Social Mobility, Social Stratification and Life chances Learning objectives Define the terms social class and life chances Identify links between social class and life chances Explain sociologists’ views on class and life chances Key terms 1) Ascribed status: Social position is fixed at birth. 2) Achieved status: Where people earn their position in society because of their talent or ability. Starter: Which of the following people have achieved or ascribed status? Can you think of any other examples of people who have achieved or ascribed status?

Life Chances Key concept in studying social inequality Life chances = people’s chance of achieving positive or negative outcomes as they progress through life Life chances are not evenly distributed Social factors influence life chances: Class Gender Ethnicity Inequality relates to the following life chances: Health Education Wealth Income Life expectancy Employment prospects Higher classes have access to things which are viewed as desirable

What is Social Stratification and life chances? Social Stratification The way in which society is structured or divided into hierarchical ‘strata’ or layers – with the most privileged at the top and least favoured at the bottom. Social class is an example of social stratification Social mobility – movement up or down the social ladder. Open society – people can move up and down the social hierarchy. Closed society – people cannot move up the social hierarchy. Forms of Stratification vary between societies Stratification differs whether status is ascribed (fixed at birth and unchanging) or achieved (earned based on personal talent) Which type of society is most likely to to allow people to allow social mobility and movement up and down the strata?

What do sociologists mean by social mobility? Which type of society is most likely to allow people to allow social mobility and movement up and down the strata? In a modern industrial society, such as Britain where class position can be achieved What is social mobility like in Britain? P306 Although long-range mobility has occurred Children from working-class backgrounds have less chance of moving into professional occupations than Middle-class. Mobility may still depend on class not Educational attainment

Example 1: Apartheid in South Africa Apartheid: in South Africa, a Government policy of racial segregation was used as the basis of stratification during This position is ascribed and offers no social mobility

Example 2: The Caste System in India Dalits ‘Untouchables’ Shudras Vaishyas Kshatriyas Brahmin 1)Draw out the diagram on the left 2)Using the text book p280, add to this diagram of the types of people that would be in each group. Associated with the Hindu religion in Indian, people are born into a particular Caste and their social position is ascribed, they believe they are born into each Caste as a result of their behaviour in a previous life

Social Stratification in Britain Social stratification is based on… Social class Social class is based on… Economic factors – occupation or income, not racist ideas or religious teaching. Is this open or closed stratification? Open – it is said that social class is achieved and social mobility is possible Who would disagree with this? Marxists – ‘the rich get richer and the poor get poorer’

More power, wealth, income and status Less power, wealth, income and status Upper class Working class Classes in the UK Middle class Underclass?

More power, wealth, income and status Less power, wealth, income and status Upper class Working class Class according to Karl Marx

Marx Theory on Social Class Marx found two main classes, membership was determined by economic factors: The bourgeoisie – ownership of the means of production – ever increasing profit The Proletariat – non-ownership, sell their labor in order to survive – sought higher wages Marx believed the bourgeoisie exploit the proletariat -> conflict between classes -> eventually the P would rebel -> revolution/radical change to society = social class system would disappear and people would live in a more equal society A revolution has not yet happen in the UK due to increased standards of living and the development of the Welfare state

Max Weber on Class Weber is a Social Action Theorist Weber believes that class is formed in the marketplace – labour market -> one class hires labour the other sells their labour Weber identified four main classes, a class is a group of people with similar access to life chances: Property owners The petty bourgeoisie (shopkeepers) Professionals The working class Each class has a different amount of status, wealth and power Class is effected by economic factors but also non-economic-> Status – prestige Power – political influence Difference between class and status: Class = formed in the marketplace (Status = identified by prestige and honor attached to their lifestyles For example: Nurses lack wealth but have high status Lottery winners have wealth but lack status

Functionalist view This approach explains social practices, such as, stratification, in terms of the functions they perform for wider society. Some positions in advanced industrial society are more important than others -> they are vital to the continuation of society. The holders of these positions = high-level skills and qualifications to be effective -> not everyone has the talent/ability to fill this role -> Those with raw talent need lengthy training to develop skills = sacrifice of some kind These talented people will only be persuaded if they can see a reward -> so they positions are made to look desirable in terms of high-status and generous financial gain A system of inequality and unequal rewards in necessary in society to attract the best qualified people to the top positions Stratification is functional -> ensures most important jobs are filled by most talented people -> although rewards are unequally distributed everyone considers it fair.

What would a Marxist say when asked if life chances are distributed unequally in society? What would a Functionalist say when asked if life chances are distributed unequally in society? A: Competition in society creates winners and losers. The winners are rich and powerful & have the best life chances – best education, healthcare etc. The losers are poor and have the worst life chances… B: Welfare benefits, free education and free healthcare mean that individuals can improve their life chances if they want to. Hard work and a sensible lifestyle can turn these opportunities into better life chances…

Explain what sociologists mean by the term… (4) 1)Status 2)Wealth 3)Income 4)Hierarchy 5)Ascribed status 6)Achieved status 7)Open society 8)Closed society 9)Inequality 10)Life chances Choose 4 questions to answer in 20 minutes. A* 14 A 12 B 11 C 9 D 8 E 6 F 5 G 4

Wealth refers to how much money people have. It represents how much they are worth in terms of finance, assets and land. For example, the queen is very wealthy as although she doesn’t work and earn an income, she has palaces and jewels that are worth millions of pounds. Clear definition explained using key terms Example explained using key terms 4/4

Status refers to a persons position in society. Status can be judged by a persons wealth, income and power. For example, the Queen has a lot of status as she is worth millions of pounds and is the head of state. This places her at the top of the social hierarchy. Clear definition explained using key terms Example explained using key terms 4/4