Social Stratification Introduction: Types and Examples PDF

**Introduction to Social Stratification** **What is Stratification?** Social stratification is the way society is structured into different layers or groups, ranked from most to least privileged. It's like a rock face with visible layers - each layer represents a different level of wealth, status,...

**Introduction to Social Stratification** **What is Stratification?** Social stratification is the way society is structured into different layers or groups, ranked from most to least privileged. It's like a rock face with visible layers - each layer represents a different level of wealth, status, or power. **Types of Stratification Systems** **Open System** - Status is **achieved** through effort, skills, and merit. - Social mobility (moving up or down the social hierarchy) is possible. - Example: Meritocracy, where people succeed based on ability and hard work. **Closed System** - Status is **ascribed** (given at birth and not chosen). - Social mobility is unlikely. - Example: The caste system, where people are born into a specific group with fixed social status. Society is shaped like a pyramid: - Those at the top hold the most power and privilege. - Those at the bottom have fewer resources and opportunities. - Sociologists call this **social inequality**---the uneven distribution of money, power, and opportunities (e.g., education, jobs). **Different Types of Stratification** **Type** **Explanation** ----------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **Slavery** People are **owned** by others and treated as property. In Ancient Greece and Rome, some slaves could earn freedom. However, during the **Transatlantic Slave Trade**, enslaved people were taken permanently from Africa and treated with extreme cruelty, fuelling racism. Modern slavery exists today, where vulnerable people are trapped in forced labour. **Caste System** Found in **India**, based on Hindu beliefs about reincarnation. People are born into a caste, and this decides their job and social status. The lowest caste, **'Untouchables'**, faced severe discrimination. Despite legal changes, caste still influences opportunities. This is a **closed** system. **Estates (Feudal System)** Existed in **Medieval Europe**. Society was divided into groups: **aristocrats** (landowners) at the top, and **peasants** (farmers and workers) at the bottom. Aristocrats controlled land, and commoners had little freedom. This system was largely **ascribed**. **Class System** Unlike other systems, **social mobility is possible**. Class is based on **wealth and job status**, rather than birth. This is an **open** system, meaning people can move up or down in status through education, employment, and financial success. However, these systems can overlap. For example, slavery existed alongside social classes in **19th-century America**, and a similar structure was seen in **Apartheid South Africa**.