Social Stratification PDF

1. Achieved and Ascribed Status Achieved status means you earn your position in society through hard work or talent, like becoming a doctor or a famous athlete. Ascribed status is a position you're born into, like being a prince or part of a specific caste. Key Sociolo...

1. Achieved and Ascribed Status Achieved status means you earn your position in society through hard work or talent, like becoming a doctor or a famous athlete. Ascribed status is a position you're born into, like being a prince or part of a specific caste. Key Sociologists: Max Weber: He talked about how status can be based on social class, power, or prestige, and some people are born into privilege (ascribed) while others achieve their status. Talcott Parsons: Parsons said that modern societies value achieved status because they focus on merit and hard work, unlike traditional societies which prioritize ascribed status. 2. Poverty and Wealth Poverty means not having enough money or resources to meet basic needs, like food or shelter. Wealth refers to owning a lot of resources or assets, like property, money, and businesses. Key Sociologists: Karl Marx: He argued that wealth in capitalist societies is controlled by the rich (the bourgeoisie) who exploit the poor working class (the proletariat). Peter Townsend: Townsend studied relative poverty, meaning people feel poor compared to others, even if they can meet basic needs. 3. Power Power means having the ability to control or influence others, such as making decisions that affect society. It can come from wealth, status, or political authority. Key Sociologists: Max Weber: Weber said there are three types of power: traditional (kings), charismatic (leaders like Gandhi), and legal-rational (governments or laws).  Michel Foucault: Foucault studied how power works through institutions like schools, prisons, and hospitals, and how it influences people’s behavior. 4. Social Mobility Social mobility is when people move up or down the social ladder. For example, a person born poor might become rich through education or hard work. Key Sociologists: Pierre Bourdieu: He said social mobility is influenced by cultural capital (like education, language, and skills) that some people have and others don’t. Emile Durkheim: Durkheim argued that education is key for social mobility because it teaches skills needed for better jobs. 5. Meritocracy Meritocracy means that success is based on merit, like hard work, talent, and ability, rather than family background or wealth. Key Sociologists: Talcott Parsons: Parsons believed that modern societies are meritocratic, where people earn rewards based on effort and skills. Michael Young: In his book The Rise of the Meritocracy, Young criticized meritocracies, arguing they can make inequality worse because people at the top think they "deserve" their success. 6. Modern Slavery Modern slavery refers to people being forced to work without pay or proper conditions, like human trafficking or bonded labor. Key Sociologists: Kevin Bales: Bales wrote about how modern slavery still exists today and affects millions, especially in poorer countries. Zygmunt Bauman: Bauman linked modern slavery to globalization, where powerful countries exploit cheap labor in developing nations. 7. The Caste System The caste system is a rigid social structure where people are born into a specific group and cannot move up or down. It is common in countries like India. Key Sociologists: Louis Dumont: Dumont studied the caste system in India and explained how it was based on religious and cultural beliefs about purity and hierarchy. B.R. Ambedkar: Ambedkar criticized the caste system, calling it unfair and harmful, and fought for the rights of people in the lowest caste, known as Dalits.