This document discusses different forms of social stratification including caste, class, and race. It defines social stratification as the ranking of individuals based on a commonly accepted scale of superiority and equality. Caste is determined by birth and divides society into fixed segments. Class is based on factors like education, economic status, and power that are achieved rather than ascribed. Race is determined by physical characteristics and separates people into large biological groupings. The document outlines characteristics and types of each form of social stratification.

1. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
P.THIRUNAGALINGA PANDIYAN
M.Sc.,(N), M.A.,(Sociology),D.Pharm.,
School of Nursing, Madurai Medical College, Madurai

2. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
 Social stratification is a particular form of social inequality.
 All societies arrange their members in terms of superiority,
inferiority and equality.
 The process by which individuals and groups are ranked in
a more or less enduring hierarchy of status is known as
stratification.

3. DEFINITION OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
 Social stratification define as the ranking of individual on a
scale of superiority – equality according to some
commonly accepted basis of valuation

4. FORMS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
 Caste
 Class
 Race

5. CASTE
 Caste is the social stratification based on the birth of the individual
 The term caste is derived from the Spanish word casta meaning
breed or lineage. The word caste also signifies race or kind.
 The Sanskrit word for caste is Varna which means colour.
 Caste is a system of stratification in which mobility up and down
the status ladder based on birth

6. THE ORIGIN OF CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA
RACIAL THEORY
 This theory is fully based on the ancient Indian literature. According
to Hindu tradition, the origin of caste system generally comes from
the four original ‘Varna’s’ namely ‘Brahma’, ‘Kshatriya’, ‘Vaishya’ and
‘Shudra’.
Racial theory says
 Brahma is Teacher and priest and arise from head of Lord
 Kshatriya is Warrior and arise from the shoulder of Lord
 Vaishya is Common people arise from the hip of Lord
 Sudra is the Domestic servants arise from the foot of Lord

7. THE ORIGIN OF CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA
2. Political Theory
According to this theory, the Brahmins were mainly responsible to
create the caste system in order to place themselves on the highest
ladder of social hierarchy.
3. Occupational Theory
Nesfield is founder of this theory. According to him, caste system is
the natural product of the occupational division of Hindu society.
He said that Function and occupation alone is responsible for the
origin of caste system.

8. CHARACTERISTICS OF CASTE
1. Segmental Division of Society
 The caste system divides the whole society into various
segments or sections.
 Each of these castes is a well developed social group, the
membership of which is fixed by birth.
 So change from one caste to another caste is not
possible.

9. CHARACTERISTICS OF CASTE
2. Hierarchy
 The caste system is characterized by hierarchical order.
 The hierarchical order of caste system is based on the
concept of purity and pollution.
 At the top of this hierarchy are the Brahmins and at the
bottom is the Sudras.

10. CHARACTERISTICS OF CASTE
3. Restriction on feeding and Social movement
 In caste system there are several restrictions which are
related to food, drink and social movement .
 The members of the upper caste cannot take food or
water from the lower caste members, even not interact
with the members of the other castes but the vice-versa is
permissible.

11. CHARACTERISTICS OF CASTE
4. Civil and Religious Disabilities
 In caste system, there is an unequal distribution of privileges and
restrictions among its members. Generally, the higher caste
people enjoy all the privileges and the lower caste people are put
to all kinds of restrictions.
5. Lack of unrestricted choice of Occupation
 Under caste system, each caste has its own traditional occupation.
Occupation is fixed at the time of birth and the members of a caste
are forced to follow the occupation of that caste.

12. CHARACTERISTICS OF CASTE
6. Restriction on Marriage
 In caste system the principles of endogamy is strictly
followed. That means, marriage within the own caste on
sub-caste is purely followed
7. Caste is Ascribed
 It is determined by birth.
 There is no other way entering into the caste other than
birth. It is not determined by wealth,health,occupation.

13. CLASS
 Class is the social stratification based on the status of
the individual
 A social class is ‘a category or group of persons having a
definite status in society
 Unlike the caste the class system is an achieved status.
 It is not determined by the birth. The achievement is based
on Education, Economy and Power.

14. NATURE OF SOCIAL CLASS
1. The System is Universal
 Class system is a universal phenomenon. It is prevalent in
all modern and complex social systems.
2. Class is an Economic Group
 Social classes are determined by their relation to means of
production.
 A social class also includes wealth, property, income etc.

15. NATURE OF SOCIAL CLASS
3. Class is also a Status Group
 Class is also related to status dimension.
 Status groups are composed of persons having the same life style and in
joining similar social honor.
 Thus, status consciousness separates the individuals both physically and
psychologically.
4. An Achieved Pattern
 In class system status is achieved, not ascribed.
 Class is open and elastic and mobility is possible. A man can, by his effort and
initiative, change his class and thereby rise in social status.

16. NATURE OF SOCIAL CLASS
5. Feeling of Class-consciousness
 Feeling of class consciousness is experienced among the members of a
particular class.
 The members feel a sense of equality within their own class and a sense of
superiority or inferiority in relation to the members of lower or higher classes.
6. Prestige Dimension
 The persons of a particular class develop status consciousness and this is
reflected through the status symbols of different class groups.
 The status symbols of the upper classes are considered prestigious, whereas
the status symbols of the middle classes are considered less prestigious.

17. NATURE OF SOCIAL CLASS
7. Relatively Stable Group
 A class is a stable group.
 It is not temporary like a crowd.
 Although social mobility in the class system is possible, class cannot be
interpreted as transitory.
8. Varieties of Life-styles
 A particular social class is marked off from the other classes by its life-styles.
 Life-style include the mode of living such as, the dress pattern, the type of
house, the leisure time activities

18. TYPES OF CLASS
 Class is classified into three based on the income
( Based on Kuppusamy Income Scale )
 1.Upper class
 2. Middle class
 3.Lower class
 If income above Rs 60 /100 - Upper Class in the society
 If income between Rs 30- 59 /100 - Middle Class in the society
 If income less than Rs 29 /100 - Lower Class in the society

19. RACE
 Race is the social stratification based on the physical
characters of human line white, black, tall and short
 Determination of race is mainly by the physical traits like
skin, colour, eyes, body, hair etc
 Race is a large biological human grouping
 The individual belongs to the particular race have common
hereditary traits which separate them from others

20. CRITERIA FOR RACIAL CLASSIFICATION
1) Based on shape of Head
 Dolichocephalism – Large head race
 Mesencephalic - Medium head race
 Brachycephaly – Small head race

21. CRITERIA FOR RACIAL CLASSIFICATION
2) Based on Nose, Chin, Ears,Eye lids& Lips
 Leptorhine - Large nose and chin
 Mesorhine - Medium nose and chin
 Platgorhine – Flat nose

22. CRITERIA FOR RACIAL CLASSIFICATION
3) Based on Skin Colour
 Leucoderm - White colour
 Xanthoderm - Brown colour
 Melanoderm - Mixed colour
4) Based on distribution of Hair
 Leiotricthy – Mangolios and Chinese
 Cymotrichy – Indian and west Europions
 Ulotrichy – Negroes

23. CRITERIA FOR RACIAL CLASSIFICATION
Classification of Indian Race
 Pre Dravidian - Primitive tribes of hills
 Dravidian - Southern peninsula
 Indo – Aryan - Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan
 Aryo – Dravidian - Gangetic valley
 Cytho Dravidian - East of Indus
 Mangolios Type - Assam and foothills of eastern

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