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Social
Stratification
Social stratification is the
hierarchical arrangement of individuals into social classes, castes, or strata
based on factors like wealth, power, and prestige. It creates inequalities in
resource access, opportunities, and life chances. Systems include caste
(closed, birth-ascribed, e.g., India's varna), class (open, achievement-based,
e.g., capitalist societies), and estate (feudal, like medieval Europe).
Theories: Functionalists
(Davis-Moore) argue stratification motivates filling essential roles with
talented individuals via rewards. Conflict theorists (Marx) see it as
exploitation, where bourgeoisie control proletariat. Weber added status and
party dimensions to class. Lenski linked it to surplus production in agrarian
societies.
Dimensions: Economic (income
disparities), social (prestige hierarchies), political (power imbalances).
Consequences include poverty cycles, health disparities, and social unrest.
Mobility varies; meritocracy ideals clash with inherited privileges.
Global perspectives: In the U.S.,
racial stratification persists despite civil rights; in Scandinavia, welfare
states reduce gaps. Gender stratification undervalues women's labor;
intersectionality (Crenshaw) examines overlapping oppressions.
Social workers combat stratification
through advocacy, like anti-poverty programs and affirmative action.
Measurement tools: Gini coefficient for inequality; occupational scales for
class.
Modern trends: Globalization widens
divides between rich nations and poor; technology creates digital divides.
Critiques note stratification's dysfunctions, like wasted talent in lower
strata.
Reforms aim for egalitarianism via
progressive taxes and education access. Yet, it persists due to cultural
justifications (e.g., karma in castes). Understanding stratification is vital
for addressing systemic injustices, promoting equitable societies where
potential, not birth, determines position.
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