INTRODUCTION Social stratification is a concept involving the "classification of people into groups based on shared socio-economic conditions ...

a relational set of inequalities with economic, social, political and ideological dimensions." It is a system by which society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy Social stratification is based on four basic principles: (1) Social stratification is a trait of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences; (2) Social stratification carries over from generation to generation; (3) Social stratification is universal but variable; (4) Social stratification involves not just inequality but beliefs as well.

Social stratification
Stratification is a hierarchy of positions with regard to economic production which influences the social rewards to those in the positions.

Weber's three dimensions of stratification

Class or a set of people with similar amounts of income and wealth. Party or a set of people with similar amounts of power. Status group or a set of people with similar social prestige or positive regard from members of a society.

The five basic viewpoints on why stratification exists

Natural inevitability which suggests that inequality exists because of natural differences in people's abilities and is a just system. Structural -functionalist which states that stratification is useful to society because it enhances stability and induces members of the society to work hard. Conflict which suggests that stratification occurs through conflict between different classes, with the upper classes using superior power to take a larger share of the social resources. Evolutionary which states that people will share enough resources to ensure the survival of the group until a surplus exists at which time power determines how the surplus is distributed. Symbolic Interactionist which calls attention to the importance of symbolic displays of wealth and power that influence one's definition of self and the importance of ideas in defining social situations.

Class
Class is large set of people regarded by themselves or others as sharing similar status with regard to wealth, power and prestige.

The major forms of stratification

Primitive communalism characterized by a high degree of sharing and minimal social inequality. Slavery involving great social inequality and the ownership of some persons by others. Caste in which an individual is permanently assigned to a status based on his or her parents' status. Estate in which peasants are required by law to work land owned by the noble class in exchange for food and protection from outside attacks.

THE CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA

Back in the day in India, when the West still believed the Earth was flat, the society was very much structured. Think of a multi-storied building, with the ground floor housing the lowest ranking class of people and the highest-ranking members living the life in the penthouse. Being on the lowest rung of the social structure, this class of people known as Shudras are the ones who do all the menial and dirty work. They are heavily oppressed and shunned by the other classes. As one moves higher up the social strata, they come across many class-oriented professions, such as middle-class businessmen, soldiers etc.

The highest-ranking members were the most revered and also considered sacred. They were seen as the pathway towards God. One thing that should be made sure is that this stratification occurs mainly in Hinduism, which is the primary religion of India. The highest-class is known as the Brahmin class and exists to this day, performing their duties mainly as priests. However, the fee paid to the Brahmins for performances of sacrifice and other religious rituals were grossly materialistic. They also try to maintain as much distance from the lowest class as possible. The kings and warriors come under another class called the "Kshatriyas" and the skilled and professionals are classified as "Vaishyas" in the caste system. One interesting fact that was very much prevalent in those times ,but abolished since then, was untouchability. The shudras were labelled as untouchables and were considered religiously unclean. Touching them or having any sort of contact both directly and indirectly was considered inauspicious and the person becomes an untouchable himself, even if he was of the highest caste. People dont choose to be of any caste. They are born into it. Since those dark yet rich days, this caste system has become illegal. However, in many remote parts of the country, they are still prevalent, putting a dark mark on the otherwise respectable nation of India.

A manuscript titled Seventy-two Specimens of Castes in India, published in February 1837. Sponsored and compiled for Christian missionaries, the 72 images claim to be castes of India as witnessed over 25 years. The images include people from various professions, several of Arab, Muslim and Sikh couples. The manuscript does not list any observed inter-relationship or hierarchy between the illustrated professions and religious persuasions. Caste paintings of Indian Society

Cover page

Muslim man

Hindu chief

Seri Brahmin

Fencer

Sikh chief

Tribal chief

Hindu writer

Arab soldier

Caste and Class Together: The United Kingdom The United Kingdom represents a society where caste qualities of its agrarian past still are interwoven within the modern day industrial class system. The Estate System The United Kingdom's agrarian past, with deep historical roots, was based on a caste-like estate system. Three estates, the first (nobles), the second (primarily clergy), and the third (commoners) comprised this system. The law of primogeniture by which property of parents could only be inherited by the eldest son helped maintain this system. The Industrial Revolution allowed some commoners in the cities to amass wealth sufficient to rival the power of the nobility and led to the blurring of social rankings.

The United Kingdom Today Aspects of their feudal past persist today. For example, a monarch still stands as Britain's head of state and descendants of traditional nobility still maintain inherited wealth and property. However, power in government resides in the House of Commons, which is primarily comprised of people who have achieved their positions. Today, about 25% of the United Kingdoms population falls into the middle-class, and 50% into the working-class. Almost 25% are "poor." Although their stratification system is based primarily on class, social mobility is less likely than in the United States or Canada. The greater rigidity of this class system is reflected in very distinct linguistic patterns. Another Example: Japan Like Great Britain, Japan mixes both the traditional and contemporary in their social stratification system. Feudal Japan For many centuries of agrarian feudalism, Japan was one of the most rigidly stratified cultures in the world. An imperial family maintained a network of regional nobility called shoguns. A warrior caste, called samurai, fell just below the nobility. The majority of people were commoners, like serfs in feudal Europe. However, there was an additional ranking, called burakumin, or outcasts, who were below the commoners. Japan Today Industrialization, urbanization, and intercultural contact have dramatically changed Japan over the last century. The nobility lost its legal standing after World War II. For many though, tradition is still revered and family background continues to remain important in determining social status. Traditional male dominance, for example, remains well embedded. The Former Soviet Union The USSR was born of revolution in 1917 and the hereditary nobility who governed a feudal estate system was at an end. Most private ownership shifted to state control. A Classless Society? After 1917, the Soviet Union, guided by the ideas of Karl Marx claimed itself to be a classless society because of the elimination of private ownership of the productive components of society. Yet it remained socially stratified as occupations generally fell into four major categories: high government officials, the intelligentsia, manual labourers, and rural peasantry. Even so, it had less economic inequality than capitalist societies.

The Second Russian Revolution The reforms spurred by Mikhail Gorbachevs economic program of restructuring, known as perestroika, were significant. The efforts to elevate living standards through economic reform ultimately led to the overthrow of the ruling class, the Communist party. While there has been greater social mobility in the last century in the old Soviet Union than in the capitalist societies, the last decade has brought economic turbulence and a significant downward mobility. This kind of mobility is what sociologists call structural social mobility, where the shift is due to changes in the society and economy rather than to individual effort. Ideology: The "Staying Power" of Stratification Despite the misdistribution of resources in systems characterized by social inequality, they are remarkably persistent, at least partly because of ideology, cultural beliefs that serve to justify stratification. Plato and Marx on Ideology Plato and Marx both recognize that ideologies exist in all societies to justify whatever stratification scheme is in place. Marx was critical, however, of inequality that channelled wealth and power into the hands of a few. Historical Patterns of Ideology The ideas that support stratification change with technology and the economy. Agrarian societies propped up nobility with slaves and serfs who took their place in a "natural order." Industrial capitalism rewards individualism and achievement suggesting that social stratification is based upon unequal effort and ability. Nowhere is this notion more clearly identified than in the work of Herbert Spencer whose dictum on the social Darwinist concept "the survival of the fittest" is described in the Social Diversity box (p. 254). While sociologists argue that social standing is not simply a matter of personal effort, the view that people get more or less what they deserve is not unknown in Canada today. Eventually, however, traditions are challenged and "truths" questioned. Women, for example, have questioned the historical notions of "womans place" and, although some inequality persists, the trend to equality of treatment for men and women is unmistakable. The Applying Sociology Box (p. 245) identifies the movement of women into medicine, academia and business. Some of these women control immense wealth. The Class System Representative of industrial societies, class systems are defined as systems of social stratification based on individual achievement. Social categories are not as rigidly defined as in the caste system. Individual ability, promoted by open social mobility, is critical to this system. Other factors characteristic of industrial economies that are central to such a system are high levels of migration to cities, democratic principles, and high immigration rates.

Class and Caste and Difference between Class and Cast A principle difference between class and caste is that class in open for all and social mobility is possible. In the caste system the vertical mobility is not possible. Caste in India has religious background and everybody tries to fulfill the caste duties, but in class system of social stratification religion has place. There the physical and mental qualities are more important.

Difference between Caste and Class:

S.No Caste Class

Membership of a cast is hereditary and no A person is placed class by virtue of his acquisition of amount or struggle and change it. education, wealth or other achievement. Social mobility is possible, i.e. it is possible to improve social status Members are generally conscious of their social status. Social class has no prescribed customs rituals and folkways Marriage between two individuals belonging to different classes is possible without earning displeasure of the society Social classes are based on superiority or inferiority of social status of an individual. Social classes help in working of democracy.

There is no social mobility. Members are normally not conscious of their social status. Caste system expects members of follow certain customs, folkways, rituals etc.

Inter-caste marriage is not possible, because it will earn wrath of society Caste system is based on inferiority or superiority of human beings. Therefore, does not promote democracy.

In caste system the members must follow a particular religion. Members of social classes may follow any religion Caste system is a closed class system in which hereditary status is the life time status. Social classes are open class system in which movement from one class to another is completely unrestricted.

In caste system, there is no occupational mobility, i.e. one has to follow occupation As a member of social class one can adopt any of ancestors and it cannot be changed occupation and change it at will. Social gap between members of different castes is too wide. Caste system is supported on religious grounds as a manifestation of Gods will.

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Social gap is not so wide as in caste system.

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Social classes have no such religious a support.

Caste and Class jointly determine the position of an individual in social strain. Particularly in rural communities where caste system has maintained its rigidity. It forms the basis for economic and special life. In a single village there may be as many as 24 castes and of these are interdependent. Even in the urban society a constant tendency to make caste distinction is observed in the upper and middle classes. Thus the castes have maintained their importance in class system of social stratification.