Chapter 7

Discussion Outline
• I. Standards of Equality
• II. Stratification and Types of Stratification
• III. American Stratification
• IV. Social Mobility

I. Standards of Equality
• Equality of Opportunity
• Are the rules of the game the same for everyone? Do we live in a true meritocracy?
• Weber’s Life chances
• Equality of Outcome
• Anticapitalist
• “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”

II. What is Social Stratification?
• Stratification-A structured ranking of entire groups of people.
• -It is a cultural universal.
• -Why does it exist? and how does it impact social life and opportunities? Central theoretical questions

Systems of Stratification…
• A:
Perpetuate unequal economic rewards and power in society-Some suffer while others benefit
-Why?
• -B: Maintain Social Inequality- members of society have differing amounts of wealth, prestige, and power

Systems of Stratification
• Review:
• Ascribed status vs. Achieved status
Is one’s social class ascribed or achieved?
• General Systems:
• (1) Slavery (2) Castes (3) Social classes
• -Open vs. Closed systems
• Any stratification system may include elements of more than one type

Marx and Social Class
• Proletariat
• Bourgeoisie
• Contradictory class locations

Dimensions of Stratification in The American
Class System
• Economic Standing (Objective measures)
• 1. Wealth- money and other economic assets that a person or family owns, including property and income
• Wealth is cumulative, is passed on to the next generation, ensures economic security and future prosperity, and produces income
• 2. Income?
• Which is more important?

Dimensions of Stratification
• (Subjective measures)
• Prestige How do individuals and groups alert others of their level of prestige?
• -Status Symbols-Status Hierarchy
• -Thorstein Veblen and Conspicuous Consumption
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupational_prestige
• Power
• What does it mean that an individual or group is powerful in society?

III. American Stratification
• The gap between the rich and the poor in U.S. is larger than any other wealthy/industrialized nation
• Growing economic inequality since 1960’s and accelerated in 1980’s under president ______ and economic principle of “trickle down economics”.
• What is the main idea of trickle down economics?
• Inequality continues to grow- Income and wealth gaps

Economic Inequality (Income)
• A growing gap between rich and poor
• 1990’s profits reaped by upper class
• Stagnant wages for 8/10 Americans
• CEO Compensation-1980: 42x-> 2010->430x
• Trickle down-economics
Did it work?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5CCRI1vdwE&feature=related

Economic Inequality (Wealth)
Greater than income inequality and expanding to levels unseen since the great depression…
• When income stagnates, it’s difficult to save and build wealth/accumulate assets
• In 2007, the wealthiest 1% of households owned more than the bottom 90% of households combined
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX-V_a8H6y8

Growing Inequality in the U.S.

• Why do Americans tolerate such massive concentrations of income and wealth?
Do most poor and working class people not work hard?
Are the richest individuals/ families the hardest working?
Do all people have an equal chance at discovering their talents? Is there equality of opportunity?

IV. Social Reproduction vs. Social Mobility
• Social Reproduction
• Social Mobility
• Moving from one place in a stratification system to another
• Is America the land of opportunity? The land of social mobility?
• https://www.premedhq.com/patterns-of-social-mobility