Shelley Quema

Professor Prior

Sociology 1

4 June 2017

Stratification Definitions

1) Social stratification ranks people either higher or lower based that perpetuates unequal

economic rewards and power in society. Social class is connected to social stratification

because a persons social position is determined by their performance. There are 4 major

systems of stratification: slavery, caste, estate, and class. Slavery, a closed system, is a

term meaning a person is the property of other people, which enables the owner to do as

they please with them. Back then, slavery was most known to exist in the South. Many

African Americans were sold as slaves to white people so they can use them as tools

and work on their plantations. Caste are social ranks that are passed down from

generation to generation. Caste systems are usually dictated by religion. This system is

very common in India with the religion Hinduism. Everyone has an ascribed status which

determines the individuals life. This is also a closed system. Estate systems are when

nobles own the land and they leased peasants to work and live on the land. This system

was common in the medieval times. Nobles would put the peasants to work and protect

them from rival nobles and the bandits. This is a closed system. Lastly, class systems are

social positions based on economic positions in which achievements influence social

mobility. This is an open system so one can move from one society to another.
2) The means of production are the land, factories, tools, and machines. The people of

higher class, known as the bourgeoisie, are the ones that own the means of production.

The proletariat, the working class, lack ownership so they are the ones who work and

produce the goods. Karl Marx viewed that class consciousness is a subjective awareness

of the common interests of the people. From the common interests, political action is

taken to bring about social change. Dominant ideology is a set of cultural beliefs and

practices that maintain interests socially, economically, and politically. False

consciousness is the attitude held by members of a class. This attitude does not accurately

represent their objective position.

3) Class refers to people that have the same economic resources, values, and skills. If two

farmers had the same amount of land and tools, they would be the same class. Status

group is the people who share the same prestige. They have the equal amount of power in

a society. For example, the President can have the same power as a government official.

Party refers to the goals a group of people accomplish. An example of a party would be

an organization. Weber believes that people of the same social class share the same

economic goals. Marx believes that social class do not share the same goals.

4) Cultural capital is linked to class differences since it contains the following ranks; upper

division class, lower-middle class, and working class. The upper class tend to have a

higher education and more wealth/income. Lower-middle class are usually high school

graduates. The working class are poor and have no education. They have little form of

education and are not as wealthy. Cultural capital supports social recognition and

converts it to social and economic advantages. This idea is expressed in the upper class.
The upper class expresses. attire, housing, vacations, food and sport. They live a more

luxury life which leads to financial capital.