Social Stratification Our Class System

Social Stratification Class System Social Stratification: the ranking of entire groups of people based on their wealth, power, or prestige in society; suggests inequality Terms Income: Salaries and wages (usually earned) Wealth: all personal assets, including land, stocks, and material possessions (can be inherited). Power: The ability to control people with or without their

consent Prestige: Respect, honor, or recognition people receive from society Systems of Stratification Ascribed: social position that is inherited. CASTE SYSTEM: Your social position is forever related to the position of your parents. INDIA has the most infamous caste system

ENDOGAMY (Marriage within your caste) is the norm BRAHMANS / WARRIOR CLASS = UPPER CLASS DALITS (UNTOUCHABLES) = LOWER CLASS Achieved Status Achieved Status: social structure allows all individuals to rise up based

on their abilities. CLASS SYSTEMS: Stratification of society based on wealth, power, or prestige (can be based on Ascribed status or Achieved status) Class systems are inherently cruel Social Darwinism: The strong in society thrive and the weak

perish. Based on the NATURAL SELECTION in nature, Survival of the fittest In human society when groups work together to keep other social groups down there is no chance for SOCIAL MOBILITY The rich and powerful want to keep their riches and have the means to stop even the strong from rising up, this perverts

NATURAL SELECTION and creates bitterness among the lower classes Karl Marx: Sociologist / Father of Communism Marx studied society under capitalism during the industrial age

He believed that there were two social classes: 1. Bourgeoisie: the rich who controlled the means of production (factories, and by extension banks, government) Proletariat: the workers who have nothing of value except their labor, which they trade for income.

Karl Marx: CONFLICT THEORIST Marx believed the Bourgeoisie kept the workers in a state of perpetual wage slavery. Workers create wealth but the owners keep it all for themselves and exploit the workers. MARXs MOTTO: WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!

YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT YOUR CHAINS! MARX AND REVOLUTION MARX said the bourgeoisie will never give up their wealth and control willingly He called for a REVOLUTION OF PROLETARIAT to violently throw off the oppression of BOURGEOISIE.

Social Class Sociologists MAX WEBER is connected to the identification social class Class can be measured several ways SES: Socioeconomic status is a comprehensive rating of an individuals wealth, income, educational level, and occupational prestige. Wealth and Income only

Prestige only The Class System: Geographic factors New Jersey Mississippi Wage differences between the Rich and Poor NY Times interactive graph