Introduction to social stratification

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2. Social Stratification, Social
Class, and Ethnicity

3. Social Stratification
A system by which a society ranks
categories of people in a hierarchy
based on their access to scarce
resources.

4. Four Basic Principles of
Social Stratification:
It is a characteristic of society, not
simply a reflection of individual
differences.
It persists over generations.
It is universal but variable.
It involves not just inequality but beliefs.

5. Cultural beliefs serve to
justify social stratification.
That is part of the
reason why it persists.

6. Types of Stratification Systems
Caste System-
social
stratification
based on
ascribed status.
India and South
Africa
Class System-
social
stratification
based on
achieved status.

7. Interpretations of Stratification
 Functionalist
Meritocracy
 Social Conflict (Marx)
 Max Weber
Wealth, Prestige, Power
Socioeconomic status- An individual’s
comparative status in a society based on
factors (education, income and occupation).

8. People in the US are stratified
based on the following:
Income
Prestige
Wealth
Education
Power

9. Income
 Wages or salaries from work and earnings from
investments.
 Distribution of Income in the US
–Top 5th
47%
–Next 5th
24%
–Third 5th
16%
–Fourth 5th
10%
–Bottom 5th
4%

10. Wealth
 Total value of money and other assets, minus
outstanding debts.
Distribution of Wealth in the US
–Top 5th
80%
–Next 5th
15%
–Third 5th
5%
–Fourth 5th
less than 1%
–Bottom 5th
less than 1%

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