Social Stratification Social stratification has occupied the attention of sociologists as evidenced by vast literature on the subject Sociologists

view social stratification in terms of social inequality, which is a universal phenomenon. Even in simple societies, sociologists point to differences in advantages based on sex, age or ability. For anthropologists, what is universal is human inequality but not social stratification In effect, one way of looking at social stratification is to equate it with inequality. Social Stratification In complex societies, inequality is viewed in terms of the distribution of scarce goods. Social stratification the society is divided into a number of strata or layers. People are ranked according to: a. wealth how much the resources of society are owned by certain individuals b. prestige the degree of honor ones position evokes c. power the degree to which one directs, manages or dominates others An individual who has wealth eventually acquires the other characteristics, i.e. prestige & power If wealth was acquired illegally, he may not have the power but not prestige There are non-political leaders in small communities however, who are respected & have more power than the elected officials because of their wealth & good deeds. Wealth which includes income & property, is an element of social stratification, whereas prestige is an element of status.

Thus, class, status & power are dimensions of social stratification

Various Views on Social Stratification

A. The Conservative View

Divides people into haves and have-nots The classical view maintains the position that differentiation is inevitable & deeply rooted in the law of nature. By nature, man is perceived to be selfish & greedy o o Societies must step into minimize such traits to bring order. The family as a social institution becomes responsible for instilling values that either overcome or perpetuate such traits.

Social Darwinists maintain that the meager resources of society promote competition, so that the strongest, the most intelligent and those with greater capabilities would have access to these resources Observations show that those who have ample resources would want to acquire more through either hard work or illegal means

 There are number of self-made Filipinos, those who rose fr poverty & eventually occupied positions of power & privilege. B. Liberal View

From the liberal point of view, society has been responsible for corrupting man because she allowed him to struggle & compete with others for scarce resources. It has an ill effect in that it results in the differentiation of people, with those successful exerting dominance over those unsuccessful.

Origin of the Concept of Inequality

The first sociological explanation of the origin of inequality was provided by Rousseau

Inequality, he argues, came about as a result of leaving the state of nature It is a kind of original sin, which he links with the emergence of private property. THIS IS MINE

Elements of Social Stratification

1. Class

Karl Marx defines class as: The division of people in society by their relationships to the mean of production: Those who own a large portion of societys wealth & those who exercise control over other people who have less in life.

His approach to the explanation of class is economics

The position of Marx was challenged by Max Weber who offered a 3-fold approach to the concept of class Class referred to a group of people exhibiting the same lifestyle bec of similar economic positions in society. In addition to property, life chances is another dimension of class. o Life chances are determined by position within the stratification system

2. Status

To Weber, prestige rather than position itself is important .

Individuals are ranked in society as high, middle and low as determined by how the role attached to their status is valued.

Physicians command prestige & are therefore regarded as highly esteemed Teaching is regarded as an honorable profession, in spite of the fact that teaching is the lowest paid occupation in the Philippines. In addition, residence in an exclusive village, affordable to the affluent, enrollment in elite schools, membership in exclusive clubs, & even the types of vehicles owned determined status.

3. Power

Power the ability of an individual to get other people to do what he wants them to do with or without their consent.

Weber divided power into personal & social:

Personal power refers to the individuals freedom to direct his own life as he chooses

Social Power the ability of an individual to make decisions that can affect the entire community.

Authority when consent of society is sought to exercise social power

Of the elements of social stratification, power is considered most important particularly in determining the distribution of goods & services o o It is closely linked to status & class In the Philippines, for instance, only those who occupy a high status or belong to the upper class get elected to positions of power.

Kinds of Stratification System

1. Closed Society

In this type of society, power, class & status are ascribed. In a closed society, individuals are born into a specific stratum & therefore ones occupation is determined by the family affiliation An individual has no opportunity for socio-economic mobility

Example: The Caste System found in India Members of particular caste perform specific services Both religion & tradition prohibit members of one caste fr interacting with members belonging to another caste.

2. The Estate System

 The economic & social system of feudal Europe & in different forms, has characterized a number of nation in Asia. Resembles the caste system in that social positions are ranked according to their functions Nobility, clergy & the peasants constitute the main estate Unlike the caste system, the estate system allows members a certain degree of mobility.

3. The Open Society

Philippine society approximates the open society. The open society has the following characteristics:

a. Though classes exist, they are not institutionalized, as in the case of the caste & estate system b. Though class boundaries are unclear & people do not show excessive class consciousness, inequality due to class division is apparent. c. Though status is usually achieved, there is evidence however, that status tends to be ascribed to the lowest & the highest social classes d. Social mobility is possible & it frequently occurs.

The open society is frequently found in industrial societies.

Approaches in the Study of Social Stratification

1. Life-style approach

The focus of the study is to determine the lifestyle of various classes & therefore address the ff points:

a. recreational activities b. material possessions c. organizational affiliations d. schools attended

2. Reputational Approach

Address the ff points:

a. people they know in the community b. residence type of respondents

3. Subjective Approach

This approach is basically concerned with ranking oneself. It is possible that respondents do not have any idea of social stratification.

4. Objective Approach

The interviewer provides categories like income, occupation & educational attainment of the respondents

5. Occupation Prestige Approach

The focus is on occupation that brings prestige & honor to a person. There are certain occupations classified as prestigious but have very low monetary rewards as in the case of the teaching profession.

Characteristics of Social Stratification

1. It is social i.e. patterned in character 2. It is ancient, it is found in all societies 3. It is ubiquitous 4. It is diverse in its forms 5. It is consequential