1st Slide

Hello everyone my name is Juan and I am going to present about Social

Stratification

2nd Slide
4 Major Social stratification system
Four major types of stratification can be identified: slavery, caste , estates
and

Class.
Slavery as we all know, has the most rigid system. Your rights are all taken,
and you have no freedom unless your master say so. So far has the most
extreme inequality

Caste
Caste is a system where your social position is determined at birth, usually
comes from a religious context. Though mobility is possible, it is very
unlikely.

Estates
is from feudal European system, is more flexible than the other two. Has
relatively more determiner.

Class
Where as the first three depend on legal or religiously sanctioned
inequalities, class divisions are not 'officially' recognized, but stem from
economic factors affecting the material circumstances of people's lives.

3rd Slides
Class System
Class systems are fluid. Unlike the other types of strata, classes are not
established by legal or religious provisions. The boundaries between classes
are never clear-cut. There are no formal restrictions on intermarriage
between people from different classes.

Class positions are in some part achieved. An individual's class is not simply
given at birth, as is the case in the other types of stratification systems.
Social mobility - movement upward and downward in the class structure - is
more common than in the other types.

Class is economically based. Classes depend on economic differences

between groups of individuals - inequalities in the possession of material
resources. In the other types of stratification systems, non-economic factors
(like race in the former South African caste system) are generally most
important.

Class systems are large-scale and impersonal. In the other types of

stratification systems, inequalities are expressed primarily in personal
relationships of duty or obligation - between slave and master or lower- and
higher-caste individuals. Class systems, by contrast, operate mainly through
large-scale, impersonal associations. For example, one major basis of class
differences is in inequalities of pay and working conditions.

4th Slides
Karl Marx
We will move on on our attempts to explain social stratification as a
phenomenon in our society.

5th Slides

1. Base and Superstructure

 Marx argued that society is built on an economic "base" (means of

production) that determines the "superstructure" (culture, politics,
institutions)

 The economic system shapes how social classes form and interact

 Those who control the means of production (factories, resources) also

control society's dominant ideas and institutions

2. Two class Polarization

Bourgeois owner of means of production and Proletariat, Workers.
3. Inherent Conflict
The bourgeoisie owns the means of production while the proletariat
must sell their labor to survive
Marx argued that capitalists extract "surplus value" from workers'
labor, paying them less than the true value of what they produce
 This exploitation creates an inherent conflict between classes
4. Class Consciousness
Class consciousness refers to workers becoming aware of their shared
interests and opposition to the capitalist class
False consciousness describes how workers are kept unaware of their
exploitation through ideology, religion, and culture
Marx believed revolution would occur when workers developed class
consciousness and recognized their collective power
The ruling class maintains power partly by preventing this awareness
through control of media, education, and cultural institutions

6th Slides
Max Weber
1. Three Dimensions of Stratification
 Class: Based on economic position and market situations
 Status: Based on prestige, honor, and social esteem
 Party/Power: Based on political influence and organizational affiliations
 Unlike Marx, Weber saw these as three distinct but interrelated forms
of stratification
 Someone could rank high in one dimension but low in others
2. Class Stratification (Economic Dimension)
 Defined by market position rather than just relationship to production
 Property Class: Those who receive income from property/investments
 Commercial Class: Entrepreneurs, merchants, bankers
 Social Class: Skills and credentials that affect life chances
 Working Class: Those who sell their labor
 Weber emphasized education and skills as important factors in class
position
 More nuanced than Marx's binary class system
3. Status Groups (Social Dimension)
 Based on lifestyle, formal education, hereditary or occupational
prestige
 Not necessarily tied to economic position
 Can include:
o Social honor and respect
o Cultural distinctions
o Consumption patterns
o Social networks
 o Educational background
 Status groups can form across class lines
 They often create exclusive social circles and distinct lifestyles
4. Power and Party (Political Dimension)
 Focuses on the ability to exert one's will despite resistance
 Involves both formal and informal power structures
 Includes:
o Political parties
o Interest groups
o Bureaucratic organizations
o Professional associations
 Power can be derived from various sources (wealth, authority, force)
 Not always directly connected to class or status
Key Differences from Marx:
 Multiple dimensions instead of single economic determinant
 More complex view of social inequality
 Acknowledges non-economic forms of social power
 Recognizes status groups can cross class lines
 Emphasizes role of bureaucracy and organizations

7th Slides
Erik Olin Wright Theory
Three Dimensions of Economic Control
Control over investments/money capital
Control over physical means of production (land, factories, offices)
Control over labor power
Main Class Categories
Capitalist Class: Has control over all three dimensions
Working Class: Has control over none of these dimensions
Middle Classes: Occupy "contradictory class locations
Contradictory Class Locations
Applies to managers and white-collar workers
Have partial control over some aspects but not others
Share features with both capitalists and workers
Must sell their labor like workers
Have more workplace control than blue-collar workers
85-90% of population falls into category of those who must sell their
labor
Two Factors Differentiating Middle Class Positions
 A. Relationship to Authority
Managers/supervisors have privileged authority positions
Help capitalists control working class
Receive higher wages and promotions as reward
Are both exploiters and exploited
B. Skills and Expertise
Possession of in-demand skills creates market power
Allows for higher wage negotiation
Harder for employers to monitor and control
Employers must secure their loyalty through rewards
Example: IT specialists in knowledge econom
Wright's theory essentially combines:
Marx's focus on exploitation and control of production
Weber's recognition of multiple dimensions of stratification
Adds nuanced understanding of middle-class positions

8th Slides
Contemporary class divisions in the developed world
Now we will move on to Contemporary class divisions in the developed
World

9th Slides
The Upper Class
The upper class consists of a
small minority of individuals who have both wealth and power, and
who are able to transmit their privileges to their children.

This class can be roughly identified as the top 1 per cent of wealth-
holders. Below them is the service class, made up, as professionals,
managers
and top administrators.

1. The Upper Class and Wealth Distribution

 Top 1% owns significant portion of wealth (21% in UK)
 Global wealth highly concentrated (2% own over half of global
household wealth)
 Changing composition: more self-made millionaires, young wealthy,
ethnic minorities
 Three key groups (per Scott):
o Senior executives
 o Finance capitalists
o New technology entrepreneurs
o Expansion of welfare state
o Increased demand for expertise
th
10 Slides
Middle Class
Occupational Diversity
 Service industry employees
 School teachers
 Medical professionals
 Professional/managerial occupations
 Administrative workers
 Experts in law, finance, accounting
 Technology and information systems professionals
Key Characteristics
 Hold educational credentials or technical qualifications
 Can sell both mental and physical labor power
 Enjoy greater material and cultural advantages than manual workers
 Have relatively secure and remunerative careers
 Hold white-collar jobs
Growth Factors
 Expansion due to large-scale organizations in modern society
 Growth of government sector and welfare state creating new positions
 Increased demand for professional expertise in:
o Social work
o Teaching
o Healthcare
o Technical fields
Distinguishing Features
 Not internally cohesive (diverse membership)
 Less homogeneous than working class
 No common social background or cultural outlook
 Members have differing interests
 Position gained largely through credentials (degrees, diplomas,
qualifications)
Important Notes
 Now represents majority of population in industrialized countries
 Boundaries are not precisely defined due to:
 o Dynamic occupational structure
o Possibility of social mobility
 Term "middle classes" sometimes preferred to reflect diversity
 Growing separation between higher-level professionals and routine
non-manual workers

11th Slides

1. Definition and Characteristics The term describes people who:

 Live significantly below standard living conditions

 Experience multiple disadvantages

 Face long-term unemployment

 May be homeless

 Depend on welfare benefits

 Are "marginalized" or "excluded" from mainstream society

3. Research Evidence

Against Underclass Theory:

 Morris's UK research found no evidence of distinct "underclass culture"

 Long-term unemployed actively sought work

 Gallie found little difference between working class and long-term

unemployed

 Recent US studies suggest separation between urban poor and society

is exaggerated

4. Modern Context

 Most visible in US where economic extremes are greater

 In Europe:

o Term "social exclusion" preferred

o Affects migrants and ethnic minorities disproportionately

o Less rigid separation between disadvantaged and mainstream

society
 o Includes legal and illegal immigrants facing severe constraints

12th Slides
Next we will talk about Other Social Status Determiner

13th Slides
Other social determiner

1. Cultural Capital:

 Educational background

 Appreciation of the arts

 Consumption patterns

 Leisure pursuits

 Lifestyle choices (how to dress, what to eat, body care, where to relax)

2. Social Capital:

 Networks of friends

 Professional contacts

 Institutionalized relationships

 Social connections and acquaintances

3. Symbolic Capital:

 Reputation

 Social status markers

 Recognition in society

4. Consumption and Lifestyle Patterns:

 Shopping habits

 Entertainment choices

 Leisure activities

 Home furnishing preferences

 Fashion choices
 Exercise and health habits

 Cultural participation

 Alcohol consumption patterns

Gender as a Fundamental Stratification Factor:

 Gender itself is one of the most profound examples of stratification

 Gender inequalities are more deep-rooted historically than class

systems

 In all societies, men have more wealth, status, and influence than
women in some aspects

 Gender inequalities exist even in hunter-gatherer societies where there

are no classes

 Women's Class Position Complexity:

 Traditional view (criticized):

 Women's paid work was considered relatively insignificant

 Women were automatically placed in their husband's class

 Women were viewed as economically dependent on husbands

14th Slides
We will talk about Social Mobility

15th Slides
Upward Mobility

• Upward =Gaining property, income, or status

Lateral Mobility: Geographical movement between areas

• Most mobility occurs between close occupational positions

• Long-range mobility is rare

• Education and training significantly impact mobility chances

• Subjective feelings about mobility don't strongly correlate with life
satisfaction

16th Slides
Downward Mobility
• Less common but increasing

• Often caused by:Corporate restructuring/downsizing

Redundancy

• Divorce (especially affecting women)

• Associated with psychological problems

17th Slides
Gender and Social Mobility
• Recent improvements for women:
Better educational performance
Increased university attendance
More access to well-paid jobs

• Remaining Obstacles:
Family background still strongly influences outcomes
Discrimination from male managers/employers
Work-family balance challenges
Domestic responsibilities

Influencing Factor:
Family background
Education level
Timing of marriage
Father's occupation
Often regarded like a ceiling glass, cracked but not broken
meaning there is still things to do.

18th Slides
Conclusion
Although class influence has diminished in certain aspects, particularly
regarding personal identity, class divisions continue to be central to
fundamental economic inequalities in contemporary societies. Social
class maintains its significant impact on our lives, with class
membership linked to various disparities from life span and general
health conditions to educational opportunities and access to high-
paying employment. The drive for wealth accumulation has been
viewed since the 1980s as an engine of economic growth, serving as
motivation for innovation and ambition.

However, many now contend that economic market deregulation and

globalization are leading to an expanding rich-poor divide and a
solidification of class [Link]'s crucial to recognize that our lives
aren't entirely dictated by class distinctions: social mobility remains a
reality for many individuals.