What is social stratification? What are the major form (types) of the stratification system? What are its salient features? (AMIE Summer 05, 11, 12, 13, Winter 09, 11, 13, 14, 10 marks)

1. Society and Environment
Questions from AMIE Exams

2. What is social stratification? What are major form
(types) of stratification system? What are its
salient features?
(AMIE Summer 05, 11, 12, 13, Winter 09, 11,
13, 14, 10 marks)

3. ● In a few primitive societies, people do not care
for anything else than the simplest elements of
social organization.
● In all the other societies, however, people
classify each other into groups and categories
on some criteria of preference.
● This process of ranking is called social
stratification and the different groups and
categories so formed are referred to as a social
class.
● No society is Unstratified.

4. Types of Social
Stratification
Caste
Class
Estate
Slavery

5. Important Feature of
Social Stratification
● Social Stratification involves
division of society into several
layers.
● While some positions or levels
carry more rewards, more
privileges, more respect, and
these are considered to be higher
levels; others enjoy lower
positions and status.
● In this way stratification acts as a
source of social inequality which
is, however, deemed to be natural
and essential for orderly,
systematic and healthy social life
Inequality or Higher-lower
positions

6. Important Feature of
Social Stratification
● The persons belonging to higher
levels are conscious of their
higher positions and they try to
maintain and improve these.
● The persons belonging to lower
levels always try to secure higher
positions.
● This gives rise to social
competition which acts as a
means of social progress.
Social Stratification is a Source
of Competition

7. Important Feature of
Social Stratification
● Every social position and status is
associated with a particular
prestige. However, this difference
has to logical. It is not to be based
on evil practices like casteism,
religious superstitions and rituals.
● Every social class in now entitled
to a life of dignity and respect.
Every Status has a Particular
Prestige Associated with it

8. Important Feature of
Social Stratification
● Stratification leads to a very
stable, enduring hierarchical and
quite permanent division in
society.
● Division between the two classes
of rich and poor has been
continuously present in every
society In India.
● Caste based stratification has
been very rigid and permanent
and a person belonging to one
caste can never join another
caste.
Stratification Involves a Stable,
Enduring and Hierarchical
Division of Society

9. Important Feature of
Social Stratification
● Each status or class in society
enjoys a particular position in the
social hierarchy.
● Changes in social stratification
always lead to changes in statuses
of persons belonging to various
classes.
Different Statuses are
Interdependent

10. Important Feature of
Social Stratification
● In every society, the system of
social stratification is based upon
social values and traditions.
● In India caste has been the main
basis of social stratification.
However, in western societies
class has been the basis of social
stratification.
Stratification is based on Social
Values

11. Important Feature of
Social Stratification
● In every society, the people
stratified into different levels or
classes are involved in
interactions.
● However, the inter-class or
inter-level interactions are always
limited and defined by social
norms.
Social Stratification Restricts
Interactions

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