Understanding Culture
Society and Politics
Quarter 2 – Module 3:
Concept, Characteristics and
Forms of Stratification Systems
Understanding Culture Society and Politics
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 2 – Module 3: Concept, Characteristics and Forms of Stratification Systems
First Edition, 2020
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Understanding Culture
Society and Politics
Quarter 2 – Module 3:
Concept, Characteristics and
Forms of Stratification Systems
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:
Welcome to the Understanding Culture, Society and Politics for Grade 11 & 12
Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on on Concept, Characteristics and Forms
of Stratification Systems.
This module was collaboratively designed, developed and reviewed by educators both
from public and private institutions to assist you, the teacher or facilitator in helping
the learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Curriculum while overcoming
their personal, social, and economic constraints in schooling.
This learning resource hopes to engage the learners into guided and independent
learning activities at their own pace and time. Furthermore, this also aims to help
learners acquire the needed 21st century skills while taking into consideration their
needs and circumstances.
In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the body of
the module:
Notes to the Teacher
This contains helpful tips or strategies that
will help you in guiding the learners.
As a facilitator you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this module.
You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to manage
their own learning. Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist the
learners as they do the tasks included in the module.
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For the learner:
Welcome to the Understanding Culture Society and Politics Alternative Delivery Mode
(ADM) Module on Concept, Characteristics and Forms of Stratification Systems
(MELC 9).
This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful opportunities for
guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You will be enabled to
process the contents of the learning resource while being an active learner.
This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:
What I Need to Know
This will give you an idea of the skills or
competencies you are expected to learn in the
module.
What I Know
This part includes an activity that aims to
check what you already know about the
lesson to take. If you get all the answers
correct (100%), you may decide to skip this
module.
What’s In
This is a brief drill or review to help you link
the current lesson with the previous one.
What’s New
In this portion, the new lesson will be
introduced to you in various ways such as a
story, a song, a poem, a problem opener, an
activity or a situation.
What is It
This section provides a brief discussion of the
lesson. This aims to help you discover and
understand new concepts and skills.
What’s More
This comprises activities for independent
practice to solidify your understanding and
skills of the topic. You may check the
answers to the exercises using the Answer
Key at the end of the module.
What I Have Learned
This
includes
questions
or
blank
sentence/paragraph to be filled in to process
what you learned from the lesson.
What I Can Do
This section provides an activity which will
help you transfer your new knowledge or skill
into real life situations or concerns.
Assessment
This is a task which aims to evaluate your
level of mastery in achieving the learning
competency.
Additional Activities
In this portion, another activity will be given
to you to enrich your knowledge or skill of the
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lesson learned. This also tends retention of
learned concepts.
Answer Key
This contains answers to all activities in the
module.
At the end of this module you will also find:
The following are some reminders in using this module:
1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of the
module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other activities
included in the module.
3. Read the instruction carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through with it.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not
hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are
not alone.
We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning and
gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!
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What I Need to Know
This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master
the nature of Understanding Culture Society and Politics. The scope of this module
permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The language used
recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow
the standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be
changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.
The module is about the concept, characteristics and forms of stratification systems
using sociological perspectives (MELC Week 9).
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. identify the concept of stratification using a pyramid of social classes;
2. compare and contrast the characteristics of two forms of stratification systems
using a Venn diagram;
3. identify social mobility and social inequality in understanding stratification
systems in sociological perspectives; and
4. view stratification systems as a way for social mobility and a reason of social
inequality in the society.
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What I Know
Multiple Choice. Read each item carefully and encircle the letter that
corresponds to the correct answer.
1. Does social stratification persist across generations?
a. No, because everyone believes he or she belongs to a social class
already.
b. Yes, stratification serves to categorize and rank members of society across
generations resulting in different life chances
c. Yes, because it shows up in every society in the world but how exactly
it looks like vary from society to society
d. No, it does not affect any generation in any parts of the world
2. How do you describe a caste system?
a. It is an open system of stratification requiring the element of meritocracy for
social mobility.
b. It is a close system of stratification in which an individual is restricted to his
or her social class only.
c. It is an open system of stratification with a combination of achieved and
ascribed status.
d. Caste system is universal in every society in the world.
3. What important factor is highlighted in class system for some social mobility?
a. Race
b. Power
c. Meritocracy
d. Wealth
4. Which of the following groups belong to the upper class during the Philippine
pre-colonial social stratification?
a. The Maharlika
b. The Alipin
c. The Timawa
d. The Maginoo
5. Which of the following groups belong to the lower class during the Philippine
pre-colonial social stratification?
a. The Maharlika
b. The Alipin
c. The Timawa
d. The Maginoo
6. In class system, is social mobility possible?
a. Yes, because class system has element of meritocracy based on personal
achievements and talents of a person.
b. No, because a man, in any chances, can’t change his or her own social class.
c. No, because of social control restriction based on a set of strong cultural
and religious beliefs.
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d. No, because class system has no element of meritocracy resulting in an
immense social inequality.
7. Why could social stratification be considered as a form of social belief?
a. Beliefs are universal in every society in the world.
b. Everyone believes that he or she belongs to a social class.
c. Beliefs about social stratification that inform people what it means to
deserve wealth, success or power.
d. It continues from generation to generation in every society.
8. Which of the following is not considered as a social class?
a. Castaways
b. Lower class
c. Middle class
d. Higher class
9. In caste system, is social mobility possible?
a. Yes, because caste system has element of meritocracy that is based on
personal achievements and talents of a person.
b. Yes, because a man, in any chances, can change his or her own social
class.
c. No, because of social control restriction based on a set of strong cultural
and religious beliefs.
d. Yes, because anyone can achieve greatness as long as he or she works hard
for it.
10. How does social stratification started in the society?
a. As societies evolved and became more complex, it began to elevate some
members of the society through land acquisition and gaining social status.
b. It started when people think that they can afford to invest into material
things.
c. It started when a person can buy a lot of foods and drinks for his family.
d. The elements of meritocracy that is based on personal merit and
achievement of a person.
11. Which of the following choices best define the concept of social stratification?
a. It refers to people living in immense poverty.
b. It pertains to people in elite category
c. It refers to grouping of social classes base on the factors such as power,
wealth, and prestige.
d. It is the study of indigenous people.
12. Which of these choices gives a broader differentiation between the upper class
and lower class?
a. The upper class are those who have fancy cars while the lower class are
those who are less fortunate individuals.
b. The upper class are those elite group of people while the lower class are
those underprivileged who struggled to make ends meet on a daily basis.
c. The lower class are those who seek financial help and support from the
government while the upper class are those business owners.
d. The lower class are those with nothing to invest from while the upper class
are those who can travel the world without worrying for financial stability.
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13. Why is social stratification be considered as universal but variable?
a. Because everyone is entitled to be part of a social class
b. Because a man, in any chances, can change his/her own social class
c. Because social stratification is based on the factors such as power, wealth
and prestige
d. Because it shows up in every society in the world but how exactly it
looks like vary from society to society
14. Which type of status is earned by an individual?
a. Single status
b. Ascribed status
c. Achieved status
d. In a relationship status
15. Which of the following describes the upper class?
a. A person who can afford to buy clothes and shoes
b. A person who do not have enough money to make ends meet
c. A person who owned businesses, and is an investor
d. A person who can buy a lot of foods and drinks for his family
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What’s In
THE PREVIOUS LESSON
INSTRUCTION. Read the given text below. Then, answer each question properly on
the space provided.
A Filipino child, at five years old, can start going to
school under the Universal Kindergarten of Basic Education
program. With this, a child can learn alphabet, numbers,
shapes, colors, and parts of the body in their mother tongue
and can learn how to socialize with their peer through dances,
songs, games, and storytelling until a child reaches junior to
senior high school wherein a student can learn complex
concepts and theories.
QUESTION 1: Which Philippine educational system agency is
being referred by the given text? Explain the goals of this
institution in achieving quality education on basic education
level.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
After a child graduates from Grade 12, he/she has to
choose whether he/she will pursue higher education where
professionals are being built and molded. This level holds both
the tertiary level, such as any bachelor degree and graduate
levels, such as masters or doctoral degree. This is an avenue for
learning different professions such as doctors, lawyers, IT
professionals, educators, engineers, biologists, etc.
QUESTION 2: Which Philippine educational system agency is
being referred by the given text? Explain the goals of this
institution in achieving quality education on tertiary and
graduate levels.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
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Every Filipino should not be left behind in terms of education. That is why in
the Philippine educational system, the State provides an avenue for learning and
discovery for every citizen who is not able to go to elementary, high school, or even
college. It is through learning and gaining new skills and knowledge, and being able
to complete a set of different lessons, with national certification, related to masonry,
baking, cooking, carpentry, midwifery, etc.
QUESTION: Which Philippine educational system agency is being referred by the
given text? Explain the goals of this institution in helping Filipinos achieve their full
potential in acquiring skills and competencies.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
.
CONNECTING THE PREVIOUS LESSON TO NEW LESSON
What do you think is the effect of online learning to different social classes if this
type of learning opportunity becomes standard in Philippine education during the
time of COVID-19 pandemic? Write your insights on the space provided.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
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What’s New
ACTIVITY: The Pyramid of Social Classes
INSTRUCTION: In the pyramid of social classes shown below, fill in the boxes to
indicate the social class that is supposed to be placed in each level. Write in the box
the corresponding social class based on the pyramid of social classes.
ACTIVITY: The Classes They Belong
INSTRUCTION: After placing each category in the pyramid, it is your turn to
categorize the given personas based on their wealth, power, socio-economic
capability, prestige and achievements. Write your answer on the space provided.
PEOPLE
DESCRIPTION
SOCIAL CLASS
Henry Sy is a man
with a “rags turn into
riches” kind of tale.
He enrolled himself to
school and was able to
graduate in college
with a degree in ______________
Commerce from Far
Eastern University. He
established a small
shoe store in Quiapo,
Manila in 1958 named
“Shoe
Mart”
that
eventually marked the
establishment of SM
HENRY SY, SR.
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Prime Holdings. Now,
he holds three of the
most
valuable
companies
in
the
Philippines: SM
Investments
Corp. and SM
Prime
Holdings Inc., valued at
over Php 1 trillion
each,
and BDO
Unibank, valued
at
around
Php
635
million.
Lucio C. Tan, Sr. is a
Chinese-Filipino
businessman
and
educator with interests
in banking, airline,
liquor, tobacco, real
estate industries, and
education. In 2013,
Forbes magazine listed
him as the second
richest billionaire in
the Philippines with a
net worth of $7.5
billion.
These are individuals
or group of people
whose income or salary
can meet their needs
and wants, and enjoy
the
privilege
in
investing to education
and eventually use it to
their advantage. These
people
are
professionals
whose
status in the society is
called achieved status.
LUCIO C. TAN, SR.
ENGINEER
DOCTOR
______________
LAWYER
These are individuals
or group of people who
have
just
enough
income to have a
COMMONER
8
______________
normal
lifestyle.
Mostly, they earn daily
minimum wage and
receive
regular
benefits.
ANALYSIS: Something to think about
INSTRUCTION. Answer the given set of questions based on the previous two
activities. Write your answer on the space provided.
WHAT. What makes an individual or group of people belong to upper, middle, or
lower class? Explain the basis for your answer.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
.
HOW. How could education be a way for social mobility and eventually change one’s
current social class?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
.
WHY. Do you think inequality may arise in a society because people don’t have the
same social status in life? Why or why not?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
.
What is It
In this part of your journey, we provided something for you to read to deepen
your understanding about the topic.
Please read with comprehension to discover knowledge that will help you out
in dealing with the next phase of your quest.
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CONCEPT OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
Have you ever wondered why people don’t have the same status in life when
they were born? Why are there rich and poor people in the society? Have you ever
thought this idea wondering what if you were born rich? On the other hand, what if
you were born poor? What if the society is some kind of Utopia where everything is
just perfect and equal?
Yet, whatever social class one belongs to in a society, it is hope that one may
find reasons to still be grateful, and live a life that is full of opportunities.
The idea of rich and the poor may be too familiar to everyone. It can be seen
in Pinoy teleseryes or Korean dramas that you watched back then, and it can be seen
in reality just like in the society where you are belong. The activities that you
encountered a while ago introduced you to the new lesson which is about categorizing
individuals or group of people based on factors such as power, wealth and prestige.
This is called Social Classes and the layering of these social classes from higher to
lower class is called Social Stratification. Social stratification is defined as the
hierarchical arrangement and establishment of social categories that may evolve into
social groups together with statuses and their corresponding roles in the society
(Cordero-McDonald, et al., 1995, 380). Let’s take a look on the pyramid of social
classes shown below:
UPPER CLASS
MIDDLE CLASS
LOWER CLASS
Figure 1. Pyramid of Social Classes or Social Stratification
Social stratification is divided into three social classes. At the top of the
pyramid is where the Upper Class. This class in the society is described by the
sociologists as elite individuals or group of people that are most prolific and
successful in their respective areas. These people may be stockholders and
investors in very huge well-known companies from different industries here and
abroad. In the second activity earlier, Henry Sy, Sr. and Lucio Tan, Sr. are both
considered elite who belong to the upper class of social stratification. According to
the “List of 50 richest Filipinos in 2014” of Pinoy Money Talk website (as cited by
Lanuza and Raymundo 2016, 109), Henry Sy, Sr. and his family had a net worth of
$12.7 billion, while Lucio Tan, Sr. and his family had a net worth of $6.1 billion.
These people may own big companies and huge mansions here and abroad, mingle
with the same class, own fancy cars, and value wealthy heritage.
Dividing the upper class and lower class is the Middle Class. Middle class are
mostly professional individuals or groups of people like lawyers, doctors, managers,
owners of small businesses in the locality, and executives who work in the
corporate world, etc. They are able to meet both their needs and wants without even
worrying about their finances because of the job and salary they have. They live in
spacious houses and situated in best suburbs. Their income can afford them a
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comfortable lifestyle. They value education the most since education to them is the
most important measure of social status.
Last but not the least, the lowest part of the pyramid of social classes is where
the Lower Class situated. These are the skilled and unskilled artisan, farm
employees, underemployed, and indigent families. Because of the given status in life,
these people lack revenue or income and educational training or background.
Without the proper education, some of them are jobless or have difficulty to find a
job in order to make ends meet. They also lack support network that could lift them
up.
How did stratification system started? Remember the lesson about the earliest
form of human societies. According to the sociologists and anthropologists, in earliest
societies, people shared a common social standing; there was no social class back
then.
Figure 2. Example of Stratification during Earliest Civilization
As societies evolved and became more complex, it began to elevate some
members of the society through land acquisition and social status or social
entitlement. In the earliest civilization, there were kings and priests as the upper
class, scribes, merchants and artisans as the middle class, and slaves as the lower
class.
CHARACTERISTICS OF STRATIFICATION SYSTEMS
Imagine two extremely wealthy people. One of them inherited their money,
acquiring it through the luck that comes with being born to parents or owners of
immense amounts of property and wealth, while the other person worked for what
he/she had. That person started at the bottom, and through years of hard work and
strategic dealing in life was able to build a business empire of their own.
Now, which one would you say deserves the wealth? Sociologically, the
interesting aspect isn’t your answer to the question; it’s the fact that different
societies, in different times and places, have different answers because the question
of what it means to deserve wealth, success, or power, is a matter of social
stratification.
Let’s take a look at the different characteristics of social stratification. Social
stratification is:
1. Universal but variable. Social stratification is what we are talking about when we
talk about social inequality and social mobility. Society categorizes people and ranks
them in a hierarchy. Everything, from social status, prestige, to the kind of job one
holds, or to the chances of living in poverty, is affected by social stratification.
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Stratification is universal but variable because it shows up in every society in the
world, but how exactly it looks like, how it divides and categorizes people, and what
the advantages or disadvantages are that come with that division - vary from society
to society.
2. Not a matter of individual differences. People are obviously different from each
other, so we might assume that stratification is just a kind of natural outcome of
differences, but in reality, it is not. We know we can see the effects of social
stratification on people regardless of their personal choices or traits. For example,
children of wealthy families are more likely to live longer and be healthier, to attend
college, and to excel in school as compared to children born into poverty. Moreover,
they are more likely to be wealthy themselves when they grow up.
3. Persists across generations. Stratification serves to categorize and rank
members of society across generations, resulting in different life chances. Yet
generally, society allows some degree of social mobility, or changes in the position
within the social hierarchy. People sometimes move upward or downward in social
class, which is the basic concept of social mobility.
4. A social beliefs. A society’s cultural beliefs tell us how to categorize people, and
they define inequalities of a stratification system as being normal, or even fair. If
people don’t believe that the system is right, it won’t last. Beliefs are what make
systems of social stratification work and it is through these beliefs about social
stratification that inform what it means to deserve wealth, success, or power.
FORMS OF STRATIFICATION SYSTEMS
1. CLOSE SYSTEM OF STRATIFICATION
India’s Caste System is probably one of the best-known forms of close system
of stratification. While it is a social system of decreasing importance, it still holds in
parts of rural India, and has a strong legacy across the country. The traditional caste
system contains four large divisions called Varnas. It consists of Brahmin, or priests
and academics in their native language, as placed at the top of the hierarchy; followed
by Khsatriya or the rulers (kings), warriors, and administrators; then Vaishya or
merchants and landowners; and last is the Shudra or the commoners, peasants and
servants.
Figure 3. Ancient India’s Caste System
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The system required endogamy - marriage within your own caste category. In
everyday life, the caste system determines whom one could interact with, and how,
with systems of social control, contact between lower and higher castes is restricted.
This whole system is based on a set of strong cultural and religious beliefs that living
within your own category is a moral and spiritual duty - the reason why gods are on
the top of the pyramid because caste system is governed by religious beliefs of
Hinduism.
2. OPEN SYSTEM OF STRATIFICATION
Class System is one of the best examples of open system of stratification and
is not based solely on ascribed status at birth alone. Instead, it combines ascribed
status and personal achievement or achieved status in a way that allows some social
mobility. Statuses are not the same. We get different statuses in different ways and
chances. Some are ascribed statuses, which are assigned or given by the society or
group based on some fixed category, without regard to a person’s abilities or
performance. Examples of ascribed status are sex, family background, race, and
ethnic heritage or wealth. A person did nothing to earn these statuses, nor has
control over these characteristics and had no opportunity or chance to choose family,
sex, and race. On the other hand, achieved statuses are earned by the individual.
The following scenarios serve as examples.
A poor teenager becomes an actress-singer after winning in a television
contest. A college graduate lands a good job because the quality of his or her
performance satisfied his or her employer. With achieved statuses, one establishes
which statuses he or she wants. Frequently, a person struggles and exerts more effort
on others to get hold of them. Class is the system of stratification we have in
Philippine society. The main difference between caste and class systems is that class
systems are open, and social mobility is not legally restricted to certain people. It is
possible that through hard work and perseverance, a citizen can move up the social
hierarchy, and achieve a higher-class standing. Instead of ancestry, lineage, or race
being the key to social division, the Philippine system of stratification has elements
of meritocracy: a system in which social mobility is based on personal merit and
individual talents. Every Filipino’s dream is that anyone, no matter how poor, can
“pull himself/herself up” and become upwardly class mobile through hard work and
perseverance.
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION IN SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
1. FUNCTIONALISM. At the beginning, we may think of social stratification as
merely only creating social inequality among groups of people. In some aspects of
social life, it is true. But social inequality brought by social stratification base from
wealth, prestige, and power of social groups, is indeed functional in the society
according to Functionalist Theory.
Every social class has its purpose or role to play a part in the society. We can’t expect
the owner of a certain business empire to do a construction works; but instead, he
will hire someone to do it for himself. The upper class, although they are getting
richer because they have the capacity to exploit natural and man-made resources
simply because they have the money. Their role in the society could create job
opportunities for other social classes below them. In fact, there are jobs not requiring
a college degree. In this sense, those who are not able to finish their studies can still
13
be hired. Those with college degree can be employed with a higher paid salary and
good position in a company.
2. CONFLICT THEORY. This sociological perspective is the opposite of the latter.
Karl Marx viewed social stratification as creation of inequality between the rich and
the poor, or the powerful versus the powerless. Let’s say for example: The bourgeois
capitalists owning high-producing businesses or factories and hire people who work
for them. They can enjoy the luxury of life because they earn billions of money.
However, proletariats are the working class earned skimpy wages and experiencing
isolation to the society. The very essence of life is to enjoy it with loved ones. However,
working class did not experience this joy because they are isolated to do the labor for
long hours each day to earn money at the end of the month. Marx argued that
proletariats were oppressed by the money-hungry bourgeois.
3. SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM. Symbolic interactionism view social stratification
on a micro level where individuals affect others whom they have interacted because
of their social class status. In most societies, people can only interact only to those
with the same social class status. For an instance, it is rare for a royal prince or
princess to marry a commoner because the commoner don’t have the same class
status as to royal prince or princess. But now, there are royal marriages already
break this tradition.
What’s More
CASTE SYSTEM VERSUS CLASS SYSTEM
INSTRUCTION. The caste system in ancient India and the class system in the
modern-day Philippines both created an unequal balance of power in their respective
society. Specific qualities or traits separate people into groups, which results in
certain groups having more power than others. However, there are some major
differences between the caste system and class system. Identify three (3) major
differences and similarities between the caste system in ancient India and the class
system in modern-day Philippine society. Fill in these differences and similarities in
the Venn diagram below. Afterwards, explain on the space provided these differences
and similarities in order to fully understand stratification system.
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1. _______________
2. _______________
1. ________
2. ________
3. ________
3. _______________
1. _______________
_
2. _______________
_
3. _______________
_
CASTE SYSTEM:
Your explanation:
1.______________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
2.______________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
3.______________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
SIMILARITIES
Your explanation:
1._____________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
2._____________________
______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
3.______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
CLASS SYSTEM:
Your explanation:
1.___________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
2.___________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
3.___________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
What I Have Learned
PROFILE PICTURE
Did you know that a fairy tale happy ending can happen in real life too? This
fairy tale story of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle started when they got married on
May 19, 2018 at St. George's Chapel on Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is the youngest son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and
Diana, Princess of Wales, and is sixth in the line of succession to the British throne.
Before marrying the love of her life, Meghan Markle meanwhile was a
freelance calligrapher and taught bookbinding to support herself apart from her
acting jobs back then. She also took on several contract acting and modeling jobs,
including a stint as a "briefcase girl" in the US game show Deal or No Deal.
INSTRUCTION: Answer each question by completing the sentences.
QUESTION 1. As individuals before they got married, who do you think belongs to
the upper class, middle class or lower class? Explain.
I think Prince Harry’s social class belongs to ___________________ while
Meghan Markle’s before marrying Prince Harry, her social class
belongs to ________because __________________________________.
QUESTION 2. Do you think Prince Harry’s social status is considered as ascribed
status or achieved status? Why do you say so?
I think Prince Harry’s social status is called ________________ because
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
QUESTION 3. What form of stratification systems do you think these two
personalities belong to, caste system or class system? Why do you say
so? I think in contemporary days they both belong to
___________________ because ________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
What I Can Do
MY JOURNEY TO SOCIAL MOBILITY REGARDLESS OF
SOCIAL CLASS I BELONG TO
INSTRUCTION. Making it as your own motivation to reach dreams and goals in life,
set out the journey in the social class by relating your personal answers in the
conditions set in each station. Write down your responses on the space provided.
The Starting Point asks you to write your social class whether you belong to upper,
middle, or lower class based on the factors such as power, wealth and prestige. There
is nothing to be ashamed of being honest here.
The First Station is for you to identify your dream profession that you wanted to be
in the future.
The Second Station is for you to state the reason whether your family can or cannot
afford to support your dream profession.
The Third Station is for you to write what are the other obstacles you may think you
will encounter in achieving your dream profession.
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The Fourth Station is for you to write other ways to help yourself in supporting your
finances as you achieve your dream profession.
The Milestone Station is where you finally achieve your dream profession. On the
box provided write your own motto in life that is connected in achieving your goals
or dreams in life.
Assessment
Multiple Choice. Read each items carefully and shade the circle that corresponds
to the correct answer.
1. Which of the following is not considered as a social class?
a. Castaways
b. Lower class
c. Middle class
d. Lower class
2. What important factor is highlighted in class system for some social mobility?
a. Race
b. Meritocracy
c. Power
d. Wealth
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3. Which of the following groups belong to the lower class during the Philippine
pre-colonial social stratification?
a. The Maharlika
b. The Alipin
c. The Timawa
d. The Maginoo
4. Which of the following groups belong to the upper class during the Philippine
pre-colonial social
stratification?
a. The Maharlika
b. The Alipin
c. The Timawa
d. The Maginoo
5. Which of the following choices best define the concept of social stratification?
a. It refers to people living in immense poverty
b. It refers to people in elite category
c. It refers to grouping of social classes base on the factors such as power,
wealth, and prestige
d. It is the study of indigenous people
6. Which of these choices gives a broader differentiation between upper class and
lower class?
a. The upper class are those who have fancy cars while the lower class are those
who are less fortunate individuals.
b. The upper class are those elite group of people while the lower class are those
underprivileged who struggled to make ends meet on a daily basis.
c. The lower class are those who seek financial help and support from the
government while the upper class are those business owners.
d. The lower class are those with nothing to invest from while the upper class
are those who can travel the world without worrying for financial stability.
7. Which type of status is earned by an individual?
a. Single status
b. Ascribed status
c. Achieved status
d. In a relationship status
8. Why is social stratification be considered as universal but variable?
a. Everyone is entitled to be part of a social class.
b. A man, in any chances, can change his/her own social class.
c. Social stratification is based on the factors of power, wealth, and prestige.
d. It shows up in every society in the world but how exactly it looks like vary
from society to society.
9. Which of the following describes the upper class?
a. A person who can afford to buy clothes and shoes.
b. A person who do not have enough money to make ends meet.
c. A person who owned businesses, is an investor.
d. A person who can buy a lot of foods and drinks for his family.
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10. In class system, is social mobility possible?
a. Yes, because class system has element of meritocracy based on personal
achievements and talents of a person.
b. No, because a man, in any chances, can’t change his or her own social class.
c. No, because of social control restriction based on a set of strong cultural
and religious beliefs.
d. No, because class system has no element of meritocracy resulting in an
immense social inequality.
11. Why could social stratification be considered as a form of social belief?
a. Beliefs are universal in every society in the world.
b. Everyone believes that he or she belongs to a social class.
c. Beliefs about social stratification that inform people what it means to
deserve wealth, success or power.
d. It continues from generation to generation in every society.
12. Does social stratification persist across generations?
a. No, because everyone believes he or she belongs to a social class already
b. Yes, stratification serves to categorize and rank members of society.
across generations resulting in different life chances.
c. Yes, because it shows up in every society in the world but how exactly it
looks like vary from society to society.
d. No, it does not affect any generation in any parts of the world.
13. How do you describe a caste system?
a. It is an open system of stratification requiring the element of meritocracy for
social mobility.
b. It is a close system of stratification in which an individual is restricted to his
or her social class only.
c. It is an open system of stratification with a combination of achieved and
ascribed status.
d. Caste system is universal in every society in the world.
14. In caste system, is social mobility possible?
a. Yes, because caste system has element of meritocracy that is based on
personal achievements and talents of a person.
b. Yes, because a man, in any chances, can change his or her own social
class.
c. No, because of social control restriction based on a set of strong cultural
and religious beliefs.
d. Yes, because anyone can achieve greatness as long as he or she works hard
for it.
15. How does social stratification started in the society?
a. As societies evolved and became more complex, it began to elevate some
members of the society through land acquisition and gaining social status.
b. It started when people think that they can afford to invest into material
things.
c. It started when a person can buy a lot of foods and drinks for his family.
d. The elements of meritocracy that is based on personal merit and
achievement of a person.
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Additional Activities
THE PHILIPPINE PRE-COLONIAL SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
Over the course of this lesson, you have informed about the concept,
characteristics, and forms of stratification systems. Did you know that before the
Philippines were colonized by the Spaniards, Americans, and Japanese, the
Philippine pre-colonial society was already establishing social stratification through
factors such as wealth, power, rights, privileges, entitlement and achievements? Meet
these groups of people one by one once again by reading the given description.
Afterwards, answer the activity below.
The TIMAWA. They were the majority of the barangay community. They were free.
They could acquire property, have any job they wanted, pick their own
wives, and acquire an alipin. They were expected to support the datu
and pay their taxes; hence, their importance in the community was
evident.
The MAGINOO. They were the ruling class, the educated class, the royal class, and
the privileged class. It was from this class which the datu came from.
The datu was the head of the community called a barangay. He is
synonymous to a monarch, rajah, sultan, and king to other countries.
The ALIPIN. They had the least rights. They served their master who belonged to
one of the classes that is above them. The Alipin was likely his or her
servant at home such as doing the household chores and cooking, or
aided the timawa with their duties at work.
The MAHARLIKA. They were well respected if not revered by the barangay. Unlike
the timawa, they were not expected to pay taxes. They would provide
protection to the barangay and were responsible for providing and
preparing the weapons at their own expense.
ACTIVITY
INSTRUCTION. Using the names of the groups of people mentioned earlier, arrange
them using a pyramid of social stratification through these factors such as wealth,
power, rights, privileges, entitlement, and achievements in the society. Beside each
social class, draw a symbol that represents them.
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Answer Key
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References
Books:
Cordero-MacDonald, Felicidad V., Adelisa A. Raymundo, and Isabel S.
Panopio. General Sociology: Focus on the Philippines. Quezon City:
Ken,Inc.,1995.
Baleña, Ederlina D., Dolores M. Lucero, and Arnel M. Peralta. Understanding
Culture, Society and Politics for Senior High School. Quezon City:
Educational
Resource
Corporation,
2016.
Gerry M. Lanuza and Sarah S. Raymundo. Understanding Culture, Society,
and Politics. Recto, Manila: REX Book Store, 2016
Websites:
Morrow, Paul. Maharlika and the Ancient Class System, January 16,
2009,
http://www.pilipino-express.com/history-a-culture/in-otherwords/251-maharlika-and-the-ancient-class-system.html
Moffitt, Kimberly. Social Stratification: Definition, Theories & Examples.
Study.com. January 25, 2015.
https://study.com/academy/lesson/social-stratification-definitiontheories-examples.html.
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