Lecture Notes: Social Stratification

Introduction

Wealth and Deservingness
- Example of two wealthy individuals: one inherited wealth, the other earned it.
- Different societies have different views on who deserves wealth, a question tied to social stratification.

Definition: A system by which society categorizes and ranks people in a hierarchy.
Affects aspects such as social status, job opportunities, and poverty risk.
Principles of Social Stratification
- Universal but Variable: Present in every society, but its form and impact vary.
- Characteristic of Society: Not based on individual differences but societal structure.
- Persists Across Generations: Wealth and status are often inherited.
- Supported by Beliefs: Cultural beliefs validate and perpetuate stratification.

Definition: Movement within the social hierarchy.
Types of Mobility:
- Vertical Mobility: Moving up or down the social ladder.
- Horizontal Mobility: Changing jobs without a change in class.
- Structural Mobility: Changes due to larger societal shifts, e.g., economic recessions.

Closed Systems:
- Characteristics: Rigid, little to no mobility, based on ascribed status.
- Examples:
  - Caste Systems: E.g., India's caste system.
  - Feudal Systems: E.g., Medieval Europe.
  - Systems based on race, e.g., Apartheid in South Africa.
Open Systems:
- Characteristics: More fluid, based on achieved status and personal merit.
- Examples:
  - Class Systems: E.g., The United States.
  - Emphasizes meritocracy but structural limits exist.

Example: Modern Britain with elements of both caste and class systems.
Claim of Equality: Some societies, like the Soviet Union, claimed classlessness, but stratification still existed.

Universality and Variability: Stratification is present in all societies but varies.
Future Topics: Exploration of sociological theories explaining why stratification occurs.