals, especially Africans due to its profitability.

• Enslaved individuals were deprived of rights and autonomy, creating a stark social hierarchy.

Caste System

• Divides people into hierarchical groups based on birth and occupation.

• Primarily associated with Hindu society in India.

• Rigid divisions with limited mobility; individuals are assigned to a caste at birth.

• Higher castes enjoy more rights and privileges, while lower castes face discrimination and limitations.

• Despite being abolished in India in 1949, remnants of the caste system persist today.

Class System

• Based primarily on economic factors such as money and possessions in the US context.

• Initial social status is often determined by one's parents; however, social mobility is possible.

• Individuals can move up or down social classes based on education and job opportunities.

• Karl Marx’s perspective includes two primary classes: bourgeoisie (owners) and proletariat (workers).

• Class consciousness refers to awareness of one's class position and collective interests; it can drive social change.

Theories of Stratification

Functionalist Perspective (Davis and Moore)

• Suggests stratification is necessary to fulfill positions critical to society.

• Rewards (salary, prestige) are necessary to attract qualified individuals to important roles.

• Critiqued for being circular and overly simplistic about meritocracy.

Conflict Perspective

• Emphasizes that conflict and struggle among groups for limited resources shape social stratification.

• Dominant groups control social institutions, maintaining their privilege and wealth at the expense of subordinate groups.

• Elites often use ideas and information control to maintain their positions.

Global Stratification

• Societies can also be stratified globally, often categorized into industrialized, industrializing, and least industrialized countries.

Industrialized Nations

• Wealthy, developed countries (e.g., US, UK, Japan) with high standards of living.

Industrializing Nations

• Countries with lower socio-economic status than industrialized nations but better than least industrialized nations.

• Examples include some Eastern European countries.

Least Industrialized Nations

• Majority of the world’s population lives here, often in poor economic conditions focused on agriculture.

Ways Nations Maintain Stratification

Colonialism

• Industrialized nations exploit weaker nations for labor and resources.

World Systems Theory

• Describes the interconnected nature of countries in relation to core, semi-periphery, and periphery nations.

Culture of Poverty

• Proposed by Galbraith; the idea that specific beliefs and lifestyles contribute to persistent poverty across generations.

• Criticized for placing blame on individuals rather than systemic factors.

Neocolonialism

• The economic and political dominance of least industrialized nations by industrialized nations; often involves controlling markets and resources.

• Multinational corporations can exploit resources and labor in less developed nations, maintaining global inequalities.