Global and Social Stratification

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Questions and Answers

Which group represents individuals who are often long-term unemployed or homeless?

Underclass (correct)

Blue-collar workers

Upper class

Middle class

What term describes the unequal treatment of people based on their group membership?

Discrimination (correct)

Prejudice

Segregation

Social stratification

Modernization Theory suggests that nations achieve affluence primarily through which factor?

Population control

Natural resources

Technological advancement (correct)

Foreign investments

What does Dependency Theory identify as a reason why poor nations struggle economically?

Narrow export economies Signup and view all the answers

Which social class category is often contested and falls between the lower and upper classes?

Middle class Signup and view all the answers

Prejudice can be defined as which type of phenomenon?

An attitude or belief Signup and view all the answers

Which theory argues that the colonial process enriched some nations while impoverishing others?

Dependency Theory Signup and view all the answers

What is the end result of social stratification as described in the content?

A form of organization based on merit Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the impacts of stratification in the health sector?

Expensive healthcare facilities primarily accessible to the wealthy Signup and view all the answers

The caste system is maintained primarily through which practice?

Endogamous marriage within one's own group Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the class system of stratification?

A combination of ascribed and achieved statuses Signup and view all the answers

Which is NOT a consequence of social stratification?

Equal job opportunities for all individuals Signup and view all the answers

In which system are individuals owned by others as their property?

Slavery system Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the estate system?

A system that was primarily functional during the middle ages Signup and view all the answers

How does stratification impact individual actions?

It limits opportunities and influences political affiliations Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant characteristic of the upper class in the common three-stratum model?

Includes those who are wealthy or well-born Signup and view all the answers

What does global stratification primarily compare among countries?

Wealth and power Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following definitions best describes social stratification?

The ranking of individuals in society based on various characteristics Signup and view all the answers

According to Gisbert, what is a key aspect of social stratification?

It categorizes society into permanent groups. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT one of the five basic causes of social stratification?

Innovation Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of social stratification?

It is universal and exists in various forms. Signup and view all the answers

Which society is NOT commonly associated with the origins of social stratification?

Meritocratic societies Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about a stratified society is true?

It displays inequality among its members. Signup and view all the answers

Who emphasized the inequalities of social, political, and economic structures during their time?

Plato and Kautilya Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Global Stratification

Global stratification compares wealth, economic stability, status, and power across countries, highlighting worldwide social inequalities within nations.
Sociologists studying this analyze economic comparisons between countries.
Key factors used to calculate global stratification include income, purchasing power, and investment/ownership-based wealth.

Social stratification is a social science term describing the relative social position of people in a group, category, geographic region, or social unit.
The term derives from the Latin word "stratum" (plural "strata"), meaning parallel horizontal layers, representing society's categorization of people into socioeconomic tiers.
Raymond W. Murray describes it as the horizontal division of society into ‘higher’ and ‘lower’ social units.
Gisbert defines social stratification as the division of society into permanent groups or categories connected by a relationship of superiority.
A stratified society is characterized by inequality and differences in how people view each other's positions as "lower" or "higher."

Social stratification emerges from different societal structures:
- Hunting and Gathering Societies
- Horticultural, Pastoral, and Agricultural Societies
  - Division of labor and job specialization emerges
- Industrialized Societies
  - Improvement of working conditions

Inequality
Conflict
Power
Wealth
Instability

Social stratification is universal and a social phenomenon.
It’s an ancient concept.
It takes diverse forms.
It exists across various forms, such as:

Historical Context

During the periods of Plato and Kautilya, societal, political, and economic inequalities were prominent.
Ancient Romans were divided into Patricians and Plebeians.

Impacts of Stratification

Stratification influences various aspects of life:
- Health Sector (expensive facilities, VIP culture, unequal treatment, unequal distribution of resources)
- Education (diverse systems, teaching methods, outdated syllabus, language conflicts, leading to job discrimination)
- Individual Actions (limited opportunities, stereotyping, labialization, unwillingness to pursue opportunities)
- Societal Laws (punishment amplification, traffic rules, bank policies, discrimination in journalism)

Forms of Stratification

Slavery System: Extreme inequality, individuals owned as property, lack of political rights, and social disdain.
Estate System: Stratification existing in Europe during the Middle Ages, with divisions like clergy, nobility, and commoners based on birth.
Caste System: Social position determined by birth, maintained by endogamous marriages.
Class System: Industrial society’s stratification based on achieved and ascribed statuses (education, property, business/work).

The Common Three Stratum Model

Upper Class: Wealthy, well-born individuals holding significant political power.
Middle Class: The most contested stratum, encompassing individuals in contemporary society positioned between lower and lower classes socioeconomically.
Lower/Working Class: Wage- or hourly-earning workers, and sometimes an underclass of the long-term unemployed or homeless, often receiving welfare.

Discrimination

It is the unequal treatment of people based on their group membership, causing and perpetuating societal stratification.
Prejudice is an attitude. Discrimination is a behavior; the two can occur together or separately.

Global Stratification Theories

Modernization Theory: A model explaining global inequality through technological and cultural differences.
- Nations gain wealth through technology
- Developed nations aid underdeveloped ones in controlling population, improving food production, and furthering industrialization
Dependency Theory: Model explaining global inequality through historical exploitation of poor nations by rich ones.
- Colonialism influenced the economic differences between nations
- Economic inequalities are complex problems, not easily solved with foreign aid alone

Conclusion

Social stratification categorizes people based on economic, political, and social statuses.
The outcome of this categorization is usually merit-based, creating a type of societal organization.

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Description

Explore the concepts of global and social stratification. This quiz examines the inequalities in wealth, status, and power among nations and within societies. Understand how these classifications impact individuals and groups in various socio-economic contexts.