Social stratification in the Caribbean has traditionally been defined along lines of class, status, power, race, ethnicity, color, gender, and education. Systems varied between countries but generally involved upper, middle, and lower classes divided along racial lines. Over time, factors like industrialization, increased opportunities, and expanded education and political systems weakened old social orders defined by race and allowed for more mobility between classes. While mobility increased for some groups, inconsistencies remained for those from poorer backgrounds. Gender also emerged as an increasingly important factor in social stratification.

1. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
CARIBBEAN CONTEXT

2. How are we stratified?
• Class
• Status
• Power
• Race/ ethnicity
• Colour
• Gender
• Education etc.

3. Stratification in general:
White
Coloured
Black
Upper Class
Middle Class
Lower Class
Upper Class
Middle Class
Lower Class
19th Century Present System

4. Jamaica
• M.G. Smith:
– Each strata in society reflects a different cultural
grouping. This is aligned to skin colour.
– (Plural Society)
– The only vertical mobility that occurred was the blacks
moving from lower class to middle class.
– Industrialization resulted in the widening of the
economy, increased job creation and thus the
emergence of new social classes. These groups
remained distinct to the prestigious upper class
grouping.

5. • Derek Gordon:
– He noted that the increased occupational
opportunities provided avenues for persons to
achieve upward mobility. Between 1943 –
1984 there was a significant upward
movement to the middle and upper middle
classes. The higher managerial and
professional group showed an increase in
black representation from 20% in 1943 to
42% in 1984.
– There are still inconsistencies as persons with
poor or low socio-economic backgrounds did
not receive a fair chance of mobility

6. Trinidad
- Lloyd Brathwaite
- Society largely defined by race: White- good;
Black- evil
- Syrians, Asians and the Chinese maintain their
status by keeping a relatively closed system
except for intermarriage with the white grouping.
– Selwyn Ryan
• 30years later, notes that Brathwaite’s system of
stratification has virtually disappeared especially
with the rise of the Blacks to power (People’s
National Movement)

7. • The expansion of various systems (education,
occupation etc) has undermined the old social
order.
• Meritocracy is evident.
• Rhoda Reddock
– notes that gender has become a more important
factor in distinguishing groups in the society
– Though female participation in the labour force
remains low, there is evidence of them experiencing
greatest mobility across all ethnic groupings.
NOTE: The Caribbean Sociology text is critical to
this topic.