3. Social Stratification & Inequality
social stratification: the division of society into
group arranged in a social hierarchy
*it exists in all societies in one form or another
social inequality: the result of the unequal
distribution of wealth, power, or prestige among
members of society
*stratification is maintained through beliefs
that are widely shared by members of a society
4. Systems of Stratification
slavery: the most extreme form of stratification,
based on the legal ownership of people. This still
exists in some societies today
caste system: a form of social stratification in
which status is determined by one’s family history
and background and cannot be changed
5. Systems of Stratification
apartheid: legal system of segregation in South
Africa between 1948 and 1991
social class: a system of stratification based on
access to resources such as wealth, property, power,
and prestige
socioeconomic status (SES): a measure of
an individual’s place with a social class system.
Often means interchanged with “class”.
6. Systems of Stratification Around the World
Brazil’s system of stratification is influenced
primarily by race – over 25 racial “categories” exist
Iran has been dominated by a theocracy (religious
government) since the revolution of 1979. Strict
observance of Islamic law dictates social position.
Sweden has attempted a “classless” society, made
easier by a homogenous population. Social services
are provided to every citizen
7. Social Class in the United States
The upper class:
- wealthiest people in a class system
- usually very well educated
- make more than $250,000 per year
- make up about 1% of the US population
- possess most (80%) of the wealth of the country
8. Social Class in the United States, continued
The upper middle class:
- professionals and managers (college educated)
- make up about 14% of US Population
- make $89,000 - $150,000 per year
The middle class consists primarily of:
- “white collar” workers (2 & 4 year college educ)
- make up about 30% of US population
- make $55,000 - $88, 000 per year
9. Social Class in the United States, continued
The working (lower middle) class:
- “blue collar” or service industry workers
- less likely to have college degrees
- make up about 30% of US population
- make about $23,000 - $54,000 per year
10. Social Class in the United States, continued
The working poor:
- poorly educated, higher rates of high school
dropouts and a lower levels of literacy
- work includes unskilled and temporary labor
- about 20% of the US population
- make about <$10,500 - $22,000 per year
The underclass:
- truly disadvantaged populations
- make less than $7,500 per year
- may depend on charity to survive
12. Problems With Class Categories
Measuring socioeconomic statues (SES) accurately is
difficult because it is based on so many factors like
income, wealth, education, occupation, and power.
Status Inconsistency: stark contrasts in the level
of different statuses one person may occupy.
Example: someone from a poor background who
becomes a millionaire. Does income alone make her
a certain class?
13. Theories of Social Class – Karl Marx
Karl Marx believed that there were two main social
classes in capitalist societies:
- capitalists (or bourgeoisie)
- workers (or proletariat)
He believed that the classes would remain divided
and social inequality would grow as long as
capitalism prevailed.
14. Theories of Social Class – Max Weber
Max Weber thought that other factors besides
owning the means of production should be
accounted for when measuring social class standing.
- wealth (or privilege, if inherited)
- power (ability to control others)
- prestige (social honor granted to those who
belong to certain groups.
15. Theories of Social Class – Pierre Bourdieu
Bourdieu reported on a phenomenon he called social
reproduction: the tendency for social class status
to be passed down from one generation to the next
This happens because each generation acquires
cultural capital (tastes, habits, expectations,
skills, knowledge, etc) that help us to gain
advantages is society
16. Pierre Bourdieu, continued
Our cultural capital can help us or hinder us as we
become adults.
Ex: “she talks like a hillbilly” or “he sound too
‘street’”.
*It can shape the perceptions we have of a person*
There is evidence that states half of all children will
grow up with the same SES as their parents
17. Theories of
Social Class –
Symbolic
Interactionists
Symbolic interactionists
examine the way we use
status differences to
categorize ourselves and
others
Erving Goffman pointed
out that our clothing,
speech, gestures,
possessions, friends, and
activities provide
information about our
socioeconomic status
What do these living rooms
tell us about the owners’
SES?
19. Socioeconomic Status and Life Chances
Belonging to a certain social class has profound
consequences for individuals in all areas of life,
specifically education, work, crime, family, and health
care.
Family:
- people are likely to marry those with similar
backgrounds because they have more access to
people like themselves
- higher education marrying & having children later
20. Socioeconomic Status and Life Chances, continued
Health:
-Lowest SES least likely to obtain adequate
nutrition, shelter, clothing, and health care
-Higher education feel healthier & live longer
-lower level SES do not have opportunities to
exercise live high SES
21. SES & Life Percentage of 12th Graders Expecting to Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
or Attend Graduate or Professional School, by Family
Chances - Socioeconomic Status (SES)
Education
-schools with low
income students have
fewer resources, also
affecting student
attitude towards
education
-good education
necessary for a good
job, but access to
quality education is not
equal across SES
spectrum
-expectations differ
across SES levels
22. Real Median Income for Working-Age
SES & Life Households, 1989–2007
Chances – Work
and Income
-unequal education
different types of jobs
income gap
-- lower classes always
working, difficult to go
back to school to
improve job chances
-our economy now is
still experiencing job
losses, and most blue
collar jobs these days
can barely support
families, if at all
23. Socioeconomic Status and Life Chances, continued
Criminal Justice:
* lower SES associated with higher rates of
violent crime, but studies show that other
variables like dense population and anomie have
an even greater impact
*lower SES are more visible, less powerful, and
more likely to be caught. White collar crimes are
much less likely to ever be prosecuted
*Punishments for crimes are also very unequal
*Lower SES feel more threatened by police
24. Social Mobility
Social Mobility is the movement of individuals or
groups within the hierarchal system of social class
A closed system is one with very little opportunity to move
from one class to another. Ex: Caste system, India
An open system is one with ample opportunities to move
from one class to another. Ex: USA
25. Social Mobility, continued
Intergenerational mobility is the movement
between social classes that occurs from one
generation to the next. Ex: 1st & 2nd generation
immigrant children
Intragenerational mobility is the movement
between social classes that occurs over the course of
an individual’s lifetime.
horizontal mobility: changing occupations within a social class
vertical mobility: movement between social classes; either
upward or downward
26. Structural Mobility
Structural Mobility refers to changes in the
social status of large numbers of people due to
structural changes in society
Ex: many people became overnight millionaires during
the dot-com boom of the 1990s. Programmers that
used to be middle class were now upper class
27. Defining Poverty
The United States determines a federal poverty line
each year to determine who should be categorized as
poor.
As of 2008, at over 13% of the population in the
United States were considered poor
29. Defining Poverty, continued
Relative deprivation: a relative measure of
poverty based on standard of living; ex: a McDonalds
worker making $25,000 is poor compared to a
lawyer making $300,000
Absolute deprivation: an objective measure of
poverty defined by inability to meet minimal
standards for food, shelter, clothing, or health care.
Ex: high levels of diabetes among Native Americans
30. The Culture of Poverty
The culture of poverty is an idea stating that
entrenched attitudes can develop among poor
communities and lead the poor to accept their fate
rather than improve their lot
This idea is reinforced by social welfare critics who
think welfare is unnecessary, and it is criticized by
those who see it as an acceptance of poverty rather
than a need to eradicate it.
31. The Invisibility of Poverty
Residential segregation: the geographical
isolation of the poor from the rest of the city (or from
neighbors in rural areas) Ex: Palm Beach built as
haven for rich, West Palm Beach built for the
working poor that supply Palm Beach’s labor.
Accomplished most notably through public housing
projects and “redlining” – the process by which
banks refuse mortgages/loans to people from certain
neighborhoods
32. The Invisibility of Poverty, continued
Disenfranchisement: the removal of the rights of
citizenship through economic, political, or legal
means
The poor feel ignored by the political system so they
do not participate, which leads to little
representation on their behalf to make their plight
more visible.
33. The Invisibility of Poverty, continued
The homeless embody an example of a group of
people that are often deliberately removed from
public view.
The homeless are routinely moved during important
events, and we do not even know the exact number
of homeless in our country
These are among the most harshly treated people in
our country
34. Inequality and the American Dream
The American Dream is part of our ideal culture –
but does it really exist?
Some criticize it for legitimizing stratification by
telling us that everyone has the same chances to get
ahead in life
If we credit anyone with succeeding, then logically
we must blame anyone who fails.
35. People like to think of the United States as a
meritocracy, or a system in which rewards are
distributed based on merit, but sociologists find
otherwise
Most people will make little social movement in their
lifetime. More importantly, social mobility is
dependent upon a person’s ethnicity, class status,
and gender rather than merit
36. Closing Comments
Social Stratification is all about power
Different types of social power such as wealth,
political influence, and occupational prestige are
distributed in unequal ways.
These inequalities are part of the larger social
structure and our everyday interactions.
