Social stratification, class and life chances

Last time

Before we start: last time, in Reducing inequality, and globalisation, you learned these points. Here they are again on one card. Keep them in mind, because today builds on them.

Layers in society

In every society, some groups have more wealth, power and status than others. Sociologists call this layering social stratification. This lesson covers the types of stratification, social class, life chances, mobility, and the theories that explain inequality.

Systems of stratification

Slavery: some people are owned by others. Estates: the feudal system of lords and peasants. Caste: a closed system based on birth, with little or no movement, linked to religion. Class: an open system based mainly on wealth and occupation, where movement is possible.

Social class

Social class groups people by occupation, income, wealth and education. Broadly: the upper class, owning great wealth; the middle class, in professional and office jobs; and the working class, in manual jobs. Income is money received over time; wealth is what is owned, such as property and shares.

Life chances

Life chances are the chances a person has of gaining good things in life: health, education, housing, and a long life. Higher classes have better life chances: better health, longer life expectancy, and more educational success. Gender, ethnicity, age and disability also affect life chances.

Social mobility

Social mobility is movement up or down the class structure. Intergenerational mobility is between generations, such as a farmer's child becoming a doctor. Intragenerational mobility is within one person's life. Education is the main route of upward mobility in modern societies.

Poverty

Absolute poverty is lacking the basic necessities to survive: food, shelter, clean water. Relative poverty is being poor compared with the normal standard of living in a society. Explanations include individual factors, such as the culture of poverty, and structural factors, such as low wages and unemployment.

The functionalist view

Davis and Moore argued stratification is necessary and useful: important jobs need talented people, so high rewards attract them. Inequality motivates people to train and work hard. Critics say many highly paid people inherit their position, and some essential jobs, such as nursing, are poorly paid.

The Marxist view

Marx argued the ruling class, the bourgeoisie, exploit the working class, the proletariat, by paying them less than the value they produce. A reserve army of labour, the unemployed, keeps wages low, because workers can easily be replaced. Marxists see stratification as unfair and expect class conflict.

Weber and other views

Max Weber argued inequality comes from class, but also from status, meaning social prestige, and from party, meaning political power. Feminists stress gender inequality: the pay gap and the glass ceiling. Others stress ethnic inequality and discrimination.

Mistakes that lose marks

Mistake one: mixing up income and wealth. Mistake two: calling caste an open system. Mistake three: explaining the reserve army of labour without saying how it keeps wages low. The fix: define, explain the mechanism, name the theorist.

The full-marks tip

The full-marks tip: define the term, explain how it works, and name the perspective and theorist. For 8-mark answers, give three developed points with evidence or examples.

On one card

So, on one card: social stratification. Keep it for revision.