Chapter 7:
Social Stratification and Social Class
What to Expect in This Chapter...
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What is Social Stratification?
Social Mobility
Stratification Systems
Dimensions of Stratification
Theories of Stratification
Social Class in the United States
Poverty in the United States
Consequences of Social Stratification
What is Social Stratification?
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Social stratification is “...the division of society
into levels, steps or positions”
Stratification is, in essence, the structured
inequality of entire categories of people
Stratification is different than mere inequality,
which refers to the uneven distribution of
opportunities and rewards to individuals and
groups.
When these inequalities becomes structured
into society and passed on from generation to
generation, we have social stratification
Social Mobility
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Social mobility refers to the movement of
persons or groups from one social stratum to
another
Social mobility is more possible in open
societies which provide greater opportunities
for mobility, than in closed societies which fixes
one’s position at birth
Sociologists distinguish between several types
of mobility
Types of Social Mobility
Direction of Movement
Across
Up or Down
Horizontal Mobility
Vertical Mobility
Time Frame for Mobility
Single Generation
Two or More Generations
Intra-generational
Mobility
Inter-generational
Mobility
Factors Affecting Social Mobility
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Sociologists have identified several
structural-level factors which impact the
likelihood of social mobility
• Economic Conditions
• Number of people in the workforce
• Values and educational level
Types of Stratification
Systems
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Caste systems are very rigid,
closed systems of stratification
based on ascribed characteristics
such as skin color or family
identity
Estate systems are also closed
systems based largely on
inheritance
Class systems are open systems
that permit meaningful social
mobility
Dimensions of Social
Stratification
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Wealth—the economic assets of an
individual, including income,
monetary assets and other holdings
Power—the ability to attain goals and
maintain influence over others, even
in the absence of their consent
Prestige—the approval and respect
received from other members of
society
Prestige Rankings of Various
Occupations
Occupation
Score
Physician
86
College Professor
78
Lawyer
72
High School Teacher
66
Sociologist
65
Police Officer
60
Social Worker
52
Carpenter
43
Sales Clerk
29
Garbage Collector
13
Click Image to go to
Occupational
Outlook Handbook
Theories of Stratification:
Functionalist Theory
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You will remember that functionalist theory
understands society as a “system” or “organism”
As functionalists, Kingsley Davis and Wilbert
Moore contended that stratification was a
necessity for society because:
• Society has numerous positions that must be fulfilled if
it is to function properly
• Some positions, however are more important for the
maintenance of society (e.g., physicians)
• Finally, some positions require special talents that are
not generally prevalent in the population
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Hence, functionally important positions and/or
positions requiring rare talent are rewarded most
highly
Criticisms of Functional
Theory
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Ex Post Facto Judgment of Functional Importance
of Positions
• Critics question the functional importance of certain
highly rewarded positions such as actors and sports
figures, in contrast to positions such as school teachers
or social workers
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The Stratification System itself Inhibits Talent and
Abilities
• Many barriers are placed in the way of individuals from
lower classes to keep them from competing effectively
Theories of Stratification: Marxist
Conflict Theory
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Suggests that social stratification is
determined by the the relations of
production
• bourgeoisie--capitalists who own the means of
production
• proletariat--wage laborers who sell their labor
to bourgeoisie
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Interests of these two classes are
intrinsically opposed
• Power of the capitalists allows them to impose
their will and realize their interests
• According to Marx, the proletariat will eventually
develop a class consciousness, and ultimately
overthrow the capitalists
Comparing Functional and Conflict Theories
Functional Theory
Stratification is universal, necessary and
inevitable
The social system shapes the
stratification system
Stratification arises from societal need
for integration and coordination
Stratification facilitates the optimal
functioning of society
Stratification is an expression of
commonly shared social values
Power is distributed legitimately in
society
Tasks and rewards are allocated
equitably
The economic dimension is subordinate
to other dimensions of society
Stratification systems generally change
through evolution
Conflict Theory
Stratification is universal, but not
necessary or inevitable
The stratification system shapes the
social system
Stratification arises from group
competition and conflict
Stratification impedes the optimal
functioning of society
Stratification is an expression of the
values of powerful groups
Power is distributed illegitimately in
society
Tasks and rewards are not allocated
equitably
The economic dimension is paramount
in society
Stratification systems change through
revolution
Social Class in the United
States
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Sociologists are not agreed as to how
social classes should be distinguished
Most commonly, 5 classes are identified:
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Upper Class
Upper-Middle Class
Lower Middle Class
Working Class
Lower Class
Each of these classes represent
differences in both income and lifestyle
characteristics
Occupational and Educational Correlates of Social Class
Social Class
Upper Class
Occupation
Corporate Ownership;
Upper-Echelon Politics;
Honorofic positions
Education
Liberal Arts education at
elite schools
Professional and
Upper-Middle Class technical fields;
managers; proprieters
College and graduate
school training
Clerical and sales; small
Lower-Middle Class business owners; semiprofessionals
High School; some
college
Working Class
Skilled and semiskilled
manual labor; crafts;
foremen
Some or all of high
school
Lower Class
Unskilled labor; service
Some or all of high
work; farm labor; private school
household work
Income Distribution Across the
Social Classes
Quintile
Average Income
Percentage of All
Income
$142,021 +
21.5%
$79,372 +
49.4%
Fourth Quintile
$50,520 - $79,374
23.2%
Third Quintile
$32,000 - $50,519
14.9%
Second Quintile
$17,196 – 31,999
8.9%
Poorest Quintile
Less than $17,196
3.6%
Wealthiest 5%
Wealthiest Quintile
(20%)
Poverty
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Approximately 12 million people officially
live in poverty
As explained on the following several
slides:
• Poverty does not affect all segments of the
population equally
• There is disagreement among social
scientists about how to measure poverty, and
hence disagreement about how much poverty
exists in the United States
Visit PovertyNet Online
Poverty’s Biggest Victims: Ethnicity
Whites
7,7%
Hispanics
22,8%
Blacks
0,0%
23,6%
5,0%
10,0%
15,0%
20,0%
25,0%
Poverty’s Biggest Victims: Gender
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Female headed families are greatly
overrepresented among those in poverty
• Female householders without husbands had
average annual income of $23,732 in 1999
• Male householders without wives had
average annual income of $37,396 in 1999
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This phenomenon has come to be called
“the feminization of poverty”
How Do We Count the Poor?
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The official “poverty index” was
developed by the Social Security
Administration in 1964
 It was based on earlier studies that found
that families of 3 or more people typically
spent about 1/3 of their budget on food
 The poverty index is thus based on the
annual cost of a frugal but adequate diet x 3
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The threshold of poverty will thus
depend on the number of individuals
living in a household
Threshold of Poverty, 1999
Size of Household
Poverty Threshold
1 person (under 65)
1 person (over 65)
$8,501
$7,990
2 people (under 65)
2 people (over 65)
$11,214
$10,075
3 people
$13,290
4 people
$17,029
5 people
$20,127
6 people
$22,727
7 people
$25,912
8 people
$28,967
9 people
$34,417
Myths About the Poor
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Myth #1: People are poor because they are lazy
• Fact: About half of the poor are not of working age; most of those
of working age are either working or looking for work
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Myth #2: Most poor people are African-American and most
African-Americans are poor
• Fact: Most poor people are white; about 28% of African-Americans
are poor
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Myth #3: Most of the poor are single mothers with children
• Fact: Female-headed families with children represent about 44% of
the poor
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Myth #4: Most people in poverty live in the inner city
• Fact: Less than 22% of the poor live in central cities
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Myth #5: Welfare programs are straining federal budgets
• Fact: Only about 14% of the federal budget went to welfare
programs in 1996, compared to 43% that went to other social
assistance programs such as social security and Medicare
Consequences of Social Stratification