Chapter 7 Social Stratification Social Stratification Social stratification

Chapter 7 Social Stratification

Social Stratification Social stratification is the ranking of people or groups in accordance with their access to scarce resources. Income…money that one has. Wealth…resources and value one has. Power…control that one has. Prestige…recognition and respect one has. Each layer of stratification is a social class. Categories of people who hold similar resources and share values and lifestyles.

Systems of Stratification Open system - boundaries between hierarchies may be influenced by people’s achieved statuses. US Closed system - boundaries between hierarchies are rigid, people’s positions are set by ascribed status. Caste System

Class System A type of stratification based on the ownership and control of resources and on the type of work people do. Social mobility…movement from one class to another. Horizontal mobility occurs when people experience a gain or loss in position and/or income that does not produce a change in their place in the class structure. Vertical mobility is movement up or down the class structure is.

Caste System Status is determined at birth based on parents’ ascribed characteristics. Cultural values sustain caste systems and caste systems grow weaker as societies industrialize. Vestiges of caste systems can remain for hundreds of years after they are “officially” abolished.

Slavery Extreme form of stratification where people are owned by others. Throughout recorded history 5 societies have been slave societies: Ancient Greece Roman Empire United States Caribbean and Brazil. There an estimated 30 million people held as slaves worldwide.

Layers of Stratification

Life Chances Access to resources such as food, clothing, shelter, education, and health care. Affluent people have better life chances because they have greater access to: quality education safe neighborhood nutrition and health care police protection

Poor vs. Wealthy Marx believed that there would ultimately be two classes; the bourgeoisie (wealthy) and the proletariat (working class). There is a large poverty problem in America. Roughly 47 (Poverty USA 2014) million Americans live in poverty. Some of the richest in the world live in America. Roughly 10 millionaires (CNBC 2016) and 540 billionaires (Forbes 2016).

Structural-Functional Does the social structure contribute to society? Rewards should serve as incentives to complete needed tasks in society based on: 1. The importance of the task 2. The pleasantness of the task 3. The scarcity of talent and ability to perform the task

Conflict Perspective Inequality grows from class conflict Private ownership and means of production Marx’s View

Weber: Class, Status, Power Class Status Power Social Class

Symbolic Interaction Social inequalities are perpetuated through the socialization process

Stratification in the US

Wealth Distribution in US 50% of US income lies in 20% of the population 84 % of US wealth lies in 20% of the population Under 4% of the wealth lies in the lowest 20%of the population Open Class Structure of US Upper Class Upper Middle Class

Upper Class Includes infamous 1% Approximately 20% of total population “Old Money”…Rockefellers, Vanderbilt's etc… Rarely associate outside of class. Can include lower upper class which is often a result of achieved status. May be better off financially but have the prestige.

Middle Class 40%-50% of Americans Upper middle class consists of 14% of the population. Successful business people, politicians, professions etc… Earn enough to live well and save money Highly educated. Middle, middle class is 30% of the population Most of us Mix of education

Working Class Also known as the lower middle class. Truck drivers, machine operators, skilled labor Below average income and unstable employment Lack benefits Mostly wage workers

Working Poor 13 % of the population Minimum wage workers Do not earn above the poverty threshold Low skilled workers

Underclass 12 % of the population Unemployed Lack education and skills Often have disabilities

Poverty in the U. S.

How much? How much do you need to sustain a good living in the U. S. ?

Measuring Poverty Absolute poverty…not enough to secure life’s necessities. Relative poverty…comparing the bottom with other levels of income. Poverty Threshold…a measure of income level at which people are considered poor. 47 (2015) million Americans live below the poverty threshold. 15% Americans are experiencing downward mobility.

Current Poverty Thresholds 1 person…$12000 2 people…$15000 3 people…$19000 4 people…$24000

Who are the Poor? About 47% of the poor are white However, the poverty rate for whites is 8. 2 % The poverty rate for African Americans and Latinos around 24%, and 27% for Native Americans (U. S. Census 2011) African Americans and Latinos account for 25% of the population but make up 50% of the poor population

Who are the Poor? Female head of households Nearly half of poor households are headed by females. On average, women earn about $. 79 (IWPR 2015) for every dollar earned by men. Known as the feminization of poverty. Children Poverty rate for children under 6 is 22%. . . the highest for any age group in the US *IWPR=Institute for Women’s Policy Research

Who are the Poor? Elderly About 9% over 65 live in poverty Due to a fixed income Disabled Make up 12% of the poor. * U. S. Census 2009

Issue facing the poor Parents may go hungry so their children can eat Clothing for growing children No health care (minor may tune severe) Homeless (3. 5 million Americans) Concentrated poverty Areas with high concentration of poverty ▪ Results in more than personal poverty issues ▪ Very limited life chances

% Distribution of Poverty in the U. S. according to Education All Races White African American Hispanic No diploma 21. 8 15. 7 34. 8 26. 7 High School Graduate 11. 9 9. 4 22. 0 15. 4 Some college 8. 5 7. 0 11. 5 10. 6 College degree (or more) 4. 3 3. 7 7. 1 7. 5

% Distribution of Poverty in the U. S. According to Age All White African American Hispanic Under 18 17. 8 10. 5 33. 6 28. 9 18– 24 18. 1 14. 5 28. 1 22. 6 25 -44 11. 2 7. 8 20. 2 18. 4 45 -64 8. 8 7. 0 16. 8 14. 4 65 and above 9. 8 7. 5 23. 9 18. 7

Distribution of Health Insurance

Global Stratification

Global Inequality Global poverty is linked to the level of development in a nation. Industrialization brings a higher standard of living. Also believed that development increases life chances However, development may breakdown traditional norms and values.

Theories of Global Development Modernization Theory…belief that modernization can lead to a higher standard of living, economic movement and sustainability. Dependency Theory…belief that global poverty can be blamed somewhat by the exploitation of high income nations. Poorer nations are reliant on wealthier nations and cannot break out of the cycle.

Theories of Global Development World Systems Theory…suggest that “core” nations dominate the world economy and other nations may move slightly depending on resource development. Truly global system held together by economic ties. New International Division of Labor Theory…suggests that with the age of globalization, highly industrialized societies are dependent on less developed societies for

Poor and Wealthy