Global Stratification
Chapter 9
Stratification Systems
 The condition of being arranged into classes or social strata
within a group.
 Stratification can happen in two ways:
 People can be assigned to societal roles, using as a basis for the
assignment an ascribed status over which they have no control.
 The Caste System and the Estate System
 i.e. gender, age, family name, or skin color
 People’s positions in the social hierarchy can be based to some
degree on their achieved statuses gained through their individual,
direct efforts.
 The Class System
The Caste System
 The caste system is a rigid form of stratification, based on
ascribed characteristics such as skin color or family
identity, that determines a person's prestige, occupation,
residence and social relationships.
 Many people believe that true caste systems are found only
in India, although some have suggested that they exist in
southwestern Ethiopia and other parts of Africa.
The Caste System (Continued)
 People are born into and spend their entire lives within a
caste with little chance of leaving.
 The caste is a closed group whose members are severely
restricted in their choice of occupation and degree of social
participation.
 Social status is determined by the caste of one’s birth , and it
is very unusual for a person to overcome his or her origins.
 Contact between castes is minimal and governed by a set of
rules.
India- The Hindu Caste System
 Religious beliefs often justify a caste system
 i.e. The Hindu Caste System in India
 The Hindu Caste System in India consisted of four varnas each of which corresponded
to a body part of the mythical Purusa
 Purusa’s mouth issued forth priest (Brahmans)
 His arms gave rise to warriors (Kshatriyas)
 His thighs produced artisans and merchants (Vaishyas)
 His feet brought forth menial laborers ( Shudras)
 Below the Shudras were the untouchables or Panchamas ( the “fifth
division”)
 Considered to fall outside the caste and performed the most
menial tasks.
The Hindu Caste System
 Each varna had clearly defined rights and duties associated
with it.
The Hindu Caste System
 In the 1930s Mohandas Gandhi tried to change attitudes
towards the untouchables and the untouchability was
declared illegal in 1949.
 Officially the Indian Caste system has been outlawed, but
evidence of its existence is still present, particularly in rural
areas.
 The Indian government has an affirmative action system that
it calls “reservations” which applies to certain government
jobs and admission to all pubic and private educational
institutions.
The Estate System
 The Estate System is a close system of stratification in which
a persons social position is defined by law and membership is
determined primarily by inheritance.
 An estate is as segment of society that has legally established
rights and duties.
 Some mobility is possible but is difficult.
The Estate System of Medieval Europe
 The three major estates in Europe during the Middle Ages were the
nobility, the clergy, and the bottom of the hierarchy, the peasants.
 Nobility were the warriors and expected to provide military protection
and social order to the other two estates.
 The clergy not only ministered to the spiritual needs of all the people
but also were often powerful landowners as well.
 The peasants were legally tied to the land which they worked to
provide the nobles with food and wealth. Peasants had low social
status, little freedom or economic standing, and almost no power.
 Just above the peasants was a small group of merchants and
craftsmen and they operated outside the estate system.
The Estate System of Medieval Europe
 Individuals were born into one of the estates and remain
there throughout their lives.
 Under unusual circumstances people could change their
estates, as for example, when peasants through savings
could buy a position in the church for a son or a daughter.
 For most, however, social mobility was difficult
and extremely limited because the wealth was
permanently concentrated among the
landowners.
The Class System
 People in a Class share:
 similar opportunities
 similar economic positions
 similar vocational
 similar lifestyles
 similar attitudes/behaviors
 Greater mobility
Theories of Global Stratification
 Modernization Theory
 Dependency Theory
Modernization Theory
 Differences due to:
 Technology
 Culture
 Strong religious or historical traditions
 Helping less-developed countries
 Critics
Dependency Theory
 Rich and poor nations linked
 Rich exploit the poor
 Marxist view
 Capitalism has a global effect
 Poor become dependent on the rich
 Critics
Global Diversity
 World population has more than doubled since 1960.
 20% of the global population accounts for 86% of private
consumption.
 Lowest 20% in terms of wealth holds only 1.23%
 2 billion people are malnourished
 ¼ lack adequate housing
 20% cannot access proper healthcare
 20% of children cannot access education.
World Health Trends
 Health: an state of
complete mental, physical
and social well-being.
 Life expectancy has
increased in developed
countries.
80% of the world’s
population has no access to
healthcare.
Children and Infant’s Health in
Developing Countries.
 Developing countries in
Asia, Africa and Latin
America account for 98%
of the world’s death of
children below 5.
 95% of those deaths are
preventable.
 Diarrheal dehydration,
malaria, tetanus, measles,
infectious and respiratory
diseases, diphtheria,
tuberculosis, pertussis.
Maternal Health
 Maternal malnutrition
 Low weight babies
 Impaired immune systems
 Learning disabilities
Mother’s excessively heavy
workloads.
Malaria
Anemia
Hookworm infestation
Newborn Mortality Prevention
 Family planning programs which discourage teen pregnancy
 Better educated mothers know more about good diet and
hygiene
 More likely to use maternal and child health services
HIV/AIDS
 About 33 million infected
worldwide
 Killed 25 million since 1981
 Developed countries have
reduced speed at which HIVinfected people develop AIDS
with antiretroviral drugs
 Underdeveloped countries
may have a smaller
percentage of population,
but a high percentage of
HIV positives in the
population.
Population Trends
 Population never exceeded 10 million
during the first 2-5 million years of
human existence.
 Population growth has continued
despite the fertility rate decline due
to HIV/AIDS
 Population is doubling every 58 years
 Will quadruple in 116 years
 If the rate slows, it is expected that
families would be limited to 2
children per family.
Child Marriage
 Then: Originally to protect unwelcomed sexual advances and gain
economic security
 Now: The girl has a life of sexual and economic servitude.
 Often leads to little or no formal education for girls
Early Marriage
 Provides more years of conception to occur.
 Decreases the parent’s years of schooling and limits their
employment opportunities.
 China was the first country to raise the average age of marriage.
They passed a law of with a legal minimum marriage age (1980).
Breastfeeding
 Delays the resumption of menstruation
 Safer in developing / underdeveloped countries
 Bottle feed baby's more likely to experience respiratory
infection and diarrhea
Infant & Child Mortality
 High infant mortality promotes high fertility
 Lower infant and child mortality will lead to population
growth
 Long term effects are more important
 Health and Education
Gender Preferences
 Male Preference
1.
2.
3.
Economic factors: The value assigned to women's work and
ability to contribute to family income.
Social Factors: Kinship, marriage patterns and religion
Psychological Factors: Influence on parents decisions about
size and composition of families.
Gender Preferences
 Girls have better survival rates then boys
 Women normally live longer then men.
 In underdeveloped countries the data varies due to customs
and traditions.
Benefits & Costs of Children
 In underdeveloped countries the benefits of having a child
exceeds the costs.
 The value of children changes family growth and economic
development of another countries
 First child is most important
 Second child more of a companion
 Third and on pleasure is derived from watching children grow
Contraception
s
What is?
Condoms
Hormonal Pills
Surgical Sterilization, Vasectomy
Around the World70 – 80 %
20% or less
Abortion
Country
Abortion
Birth Control
China
Accepted
Accepted
Bangladesh
Denied
Denied
Ireland
Denied
Denied
India
Accepted
Accepted
U.S.A
Accepted
Accepted
Statistics
Russia: More then half of pregnancies end in abortions
It is common even in countries where its mostly
considered illegal.
World: 1 in 3 Pregnancies end in Abortion
Global Aging
What it affects

Economic Growth

Savings

Investment

Consumption

Labor Markets

Pensions

Taxation

Wealth

Property

Personal Care
What’s causing it
 Advancement in Medicine
 Everyone’s goal to keep loved ones forever
 In the year 2050, people older then 65 will outweigh the
entire population
 Oldest old live in developed countries
What's in it for us?
 Higher Health-Care costs
 Social Security dissolvent