SOCIAL AND POLITICAL STRATIFICATION:
SOCIAL DESIRABLES
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
At the end of the session, the students should be able to:
1. Identify and eventually determine the different social
desirables.
2. Realize the impact and implications of wealth, power
and
prestige
in
the
society.
3. Formulate a creative output towards the understanding
and application of social desirables
Your financially-challenged friend is a service crew at a wellknown fast food chain. The management considers him as the
best member in the area. One time, the owner came to visit the
store. Your friend was assigned to assist, but instead of
successfully aiding the owner, he made numerous mistakes and
failures throughout the site visit.
 In your perspective, what made your friend fail at such simple
task?
 Is there a difference in terms of power between the service
crew and the owner?
[
Society is divided into several groups or classes that are
different from each other in terms of socioeconomic
capability. In the previous example, it was clear that
there was a difference in social class between the
worker and the owner, thus making interaction varied
and complicated.
This difference can be accounted by social desirables, a
sociological concept that exists in all societies.
Social and Political Stratification
The dictionary defines stratification as 'something that has
been arranged into categories.'
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION refers to the kind and degree of
distribution of resources within a social system.
Examples: wealth, status, prestige, and privilege
POLITICAL STRATIFICATION is best explained as the extent
to which such inequalities are enclosed in, or influenced by,
political structures and processes.
Examples: involving influence, authority, or power
The Meaning and Characteristics of
Social Desirables
SOCIAL DESIRABLES are factors that affect social stratification. A social
hierarchy exists because of the unequal distribution of social
desirables—property, power, and prestige—in a society where the
larger population of financially-challenged individuals have less social
desirables than the smaller group of rich people.
The following describes each social desirable:
 WEALTH: income-producing assets that people own (e.g. real estate)
that increase financial wealth
 POWER: the capacity to influence individuals or activities to achieve
wealth and prestige
 PRESTIGE: an individual’s status among his peers in society
The Meaning and Characteristics of
Social Desirables
These three factors dictate one’s place in society. Ideally, the greater
social desirable a person has denotes a higher position in society.
Because social desirables come hand in hand, more top class people
become well-known and influential in society and, as such, are treated
with greater care and professionalism.
Examples:
 Service quality in high-end restaurants significantly differ from casual
dining venues.
 In significant societal functions, good seats are usually reserved for
high-ranking individuals.
 People quickly follow trends set by powerful and influential people.
The Role of Social Desirables in a
Functionalist Perspective
In a FUNCTIONALIST SOCIETY, all social elements are seen as
contributing factors in reaching social equilibrium and balance.
 Social desirables serve as rewards for fulfilling certain social
goals.
 Inequality is seen as universal and, therefore, allows unequal
distribution of power, prestige, and property without disrupting
the social structure.
 The most important positions in society are rewarded the most.
The Role of Social Desirables in a
Conflict Perspective
A CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE views the attainment of social
desirables as a constant competition for scarce resources.
Inequality greatly exists in a society that drives people to
compete for resources, resulting to social change and
continuous conflict.
People with social desirables are given more importance
and priority than ordinary workers and individuals.
Social desirables dictate how one should be treated in a
society of inequality.
Explore!
Nowadays, people who have power, prestige, and
wealth are not limited to politicians or businesspeople.
They extend to local and international celebrities who
were found to be hugely influential especially among
young populations.
Being part of the youth yourself, how do think these
celebrities influence your peers? Do they affect you
positively or negatively?
Try it!
List down ten people you know. These may be celebrities,
relatives, friends, or anyone you know. On a sheet of paper,
create three columns and label them "Higher", "Middle",
and "Lower" respectively. Try to categorize the names you
have identified into one of the categories you have made.
Note that a person may only fall under one category. Once
you have already categorized all names, identify the reasons
why you placed them in your chosen category.
What do you think?
Can all social desirables be passed on from one
generation to another? Why? Why not?
Tips
Social class may change depending on social desirables. For
instance, if a poor person won big in the lottery and
managed to develop successful businesses from his
winnings, then he is most likely to belong to a higher class
than he did before.
Power, prestige, and property do not necessarily need to
be at high levels at the same time. A person, for example,
may have power or influence at societal issues but do not
necessarily have properties at par with business people,
yet he remains to be at a high social position.