Social StratificationSocial Stratification 4 Principles of Social Stratification:4 Principles of Social Stratification:

Dimension of Stratification:Dimension of Stratification:

Max Weber – Economic, political, social Max Weber – Economic, political, social prestigeprestige

Merton – “Matthew Effect”Merton – “Matthew Effect”

4 Kinds of Social Stratification4 Kinds of Social Stratification CasteCaste

ClassClass

EstateEstate

SlaverySlavery

CasteCaste 1. closed1. closed 2. ascribed2. ascribed 3. endogamy (no 3. endogamy (no

interdining)interdining) 4. religious justification4. religious justification 5. originally linked to 5. originally linked to

occupation; occupation; segregationsegregation

6. agricultural societies6. agricultural societies

ClassClass 1. open1. open 2. achieved and 2. achieved and

ascribedascribed 3. endogamy – yes 3. endogamy – yes

and noand no 4. no4. no 5. not rigidly linked 5. not rigidly linked

to occupationto occupation 6. industrial societies6. industrial societies

The Upper ClassThe Upper Class

Upper upperUpper upper

Lower upperLower upper

The Middle ClassThe Middle Class

Upper middleUpper middle

Lower middleLower middle

The Working Class:The Working Class: The Lower Class:The Lower Class:

The PoorThe Poor The Working PoorThe Working Poor The UnderclassThe Underclass The HomelessThe Homeless

Poverty in the USAPoverty in the USA Relative PovertyRelative Poverty

Absolute PovertyAbsolute Poverty

Abject PovertyAbject Poverty

Poverty Threshold or Poverty LinePoverty Threshold or Poverty Line

Who Are The Poor?Who Are The Poor? Race and EthnicityRace and Ethnicity

Sex and AgeSex and Age

Residence of the PoorResidence of the Poor

Theories of Social Theories of Social Stratification and PovertyStratification and Poverty

1. The Functionalist Perspective 1. The Functionalist Perspective (Davis-Moore)(Davis-Moore) Unequal rewards necessary to motivate Unequal rewards necessary to motivate

people to play vital rolespeople to play vital roles 2. Herbert Gans2. Herbert Gans 3. The Conflictists: Karl Marx3. The Conflictists: Karl Marx

Ideological HegemonyIdeological Hegemony False Consciousness – DhalitsFalse Consciousness – Dhalits Class ConsciousnessClass Consciousness

4. A synthesis of perspectives: Lenski4. A synthesis of perspectives: Lenski Power determines the control of surplus Power determines the control of surplus

of goods and servicesof goods and services 5. Personal Inferiority5. Personal Inferiority 6. Cultural Inferiority6. Cultural Inferiority

Oscar Lewis – “culture of poverty” Oscar Lewis – “culture of poverty” unique value structureunique value structure

Edward Banfield – defer gratificationEdward Banfield – defer gratification

7. W.J. Wilson’s views7. W.J. Wilson’s views

Developed Nations: M. D. C.Developed Nations: M. D. C.

Developing Nations: L. D. C.Developing Nations: L. D. C.