MODULE 7

SOCIAL AND POLITICAL STRATIFICATION

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
• Examine stratification from the functionalist and conflict perspectives;
• Identify characteristics of the systems of stratification; and
• Suggest ways to address global inequalities.

DISCUSSION
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: MEANING, CHARACTERISTICS, PERSPECTIVES, AND
TYPES

WHAT IS SOCIAL STRATIFICATION?

Stratification is a hierarchy of
positions with regard to economic
production which influences the
social rewards to those in the
positions. The higher one’s social
class, the higher their levels of
political participation and political
influence.
In all societies, people differ
from each other on the basis of their
age, sex, and personal
characteristics. Human society is
not homogeneous but
heterogeneous. Apart from the
natural differences, human beings are also differentiated according to socially approved
criteria.
Social stratification is a particular form of social inequality. All societies arrange
their members in terms of superiority, inferiority, and equality. Stratification is a process
of interaction or differentiation whereby some people come to rank higher than others.
 In other word, when individuals and groups are ranked, according to some
commonly accepted basis of valuation in hierarchy of status levels based upon the
inequality of social position, social stratification occurs. Social stratification means division
of society into different strata or layers. It involves a hierarchy of social groups.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

On the basis of the analysis of the different definitions given by eminent scholars,
social stratification may have the following characteristics.
a) Social stratification is universal
b) Stratification is social
c) It is ancient
d) It is in diverse forms
e) Social stratification is consequential

THE FUNCTIONALIST VIEW OF STRATIFICATION

1. Main Principles of Structural Functionalism
a. Societies are complex system of interrelated and interdependent parts and
each part of a society of a society significantly influences the others.
b. Each part of the society exists because it has a vital function to perform in
maintaining the existence or stability of society as a whole; the existence of any
part of society is therefore explained when its function for the whole is identified.
c. The tendency of society is toward stability, harmony, or equilibrium, in other
words toward balance.
d. Overall, the assumption of functionalism is that all social structures contribute
to the maintenance of the system and the existence of any given structure is
explained by means of its consequences (functions) which must, by definition,
be beneficial to the maintenance of stable order.

2. Functionalism on stratification: the Davis-Moore Thesis

a. With particular respect to the issue of social stratification or social inequality,
the functionalist view argues that social inequality is necessary because it
fulfills vital system needs.
b. One such functionalist view of inequality was developed by Kinsley Davis and
Wilbert Moore and has come to be known as the “Davis-Moore Thesis.”
c. Davis and Moore argue like this:
• They claim that no society is un-stratified. So, inequality is universal.
 • This universal nature of stratification must mean that inequality is not
only unavoidable, but indeed necessary to the smooth working of
society.
• Then Davis and Moore set out to explain how inequality benefits society.
• They ask: Why are some positions in society higher than others? Why
do the higher positions carry more status and rewards? The answers
they come up with is this:
i. Societies are stratified because inequality fulfills an important
need of all social systems.
ii. Society must distribute its members among the various positions
in society.
iii. People have to be motivated to fill certain positions and perform
their duties.
iv. Filling the positions within a social structure is a basic need of any
society.
v. Not all positions are equally pleasant, equally important, or equal
in terms of required talent and ability.
vi. There must be rewards to provide inducements and those
rewards must be distributed unequally to assure that all positions
get filled.
vii. The most important positions are rewarded the most – the least
important are rewarded the least.
• Ranking of positions occurs according to functional importance and the amount of
training or talent associated with the position.

3. Summary of the Davis-Moore Thesis:

a. Social positions have varying degrees of functional importance.
b. Talented and trained individuals are scarce because acquisition of training and
skills requires people to be sufficiently motivated to pursue them.
c. Stratification, or unequal distribution of rewards ensures that the most talented
and trained individuals will fulfill the social roles of greatest importance.

4. Criticism of the Davis-Moore Thesis: The Nature of Social Mobility

a. Scarcity of rewards is not a “natural” scarcity but rather an artificial scarcity –
especially within a system of private property in production – property is, for
example, exclusionary rights.
b. Some rewards are not functionally determined at all, but rather must be
understood within the context of wealth ownership and institution of inheritance.
c. Control of access to training by powerful and privileged groups creates artificial
scarcity of talent.
CONFLICT VIEW OF STRATIFICATION
• Conflict theory suggest that men, as the dominant gender, subordinate women in
order to maintain power and privilege in society.
• According to conflict theory, capitalist economic competition unfairly privileges the
rich who have the power to perpetuate an unfair system that works to their
advantage.
• “Losers” who are at the bottom of the social stratification have little opportunity to
improve their situation, since those at the top tend to have far more political and
economic power.
• Functionalists argue against the conflict theory approach by contending that
people don’t always act out of economic self-interest, and that people who want
to succeed can do so through hard work.
• Conflict theory asserts that social problems occur when dominant groups mistreat
subordinate ones, and thus advocates for a balance of power between genders.
• Frederich Engels compared the family structure to the relationship between the
bourgeoisie and the proletariat, suggesting that women had less power than men
in the household because they were dependent on them for wages.
• Men, like any other group with a power or wealth advantage in Conflict Theory,
fought to maintain their control over resources.
• Conflict theory of stratification holds that inequality is harmful to society because
it creates a fixed system of winners and losers.

THREE COMPONENT THEORY OF STRATIFICATION

The three-component theory of stratification, more widely known as Weberian
stratification or the three class system, was developed by German sociologist Max Weber
with class, status, and party as distinct ideal types. Weber developed a multidimensional
approach to social stratification that reflects the interplay among wealth, prestige, and
power.
Class, status, and power have not only great deal of effect within their individual
areas but also a great deal of influence over the other areas.
• Wealth: includes property such as buildings, lands, farms, houses, factories, and
as well as other assets – Economic situation
• Prestige: the respect with which a person or status position is regarded by others
– Status situation
• Power: the ability of people or groups to achieve their goals despite opposition
from others – Parties
TYPES OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
Social stratification is based upon a variety of principles. So, we find different types
of stratification or social mobility. The major types of stratification or social mobility are:
Caste, Class, Estate, and Slavery.
i. CASTE is a hereditary endogamous social group in which a person’s rank and its
accompanying rights and obligations are ascribed on the basis of his birth right into
a particular group. Caste system is also referred to as closed system.
ii. CLASS-stratification on the basis of class is dominant in modern society. In this,
person’s position depends to a very great extent upon achievement and his ability
to use to advantage the inborn characteristics and wealth that he may possess.
This is sometimes referred to as open-system.
iii. ESTATE system of medieval Europe provides another system of stratification
which gave much emphasis to birth as well as to wealth and possessions. Each
estate had a state.
iv. SLAVERY had economic basis. In slavery, every slave had his master to whom he
was subjected. The master’s power over the slave was unlimited.

SOCIAL INEQUALITY: GENDER, ETHNIC MINORITIES, PERSONS WITH

DISABILITIES, POOR PEOPLE, AND GLOBAL INEQUALITIES

GENDER INEQUALITY
Gender inequality refers to
unequal treatment or perceptions of
individuals based on their gender. It
arises from differences in socially
constructed gender roles as well as
biologically through chromosomes,
brain structure, and hormonal
differences. Gender systems are often
dichotomous and hierarchal; gender
binary systems may reflect the
inequalities that manifest in numerous
dimensions of daily life. Gender
inequality stems from distinctions,
whether empirically grounded or
socially constructed.

INEQUALITY ETHNIC MINORITIES

 Ethnic inequality – the political and economic disadvantages felt by racial minority
groups – persists across the globe. Not only is such discrimination unfair, it is a drag on
global economic growth, and will not go away by it.
Inequality affects two main groups of ethnic minority population. Long-term settled
communities, which often pre-date the boundaries of nation-states by many centuries,
are more commonly found in Asia and Africa.
More recent minority populations, which have mainly arrived through migration in
the past century, are usually found in Europe. Both groups suffer discrimination, and
policymakers around the world are not doing enough to counter it.

INEQUALITY TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

The differently abled are not
disabled only because they are
physically or mentally impaired but
also because society is built in a
manner that does not cater their
needs. In contrast to the struggles
over Dalit, Adivasi or women’s
rights, the rights of the disabled have
been recognized only very recently.
Yet in all historical periods, in all
societies there have been people
who are disabled.
The term “disabled” challenges each of these assumptions. Term such as mentally
challenged, visually impaired, and physically impaired came to replace the more negative
terms such as retarded, crippled, or lame. The disabled are rendered disabled not
because they are biologically disabled but because the society renders them so. The
social construction of disability has yet another dimension. There is a close relationship
between disability and poverty, malnutrition, mother weakened by frequent childbirth,
inadequate immunization programmed, and accident in overcrowded homes – all
contribute to an incidence of disability among poor people that is higher than among
people living in easier circumstances.

INEQUALITY TO POOR PEOPLE

There is a widespread concern that economic growth has been fairly shared and
that the economic crisis has only widened the gap between the rich and poor.
The overall persistent high level of poverty in the Philippines and other countries
suggests that poverty is primarily the consequence of the way society is organized and
resources are allocated, whether these are financial or other resources such as access
to housing, health, and social services, education, and other economic, social, and
cultural services.
The least unequal societies in Europe tend to have the lowest level of poverty, and
to have been less impacted by the crisis. This is primarily because these governments
choose to give priority to ensuring adequate minimum income levels and ensuring good
access to services, through the social protection system, and through guaranteeing
minimum wage levels. They are usually the most effective at redistributing wealth through
the tax and other systems.

KEY FACTORS OF POVERTY

In terms of individuals, some key factors are seen as making a person more ‘at
risk’ of being in poverty such as:
• Unemployment or having a poor quality (i.e. low paid or precarious)
• Low levels of education and skills
• The size and type of family
• Gender
• Disability or ill-health
• Being member of minority ethnic groups
• Living in a remote or very disadvantaged community
• Dependence on government dole-outs

EIGHT WAYS TO REDUCE GLOBAL INEQUALITY

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Nick Galasso and Marjorie Wood by taxing
progressively, respecting worker rights, and rethinking economics, we could make a great
start at creating more equal world.
Extreme economic inequality is corrosive to our societies. It makes poverty
reduction harder, hurts our economics, and drives conflicts and violence. Reversing this
trend presents a significant challenge, but one where we’ve seen some progress. Below,
Galasso and Wood offer eight ways to move world forward in reducing global inequality.
1. Stop illicit outflows
2. Progressive income tax
3. A global wealth tax
4. Enforce a living wage
5. Worker’s right to organize
6. Stop other labor abuses
7. Open and democratic trade policy
8. A new economics?