Social Stratification 4 Principles of Social Stratification: Dimension of Stratification: Max Weber – Economic, political, social prestige Merton – “Matthew Effect”

4 Kinds of Social Stratification Caste Class Estate Slavery

Caste 1. closed 2. ascribed 3. endogamy (no interdining) 4. religious justification 5. originally linked to occupation; segregation 6. agricultural societies Class 1. open 2. achieved and ascribed 3. endogamy – yes and no 4. no 5. not rigidly linked to occupation 6. industrial societies

The Upper Class Upper upper Lower upper

The Middle Class Upper middle Lower middle

The Working Class: The Lower Class: The Poor The Working Poor The Underclass The Homeless

Poverty in the USA Relative Poverty Absolute Poverty Abject Poverty Poverty Threshold or Poverty Line

Who Are The Poor? Race and Ethnicity Sex and Age Residence of the Poor

Theories of Social Stratification and Poverty 1. The Functionalist Perspective (Davis-Moore) Unequal rewards necessary to motivate people to play vital roles 2. Herbert Gans 3. The Conflictists: Karl Marx Ideological Hegemony False Consciousness – Dhalits Class Consciousness

4. A synthesis of perspectives: Lenski Power determines the control of surplus of goods and services 5. Personal Inferiority 6. Cultural Inferiority Oscar Lewis – “culture of poverty” unique value structure Edward Banfield – defer gratification

7. W.J. Wilson’s views Developed Nations: M. D. C. Developing Nations: L. D. C.