This section explores social stratification, class systems, social mobility, poverty, and global inequalities. It examines how SES, power, and prestige affect access to resources and life outcomes.
Aspects of social stratification
- Related to socioeconomic status (SES)
- Ascribed: identifiable traits; used in caste systems
- Achieved: earned through effort; class systems use this
Class status and power
- Upper class: great wealth, good lifestyle
- Middle class:
- Upper-middle: successful business/professional
- Middle-middle: unable to achieve upper due to economic/educational shortcomings
- Lower-middle: skilled/semi-skilled workers
- Lower class: poor, less sociopolitical power
- Prestige: positive societal regard (e.g., physicians)
- Power: ability to influence others via real or perceived rewards
- Unequal resource distribution maintains order but creates haves/have-nots
Marxist theory
- Proletariat (have-nots) could overthrow bourgeoisie (haves)
- Requires class consciousness and organization
- False consciousness: misperception of actual social position
- Anomie: lack of social norms, breakdown of social bonds
- Strain theory: anomic conditions → deviance (excess individualism, inequality)
Social trust
- Reciprocity: mutual exchange of favors
- Social networks: investments in society for economic or collective rewards
- Social capital: group association; strong vs weak ties
- Strong: kinship/small groups
- Weak: superficial/large networks
- Low social capital → more inequality
- Cultural capital: knowledge, skills, abilities benefiting the individual
Patterns of social mobility
- Intragenerational: within a lifetime
- Intergenerational: from parents to children
- Mobility gap rising; meritocracy does not guarantee upward mobility
- Upward mobility: positive change (education, professional athletes/musicians)
- Downward mobility: negative change
- Horizontal mobility: occupation change within same class
- Vertical mobility: change from one class to another
Poverty
- Low SES, lack of possessions
- Social reproduction: inequality passes across generations
- Structural poverty: systemic holes in society
- Absolute poverty: not enough money for basic living
- Relative poverty: poor compared to local population
- Poverty line: minimum income to meet necessities
- Social exclusion: powerlessness, further barriers to opportunity
- Spatial inequality: geographic stratification affects resources and opportunities
- Residential segregation: living patterns contribute to inequality
- Suburbanization: middle class migration; lower class cannot move
- Urban decay: deterioration of neighborhoods → gentrification
- Urban renewal: reclamation and renovation of land
- Environmental justice: poor/minority groups near pollution → health disparities
Global inequalities
- World system theory: categorizes countries
- Core: high skills, high pay
- Peripheral: low skills
- Semi-peripheral: transitioning to core
- Globalization shifts production → increased inequality
- Population growth + limited healthcare exacerbates disparities
12.1 Social Class
This section explores social stratification, class systems, social mobility, poverty, and global inequalities. It examines how SES, power, and prestige affect access to resources and life outcomes.
Aspects of social stratification
Class status and power
Marxist theory
Social trust
Patterns of social mobility
Poverty
Global inequalities