What is social stratification?
The division of large groups of people into layers based on their relative property, power, and prestige.
What are the four major systems of social stratification?
Slavery, caste, estate, and class systems
What is slavery as a stratification system
A system in which some people own other people
What is a caste system?
A system in which birth determines status for life, and mobility is almost impossible.
What is endogamy?
The practice of marrying within one’s own group or caste.
What is an estate system?
A system used in medieval Europe with three estates: nobility, clergy, and commoners.
What is a class system?
A stratification system based mainly on income, education, and occupational prestige, with more mobility than other systems.
What is social mobility?
Movement up or down the social class ladder.
According to Karl Marx, what determines social class?
A person’s relationship to the means of production.
What are the two major classes according to Marx?
Bourgeoisie (owners/capitalists) and proletariat (workers).
What is the bourgeoisie?
The class that owns the means of production.
What is the proletariat?
The working class that sells labor and does not own production.
What is false class consciousness?
When workers mistakenly identify with capitalist interests instead of their own class interests.
According to Max Weber, what are the three components of social class?
Property, power, and prestige.
How does Weber differ from Marx?
Marx focused mainly on ownership, while Weber included property, power, and prestige.
How do functionalists explain social stratification?
It motivates the most qualified people to fill the most important positions by offering greater rewards.
How do conflict theorists explain social stratification?
It exists because powerful groups use resources and institutions to maintain dominance over others.
According to Davis and Moore, why is stratification universal?
Because important positions require incentives such as higher pay, prestige, and benefits.
What was Tumin’s criticism of Davis and Moore?
Stratification is not always based on merit and often prevents talented people from advancing.
What are the three categories of global stratification?
Most Industrialized Nations, Industrializing Nations, and Least Industrialized Nations.
Which nations have the most wealth, power, and prestige globally?
Most Industrialized Nations.
What theory explains global inequality through exploitation by wealthy nations?
World systems theory / conflict perspective.
Which system has the most social mobility: slavery, caste, estate, or class?
Class system.
How do elites maintain social stratification?
By controlling ideas, information, institutions, and technology, and sometimes by using force.
