Social Stratification

Ever since people began to speculate about the nature of human society, their attention has been drawn to the
differences that can be readily observed between individuals and groups within any society. In sociology and
other social sciences, social stratification refers to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals into divisions of
power and wealth within a society. The term most commonly relates to the socio-economic concept of class,
involving the "classification of persons into groups based on shared socio-economic conditions; a relational set
of inequalities with economic, social, political and ideological dimensions."Stratification derives from the
geological concept of strata - rock layers created by natural processes.

In modern Western societies, stratification is typically described as a composition of three main layers: upper
class, middle class, and lower class. Each class may be further subdivided into smaller classes (e.g.
occupational). These categories are particular to state-level societies as distinguished from, for instance, feudal
societies composed of nobility-to-peasant relations. Stratification may also be defined by kinship ties or castes.

Lets use a typical example as A Sports Team/Club (say Manchester United); owners control the resources of the
team; players, although they may have earn high salaries, do not control the team resources and have less power
than the owners and managers. Sponsors (including individuals and corporations) provide the resources on
which this system of stratification rests; fans are merely observers who pay to watch the teams play. Therefore
sport organization includes a system of stratification because the groups that constitute the organization are
arranged in a hierarchy where some have more resources and power than others.

All societies have a system of stratification, although they vary in degree and how complexity to which they
may exists. Social societies are supposed to have minimal stratification; however, purely socialist societies are
rare. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Soviet socialist system claimed universal equality, but
in reality was a highly stratified system of privileges and conveniences accessible only to a few. Some societies
stratify only along a single dimension, such as age, keeping the stratification system relatively simple. Most
contemporary more complex, with many factors interacting to create social strata.

In most West African countries for example, social stratification is influenced by class, which in turn influenced
by matters as one’s occupation, income, and education, along with race, gender and other influences like age,
region of residence, ethnicity and national origin.

In summary, the term Social Stratification is a relatively hierarchical arrangement in society by which groups
have different access to resources, power and perceived social wealth. It could also be defined as a system of
structured social inequality.

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The question now one may ask is “WHY SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION DOES EXIST? “
The concept of social class has been approached from at least two different and somewhat opposed viewpoints.
In Karl Marx (1818-1883) view, social relations in all societies are determined by economic factors. As society
develops and specialization of functions increases culminating in capitalism, there will emerge on the one hand
a group whose members own the means of production (The Bourgeoise) and on the other, the non-owners (the
Proletariat) whose contribution in the production is their labor.

This system of exploitative of the lather group and as long as it remains, they will never get fair share of what
their labor produces. Confrontation is therefore inevitable resulting at first in the overthrow of the Bourgeoise
by the oppressed, followed by the dictatorship of the proletariat and eventually a classless communist society
(Marx and Engels 1848).

Needless to say, most modern socialist and communist thought is directly or indirectly based on Karl Marx
(1818-1883) theory.

Opposed to this is the position generally associated with functionalist theory. According to this view the basis of
social structure is not the confrontation of opposites but rather a system of share values. It is the extent to which
people share mutual role expectations that constitute to society.

Specialization of functions and social differentiation do not necessarily divide society but rather brings about
cooperation and efficiency. It is true that in the process of development some will eventually become richer than
the others while some own the means of production and other supply the Labor. The process should be based on
mutual cooperation, shared role expectation and common values obtained from socialization.

With this view, the basis of the social hierarchy is the different value which is put on different people’s work. A
class for example, may consist of families whose bread winners have similar jobs and similar rewards and who
in consequence share material standards of living and style of life (Goldthorpe, 1974: pg. 142). It is also
emphasized in this approached that classes are not so sharply divided as in the Marx (1818-1883) theory nor
division only into two. In Britain, Europe and North America the division is usually into three; Upper, Middle
and Lower with sub-divisions where appropriate. Moreover, the positions of individuals in the system are not
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permanently fixed as the Karl Marx (1818-1883) theory would lead us to believed there is always room for
mobility both upwards and downwards at least of individual without resort to violence.

It is to be mentioned that for Weber (from whom the proponents of this second position take their inspiration) as
for Marx, the basic condition of class lay in the unequal distribution of economic power and hence the unequal
distribution of opportunity. But for Weber (as opposed to Marx), this economic determinism did not exhaust the
condition of group formation.

Forms & Systems of Social Stratification:

Stratification can be broadly categorized into three types:

Estate System:
One in which the ownership of property and the exercise of power is monopolized by an elite who have
total control over societal resources. Historically, such societies were feudal system where classes were
differentiated into three basic groups-the nobles (Chiefs and elders, Royal Family i.e. those who control
the land), the priesthood, in that vertical order to the peasants (usually the largest class group), small
merchant, the musician, artisans, domestic workers with further right down to the slaves (the most
extreme of legalized social inequality for individuals or groups).

Caste System:
One’s place in the stratification system is an ascribed status, meaning it is a quality given to an
individual by circumstances of birth. The hierarchy of classes is rigid in caste system and is often
preserved through formal law and cultural practices that prevent free association and movement between
classes. The system of apartheid in South Africa was a stark example of a caste system. Under apartheid,
the travel, employment, associations, and place of residence of Black Africans were severely restricted.
Segregation was enforced using a pass system in which Black in White areas were obliged to account
for themselves to White authorities. Interracial marriage was illegal, and Black Africans were prohibited
from voting. It was only in 1992, a white-only referendum overwhelmingly endorsed of Nelson Mandela
as president of the first postaparthed government. As a results economic control were minimized were
social power and distribution of wealth were fairly allocation and some laws were refund.

Class:
Class refers to standing within stratification use: Social Class (Class) is the social structural position
groups hold relative to the economic, social, political, and cultural resources of the society.

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 From the above mention it can be derive that Social stratification occurs in all societies where
inequalities of wealth, power and prestige are a universal concept.

Global Stratification:
Is the system of Inequality, of the distribution of resources and the opportunity between countries. The system
can also be descried according to the economic countries have. There are countries that are well off, countries
that are during so well and growing number that are poor and getting powered. In other words, a global system
of stratification in which the units are countries much like there is a system of stratification within countries in
which the units are individuals or families.

One of the manifestations of Global stratification is the great inequality of life chances that differentiate nations
around the world.

Considering the dimension and characteristic of this global system of stratification, we can derive the following:

1. Wealth: ( The Rich and Poor)

2. First, Second and wealth

3. The Core and Periphery

4. Race and Global inequality

Consequences of global Stratification:

No matter how we divide the countries of the world, they are nations that are wealthy and powerful and nations
that are poor and power. This section looks at the consequences both for the countries as a whole and for the
individual in them.

I. Population

II. Health

III. Education and

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 IV. Modernization theory

Stratification and Human Development (Human Poverty index)

Income varies so widely across nations. It is extremely difficult to compare national of poverty. An income of
less than $18,000 a year for a family of four in the united state is consider below the poverty level, but the same
income in Africa would qualify a family as comfortable. In consequence, the researcher developed the human
poverty index, an indicator of poverty based on measures of deprivation in three essential elements of human
life:

Longevity:
The first dimension is a measure of vulnerability to death, is measured by the percentage of people expected
to die before age forty (40) year.

• Knowledge:

The second dimension is measure by the percentage of adults who are illiterate.

• Decent living Standard:

The third dimension relates to a decent standard of living and is represented a composite of three variables:

a) Percentage of people with access to health services

b) Percentage with access to Safe Water

c) Percentage of Malnourished Children under age five (5).

In Conclusion, the calculation of the human poverty index from these measures is a complex process that yields
the percentage of a nation’s population that is experiencing the multiple effects of poverty on their lives and on
the development of their children.

Gender Stratification
This refers to the hierarchical distribution of social economic resources according to gender. Most society has
some form of gender stratification, although the specific form varies from country to country. Gender
stratification can be extreme as was the case in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. The Taliban, an extremist
militia group seized power in Afghanistan in 1996 and striped women and girls of basic human rights. Women
were banished from labor force, school were close to girl and women who were enrolled in university expelled.
In Afghanistan women were prohibited from leaving their homes unless accompanied by a male relative. The
windows of the house where women lived were painted BLACK to keep women literally invisible to the public.
The extreme segregation and exclusion of women from public life has being labeled gender apartheid. Gender

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apartheid is also evident in other nations although not so extreme, it was under Taliban rule – in Saudi Arabia,
women are not allowed to drive and in Kuwait they cannot vote.

Gender Stratification tends to be supported by beliefs that treat gender inequality as natural. The term refers to
ideology, a belief system that tries to explain and justify the status quo. No contemporary society treats its
women as well as it men. United Nations Development Program (UNDP) reports summarize as follows:

In Developing there are still 60% more women than men among illiterate, female enrollment even at the
primary level is 13% lower than male enrollment, and female wages are only three-fourths of male wages. In
industrial countries unemployment is higher among women than men, and women constitute three-fourths of
the unpaid family workers. (1997 p. 39)

In the world poorest nation’s women face double deprivation: Human Development problem such as lack of
medical care, lack of clean water, extreme poverty, and unemployment affect all but the comfortable elite but
the women in these countries still face higher level of risk deprivation. On the other hand some richer nations
outperform much richer nations in achieving gender equality in political, economic and professional activities.

For example, in the 1997, UNPD statistic, p.41, Barbados is ahead of both Belgium and Italy.

Achieving Greater Equality

“The poor form a mobile pool of low – paid and unorganized workers” who are useful for doing the dirty,
dangerous, and difficult work that others often refuse to do. In industrial nations like the United States, many
such jobs are taken by people from the poorest backgrounds and often immigrant, legal and illegal. In many
nations – including Russia and Nigeria to mention two notable examples – pattern of corruption among the
elites make it even more difficult to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor. Reports about worldwide
inequality and poverty often seem to suggest that the problems are so great that improvements are unlikely.

Despite the magnitude of the challenge, skepticism and cynicism are unwarranted. After all, the report notes
that since the 1990 World Summit on Children, the first ever summit on human issues, rates of child mortality
have declined in all regions of the world. Seven million more children’s lives are being saved each year than in
1980. Immunization against major diseases like polio now covers 80 percent of the world’s children. On other
front, such as reducing poverty among the aged or ensuring greater access to medical care, efforts to improve
conditions are having demonstrable success.

References:

• Barker, Chris. 2005. Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice. London: Sage. ISBN 0-7619-4156-8 p 436
• ^ Saunders, Peter (1990). Social Class and Stratification. Routledge. http://books.google.com/books?id=FK-
004p0J_EC.
• ^ http://courses.washington.edu/anth457/stratif.htm
• ^ Harris, Harris (1968). The Rise of Anthropological Theory: A History of Theories of Culture. Routledge.
ISBN 0-7591-0133-7. http://books.google.com/books?id=TlgVAAAAIAAJ.

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 • Tradition and Change in Ghana, An Introduction to Sociology, Second edition , By G.K PP. 172 – 174.
• Sociology (Understanding a Diverse Society), Instructor Edition, Margaret L. Anderson, Howard F. Taylor.
(Page. 256, 260, 261 and 274)
• Sociology in a Changing World, fifth Edition: William Kornblum (page 350 and 351)
• Sociology (the Essential): Margaret L. Anderson & Howard F. Taylor. (Page 277)

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