dimensions of social strat

8/6/2019 Dimensions of Social Strat

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Dimensions ofStratification

Unit 5

Inequalities


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Social Stratification

Social Stratification: the creation oflayers, (strata) of people who

possess unequal shares of scarce

resourcesThere are 3 dimensions of social

stratification: economic, power,

and prestigeThe most important resources

are income, wealth, power and

prestige


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Social Class Social Class: a segment of the population

whose members hold similar accounts ofscarce resources and share norms, valuesand identifiable lifestyle

Each layer of the social strata is a social

class There are generally 3 social classes:

upper, middle, lower

Each is further sub-divided

Karl Marx and Max Weber were the firsttwo sociologists to study socialstratification

Marx focused on social classes while

Weber focused on power and prestige


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Social Stratification

Social Stratification: the creation oflayers, (strata) of people who

possess unequal shares of scarce

resourcesThere are 3 dimensions of social

stratification: economic, power,

and prestigeThe most important resources

are income, wealth, power and

prestige


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The Economic Dimension Marx identified multiple classes when he

began studying social stratification; howeverhe concluded that they would be reduced totwo classes: the bourgeoisie and theproletariat

The bourgeoisie own and operate themeans of production and would be therulers. They would exploit the proletariat.

The proletariat are those who work for

wages. The proletariat would have nothingto offer but their labor.

Marx believed that b/c capitalists(bourgeoisie) controlled the economy theyalso controlled the other aspects of society


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Income vs. Wealth

When evaluating the distribution ofresources, economists distinguishbetween income and wealth

Income: the amount of money

received within a given time period byan individual or group

Wealth: all of the economicresources possessed by an individualor group (property, stocks, bonds)

Income is your paycheck, wealth iswhat you own


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40%

68%

10%

Overall, Americans are worth about $26 trillion (including all

real estate, stocks bonds, and business assets (Statistical

Abstracts, 2000)

68% of the total net worth of all

US families

are owned by just 10% of the

US families.

40% of all US assets

are owned by just 1% of Americans

1%


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Poverty & Wealth in the US

In 1999, over 32 million Americans wereliving in poverty (2000 poverty level for a

family of 4 was 17,761)

There were 10 million millionaire households

and 50 billionaire households The richest 20% of the population received

49% of the nations income, while the poorest

20% controlled under 4%

The distribution of wealth is even more

extreme than the distribution of income

The richest 20% hold 84% of the nations

wealth, the top 1% hold 39%


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The Power Dimension

Power: the ability to control the behavior ofothers, even against their will

Those who have power are able to use it

enhance their own interests, sometimes at a

cost to society Do you have to have money to have power?

According to Marx Yes

According to Weber No

Weber stated that money wasnt the only

way to gain power, knowledge and fame

are two other ways to gain power


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Power

Power is also attached to the socialpositions you hold

Within organizations there are people

with various levels of power

People can overcome a lack of wealth

and gain power if there are a large

number of them working together


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The Prestige Dimension

Prestige: recognition, respect, andadmiration attached to a social position

Prestige is defined by culture and society

What is considered prestigious in some

societies is not prestigious in others Prestige can not be claimed it must come

in the form of recognition from others

People within the same levels of prestige

share similar lifestyles


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Distribution ofPrestige

The social positions that are consideredthe most important or valued are the

most prestigious

Because Americans value wealth and

power they find positions attached to

those most prestigious

In the US most people achieve

prestige through occupation


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Features ofPrestige

Those jobs which are seen as mostprestigious have the following features

in common

They pay more

They require more education

They entail more abstract thought

They offer greater autonomy(freedom & self-direction)

dimensions of social strat

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