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b__1]()", "9.03:_The_Class_Structure_in_the_U.S." We'll look at some examples of social inequality. It strikes at the soul (Blow, 2011). Create flashcards in notes completely automatically. What are social stratification and differentiation? Second, this approach assumes that the system of stratification is fair and rational, and that the best people end up on top because of their superiority. Stratification, in this sense, is necessary. Ehrenreich, B. Stratification results from lack of opportunity and from discrimination and prejudice against the poor, women, and people of color. This ultimately leads to the creation of hierarchies, meaning that society is meritocratic. For example, which is more important, doing brain surgery or mining coal? Belief in the American Dream evidently helps lead to a blaming-the-victim ideology that blames the poor for their own fate. Why? Poverty is discussed later in this chapter, but for now it is sufficient to say that the poor often lead lives of quiet desperation and must find many ways of coping with the fact of being poor. As this example suggests, many people might not choose to become brain surgeons unless considerable financial and other rewards awaited them. Bagdikian, B. H. (1964). There are five main theories on social stratification: What are some examples of social stratification? What is the theory of Karl Marx about social stratification? The lifestyles of the rich are featured in classic novels by writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and in classic films such as The Philadelphia Story, starring the formidable trio of Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and James Stewart. Worlds apart: Why poverty persists in rural America. 1.2 Sociological Perspectives on Social Problems, 1.3 Continuity and Change in Social Problems, 2.1 The Measurement and Extent of Poverty, 2.2 Who the Poor Are: Social Patterns of Poverty, 3.1 Racial and Ethnic Inequality: A Historical Prelude, 3.5 Dimensions of Racial and Ethnic Inequality, 3.6 Explaining Racial and Ethnic Inequality, 3.7 Reducing Racial and Ethnic Inequality, 4.4 Violence against Women: Rape and Sexual Assault, 5.2 Public Attitudes about Sexual Orientation, 5.3 Inequality Based on Sexual Orientation, 5.4 Improving the Lives of the LGBT Community, 6.3 Life Expectancy and the Graying of Society, 6.4 Biological and Psychological Aspects of Aging, 6.6 Reducing Ageism and Helping Older Americans, 7.5 Drug Policy and the War on Illegal Drugs, 7.6 Addressing the Drug Problem and Reducing Drug Use, 10.2 Sociological Perspectives on the Family, 10.3 Changes and Problems in American Families, 11.1 An Overview of Education in the United States, 11.2 Sociological Perspectives on Education, 11.3 Issues and Problems in Elementary and Secondary Education, 11.4 Issues and Problems in Higher Education, 12.2 Sociological Perspectives on Work and the Economy, 13.1 Sociological Perspectives on Health and Health Care, 13.2 Global Aspects of Health and Health Care, 13.3 Problems of Health in the United States, 13.4 Problems of Health Care in the United States, 14.2 Sociological Perspectives on Urbanization, 15.1 Sociological Perspectives on Population and the Environment, 15.4 Addressing Population Problems and Improving the Environment, 16.1 Sociological Perspectives on War and Terrorism, 16.4 Preventing War and Stopping Terrorism. Do CEOs of corporations really need to make millions of dollars per year to get enough qualified people to become CEOs? New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Mirza (1992) studied the experiences of Black female students in school. It is neither necessary nor inevitable. In reality, there are still many structural factors that cause inequalities among different social groups. Lewis, O. The social inequality that's caused by the unequaldistribution of those resources. It doesn't involve ranking different social groups as social stratification does. According to the Oxford Languages dictionary, patriarchy is a societal or governmental system in which men hold power. While some teachers were overtly racist, even those who were genuinely helpful in trying to identify the needs of the students were unable to do so. The unheavenly city revisited. Firestone (1970) was a radical feminist who argued that gender stratification is the result of biology. In this society, gender stratification is organised so that men typically have higher statuses than women. For example, in the film Pretty Woman, Richard Gere plays a rich businessman who hires a prostitute, played by Julia Roberts, to accompany him to swank parties and other affairs. of the users don't pass the Social Stratification Theories quiz! Have all your study materials in one place. Roberts has to buy a new wardrobe and learn how to dine and behave in these social settings, and much of the films humor and poignancy come from her awkwardness in learning the lifestyle of the rich. With this backdrop in mind, what do the individualistic and structural explanations of poverty say? Although you might be tempted to answer brain surgery, if no coal were mined, much of our society could not function. Functionalist theorists believe that inequality is inevitable and desirable and plays an important function in society. The key goal of the ruling class here is to prevent the poor from achieving class consciousness, or an awareness of their oppression and the true reasons for it (Marx & Engels, 1947). Second, the functionalist explanation implies that the most important jobs have the highest incomes and the least important jobs the lowest incomes, but many examples, including the ones just mentioned, counter this view. In the past, the poor were thought to be biologically inferior, a view that has not entirely faded, but today the much more common belief is that they lack the ambition and motivation to work hard and to achieve success. They argue that all functions and institutions are characterised bypatriarchy, such that men typically have more freedom, resources, opportunities and power than women. What is the primary system of stratification in modern society? Sociologists take two opposing approaches to explaining economic stratification: structural-functionalism and conflict theory. Understand how symbolic interactionism views stratification. Table 8.1 Theory Snapshot summarizes these three approaches. Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. While differentiation considers the difference in status between social groups, stratification looks at these same differences inrelativeterms, positioning them into a hierarchical system where some groups are higher or lower than others. According to Marxists, people are differently stratified based on their relationship to Feminists argue that society is stratified by gender. Postmodernists who still believe in the significance of class reject its traditional definitions. First, it is difficult to compare the importance of many types of jobs. Social stratification, also simply known as stratification, is a process that's deeply ingrained in most societies. She claimed that women are inherently disadvantaged because they have to give birth and raise their children - this weakens women and makes them dependent on men. Some classic journalistic accounts by authors not trained in the social sciences also present eloquent descriptions of poor peoples lives (Bagdikian, 1964; Harrington, 1962). There are two slightly differing perspectives on this: Class has no relevance to sociological analysis, because other political ideologies have failed to challenge the current democratic landscape. Figure 8.2 Annual Family Income and Belief That Government Should Reduce Income Differences Between the Rich and Poor. Marxism is critical of hierarchies because they privilege certain groups and subordinate others. Marx did not foresee the extent to which these beliefs would impede the development of class consciousness in the United States. Tell them who I am: The lives of homeless women. According to him, upper-class people were responsible for the condition of the lower-class people. Marxism is a conflict theory of social stratification based on the writings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. We also acknowledge previous National Science Foundation support under grant numbers 1246120, 1525057, and 1413739. 1 - The existence of hierarchy indicates that society is characterised by inequality. The term class first came into wide use in the early 19th century, replacing such . Stop procrastinating with our study reminders. The popularity of this belief leads many Americans to blame poor people for their poverty. Why is stratification by social class considered theprimary system of stratification? Important positions in society require more training and thus should receive more rewards. They are ranked according to their importance in the eyes of men in a particular social system. A look at wealth stratification in the U.S. reveals a deeply unequal society in which the top 10% of households control 70% of the nation's riches, according to a 2019 study released by the Federal Reserve. A professional athlete making millions of dollars a year earns many times the income of the president of the United States, but who is more important to the nation? Weber (1922) suggested that there are three dimensions to social stratification. At its core, Karl Marx's theory posits that economic relationships are the most important in any society (compared to, say, cultural and political relationships) and that work is the key to affording the means of survival. (Be careful how you answer this one!). Although the girls rejected a negative label and strived for academic success, this was not always possible. Marxists see stratification as privileging the bourgeoisie and oppressing the proletariat. Status refers to a person's relative social position based on the honour or prestige that's attached to their occupation. What is the key limitation of the postmodernist theory of social stratification? According to survey evidence, the majority of Americans share this belief (Davidson, 2009). Because he was born in a log cabin and later became president, Abraham Lincolns life epitomizes the American Dream, which is the belief that people born into poverty can become successful through hard work. Rank, M. R. (1994). They are different from you and me.. A General Social Survey question asks whether it is the governments responsibility to reduce income differences between the rich and poor. As Figure 8.2 Annual Family Income and Belief That Government Should Reduce Income Differences Between the Rich and Poor shows, low-income people are much more likely than high-income people to think the government has this responsibility. Debunking the big lie right-wingers use to justify black poverty and unemployment. As a result, he displays masochistic attitudes and behaviors. It ignores the fact that the American Dream is rapidly becoming unattainable for an increasing number of Americans, whether employed or not (Block, et. Consistent with its micro orientation, symbolic interactionism tries to understand stratification by looking at peoples interaction and understandings in their daily lives. Those at the top are given power and rewards because of high abilities, and the high rewards exist to provide incentive for qualified people to do the most important work in high status occupations. 2 - Postmodernists believe that consumption is an important part of identity construction. 2. Life chances is a concept that refers to the opportunities people have to improve their quality of life, based on their socioeconomic status. The popularity of this belief leads many Americans to blame poor people for their poverty. 1. Social categorization is a large part of social identity theory, which emerged during the 1970s as a way of explaining group behaviors based on how the group perceives itself in relation to those . Tumin, M. M. (1953). Feminists see society as being stratified by, . Harrington, M. (1962). Some principles of stratification. Women are financially dependent on men because they can't work during late pregnancy, or their children's period of infancy. Feminism takes on several forms within and outside of sociology. 7.4 The Get-Tough Approach: Boon or Bust? One other line of functionalist thinking focuses more directly on poverty than generally on stratification. If this is true, we must have stratification. What are the five main theories of social stratification? ; Conflict theorists, on the other hand, view inequality as resulting from . However, neo-Marxists like Wright & Perrone (1974) say that there's a third class, the petit bourgeoisie (middle class). The functionalist view sounds very logical, but a few years after Davis and Moore published their theory, other sociologists pointed out some serious problems in their argument (Tumin, 1953; Wrong, 1959). Everything you need for your studies in one place. Create and find flashcards in record time. While it's clear that there are numerous differences within and between different social groups, what differentiation highlights is that the meaning of those differences is important to understand. Marxism is critical of social hierarchies because they privilege certain groups and subordinate others. Many different explanations grounded in conflict theory exist, but they all assume that stratification stems from a fundamental conflict between the needs and interests of the powerful, or haves, in society and those of the weak, or have-nots (Kerbo, 2009). One sociological perspective distinguishes the classes, in part, according to their relative power and control over their lives. Which age group is most likely to live in poverty with a rate of 19.9% is one of the highest in the developed world? Weber sees the power to influence other people, even if they don't want to be influenced, as the third key dimension of social stratification. The following section will remind you of what social stratification and differentiation are. Sign up to highlight and take notes. In some ways, social differentiation is a stepping stone on the path to social stratification. What is the name of this phenomenon? Religious beliefs help create false consciousness. True or false? In your sessions, you find that he has an embedded belief that same-sex attraction is abnormal/wrong and that it is better to be heterosexual. Weberian life chances can be seen as an expansion on some of Karl Marx's ideas. Reconsidering culture and poverty. Lerne mit deinen Freunden und bleibe auf dem richtigen Kurs mit deinen persnlichen Lernstatistiken. The Weberian theory of stratification is based on two key ideas: the distribution of social resources, and the social inequality that's caused by the unequal distribution of those resources. Fig. The general understanding of differentiation is that different statuses come with different levels of, More about Social Stratification Theories, Social Construction of Health and Illness, Representation of Social Class In The Media, Distribution of Wealth, Poverty, and Income in the UK, Theoretical Approaches to Welfare Providers. At a minimum, they can heavily influence the law, the media, and other institutions in a way that maintains societys class structure. It is neither necessary nor inevitable. Functionalist theory of social stratification, igh incomes and job satisfaction are necessary motivations that incentivise people to work hard and take up important functions. Unlike the functionalist and conflict views, it does not try to explain why we have stratification in the first place. Roberts has to buy a new wardrobe and learn how to dine and behave in rich social settings, and much of the films humor and poignancy come from her awkwardness in learning the lifestyle of the rich. Social stratification and inequality. Explain your answer. (1966). These books focus on different people in different places, but they all make very clear that the poor often lead lives of quiet desperation and must find ways of coping with the fact of being poor. Black girls were more frequently subjected to negative labels than White girls or Black boys. al., 2010). As later chapters in this book document, racial and ethnic discrimination, lack of adequate schooling and health care, and other problems make it difficult to rise out of poverty. Because he was born in a log cabin and later became president, Abraham Lincolns life epitomizes the American Dream, the belief that people born into poverty can become successful through hard work. A meritocracy is a system where people who have the most knowledge, skills and overall ability are given the most important and highly-rewarded roles in the community. Differentiationinvolves ranking different social groups. Because poverty serves all these functions and more, according to this argument, the middle and upper classes have a vested interested in neglecting poverty to help ensure its continued existence. Legal. What are they? In this way, girls are taught to be more nurturing and gentle, while boys are taught to be more instrumental and hands-on. In looking to explain poverty, sociologists have often tried to balance the relative importance of social structures (how society is organised) and the role of individual agency - people's independent . When applied to American society, their assumptions would be as follows: To illustrate their assumptions, say we have a society where shining shoes and doing brain surgery both give us incomes of $150,000 per year. So, functionalists argue that stratification exists because there are important roles to be played within the institutions whose core functions keep society running smoothly. In these books, the consequences of poverty discussed later in this chapter acquire a human face, and readers learn in great detail what it is like to live in poverty on a daily basis. In contrast to structural-functionalists, conflict theorists argue that stratification is dysfunctional and harmful in society. Do CEOs of corporations really need to make millions of dollars per year to get enough qualified people to become CEOs? Conflict theory assumes that class position influences our perceptions of social and political life, even if not to the degree envisioned by Marx. What is the difference between stratification and differentiation? involves ranking different social groups. We use three theories to analyse the importance of education and credentials in recruitment decisions in European graduate labour markets: human capital (HC), network capital (NC) and reputational capital (RC) theory. The five main theories of social stratification are: A strength of the functionalist theory of social stratification is that accounts for which aspect of stratification? Do you think it would be difficult to persuade enough people to become physicians or to pursue other important careers? Murray, C. (2012). Conflict theorys explanation of stratification draws on Karl Marxs view of class societies and incorporates the critique of the functionalist view just discussed. Differentiation is the acknowledgement that while there are many social roles, they're all equal. In explaining stratification, conflict theory emphasizes ideology, or a set of ideas that justifies the status quo. Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying. When poverty finally attracted national attention during the 1960s, scholars began to try specifically to understand why poor people become poor and remain poor. Why? Your client is in the process of coming out as gay. True or false? Stratification results from lack of opportunity and from discrimination and prejudice against the poor, women, and people of color. American Sociological Review, 18, 387393. The general understanding of differentiation is that different statuses come with different levels ofpowerin society. Boston, MA: Beacon Press. Social segregation represents a system of thoughts merged in social sciences and political theory based on societal categorization (Kincaid, 2015). The everyday slights, put-downs, invalidations and insults directed toward a group. At a minimum, they can heavily influence the law, the media, and other institutions in a way that maintains societys class structure. What is the main source of identity in postmodern society? They argue that all functions and institutions are characterised by. Which of the following may be problematic for traditionally oriented Arab Americans? Postmodernism moves away from explaining differentiation and stratification solely in economic terms, framing their occurrence as a result of life choices instead of life chances. Over 90% of African Americans in this age group had completed high school or were still enrolled in school. Veblen, T. (1953). Why? Besides being important in social theory, the concept of class as a collection of individuals sharing similar economic circumstances has been widely used in censuses and in studies of social mobility. : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "9.04:_Social_Mobility" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "9.05:_The_Impacts_of_Social_Class" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "9.06:_Poverty" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()" }, 9.6C: Explaining Poverty- The Sociological Debate, [ "article:topic", "showtoc:no", "license:ccbysa", "columns:two" ], https://socialsci.libretexts.org/@app/auth/3/login?returnto=https%3A%2F%2Fsocialsci.libretexts.org%2FBookshelves%2FSociology%2FIntroduction_to_Sociology%2FSociology_(Boundless)%2F09%253A_Stratification_Inequality_and_Social_Class_in_the_U.S.%2F9.06%253A_Poverty%2F9.6C%253A_Explaining_Poverty-_The_Sociological_Debate, \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}}}\) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\), Discuss the critiques of structural-functionalist approaches to social stratification. Marxist Theory of Social Stratification Karl Marx was always opposed to the idea of social stratification. Stratification by class tends to be the primary system of classification nowadays, with other forms of stratification taking secondary positions. Block, F., Korteweg, A. C., & Woodward, K. (2006). Qualified people who fill those positions are rewarded more than others. According to this logic, inequality ensures that the most functionally important jobs are filled by the best qualified people. Describe the assumptions of the functionalist and conflict views of stratification and of poverty. For example, in the film Pretty Woman, Richard Gere plays a rich businessman who hires a prostitute, played by Julia Roberts, to accompany him to swank parties and other affairs. Davis & Moore (1945) said that stratification is inevitable due to the "motivational problem" of meritocratic societies. What is a meritocracy? Four examples of stratification systems are stratification by: Stratification is a system of classification of social groups, organised into a hierarchy. Differentiation is the acknowledgement that while there are many social roles, they're all equal. Many detailed, insightful sociological books on the lives of the urban and rural poor reflect the symbolic interactionist perspective (Anderson, 1999; C. M. Duncan, 2000; Liebow, 1993; Rank, 1994). A member of the proletariat (working class) with only their labour to offer in exchange for the means of survival. According to conflict theory, stratification results from lack of opportunity and discrimination against the poor and people of color. Stratification by social class is considered theprimary systemof stratification since it is thought to make the most difference to an individual's life chances. Substructure: The relationship of the workers comes under the category of the substructure According to structural-functionalists, stratification and inequality are actually constructive phenomena that benefit society: they ensure that the best people are at the top of the hierarchy and those who are less worthy are at the bottom. On the other hand, some ethnographic research supports the individualistic explanation by showing that the poor do have certain values and follow certain practices that augment their plight (Small, et. Generally, postmodernists say that systems of social stratification are much more fluid than modernist sociologists realise.