SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

In a simple language, the classification of society is called social stratification.

The process by which resources and opportunities are distributed among various social actors.Thus, Stratification means social diversity and differentiation. A system in which groups of people are divided into layers or rankings based on their relative property, prestige and power. For example, in a society there are many classes like farmers, businessman, rich, poor, elite persons, teachers etc. such diversity of society is called social stratification. They are different by their profession or their level or their prestige etc. Various sociologists have defined it in their own ways.

According to Gilbert,

"Social stratification is the division of society in to permanent groups or categories linked with each other by relationship of superiority and subordination."

P. W. Murray says

"Social stratification is a horizontal division of society into higher and lowers social units."

According to K.B. Mayor,

“Social stratification is a system of differentiation which includes hierarchy of social position who occupants are treated as superior, equal or inferior relative to one another in socially important aspects”.

Patterns of Social Stratification

The pattern of social stratification depends upon the causes of stratification.

Generally, the physical and mental ability of an individual, energy, qualification, talent, behavior, social, political, economic and cultural situations are the causes of social stratification. The different patterns of social stratification are as following:-

a.       Sexual stratification

b.      Age stratification

c.       Racial stratification

d.      Class stratification

e.       Economic stratification

f.       Religious stratification

g.      Political stratification

Theoretical positions on social stratification

How social stratification occurs?

In this regard there are some popular theories. They are given below:-

1. Divine theory
2. Marxian position
3. Weberian position
4. Functionalist position
5. Conflict theorist position ( Daherendrof)
6. Synthetic theory

Divine Theory

Saint Acquinas propounded divine theory. The theoretical base is towards the god. So he has divided every person as black, white, lucky, capable and unlucky. To accept the decision of god is the betterment of human beings. If somebody breaches this rule should be socially punished.

Order/Structural/ Functionalism

It is the oldest theory, founded by Auguste Comte. Herbert Spencer made it widespread. This is called structural functionalist theory and is also called system theory as it is fully based on the fundamental principles of the society. It is also called functional because on the basis of system, different functions will be possible. Each person who lives in the society has the different profession and functions. By which each society looks different. The functions of some societies are very important and some are less important. Therefore the Priority is also given differently according to the roles of each society. If there is no stratification, there will not be competition. If there is no competition, there will not development of so

Functionalist position

Society is a set of interrelated parts; cultural consensus exists and leads to social order; natural state of society--balance and harmony.  It views society as a vast organism whose parts are interrelated; social problems are disruptions of this system.  It also holds that problems of social institutions produce patterns of deviance or that institution must address such patterns through strategic social change. Individuals are socialized by society's institutions; socialization is the process by which social control is exerted; people need society and its institutions.

Conflict Theory

The Primary theorist for this paradigm/ perspective is Karl Marx (1818-1883) who is an institution as well. Society is marked by power struggles over scarce resources; inequities result in conflict; social change is inevitable; natural state of society—imbalance. Conflict theory views society as marked by conflicts due to inequalities of class, race, ethnicity, gender, age, and other divisions that produce conflicting values.  It defines social problems as conditions that do not conform to society's values. People are inherently good but are corrupted by society and its economic structure; institutions are controlled by groups with power; “order” is part of the illusion.

Marxian Position

Karl Marx has propounded this conflict theory. According to him economic status forms the basis of social stratification. In the society every people needs different kind of goods. The capacity of producing those essential goods is only on the hands of limited people. Marx has predicted that the rich would get richer and the workers would develop a class conscious, and become aware of the rich taking advantage of them.  He thinks that the workers would overcome “false class consciousness” and Revolution would ensure, and communism would replace capitalism.

Marx explained:

      “The proletarians of the world have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to gain. Workers of the world unite

Main Laws of Marxian position

1.      Quantitative and qualitative change

It is the first law of Marxian theory. For him Social and economic orders are in a process of change. Since the material order is primary and it is the basis of what is truly real, there are no stable fixed points in reality because everything is involved in the dialectic process of change. He rejected the notion that somewhere there are stable, permanent structures of reality or certain "eternal verities." All of nature, "from the smallest thing to the biggest, from a grain of sand to the sun...to man, is in...a ceaseless state of movement and change.“ He thinks that History is the process of change from one era to another in accordance with the rigorous and inexorable laws of historical motion.

For Marxism, change is not the same as mere growth. A society does not simply mature the way a boy becomes a man. Nor does nature simply move in an eternally uniform and constantly repeated circle. It passes through a real history. Change means the emergence of new structures, novel forms.

 What causes change is simply the quantitative alteration of things, which leads to something qualitatively new. For example, boiled water…

The capitalist order would fall was based upon this notion that the changes in the quantitative factors in capitalism would inevitably destroy capitalism. Then "the centralization of the means of production and the socialization of labor reach a point where they prove incompatible with their capitalist shell.

2.      Unity and Conflict

Law of Opposites

Everything in existence is a unity of opposites. E.g. electricity is characterized by a positive and negative charge; atoms consist of protons and electrons which are unified but ultimately contradictory forces. Everything "contains mutually incompatible and exclusive but nevertheless equally essential and indispensable parts or aspects." This unity of opposites is what makes each entity and provides a constant motivation for movement and change. This idea was borrowed from Georg Wilhelm Hegel who said: "Contradiction in nature is the root of all motion and of all life."

Some opposites are antagonistic, as in the competition between capitalists and laborers. Factory owners offer the lowest wages possible, while workers seek the highest wages. Sometimes, this antagonism sparks strikes or lockouts.

3.      Law of Negation

The law of negation was created to account for the tendency in nature to constantly increase the number of all things. Entities tend to negate themselves in order to advance or reproduce a higher quantity. The nature of opposition, which causes conflict in each element and gives it motion, also tends to negate the thing itself. This dynamic process of birth and destruction is what causes entities to advance. This is law of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. Cited the case of the barley seed, which, in its natural state, germinates, and out of its own death or negation produces a plant; the plant in turn grows to maturity, and is itself negated after bearing many barley seeds.

Thus, all nature is constantly expanding through cycles. In society, we have the case of class. This illustrates that the cycle of negation is eternal, as each class creates its "grave-digger", its successor, as soon as it finishes burying its creator.

4.      Decisive cause of change inside the matter

Mar thinks that the fundamental thing of change is inside it. For example, egg and chicken. There will be unity among the proletariats though they have conflict among them. This unity becomes an international ‘ism’ which will move ahead towards communism.

Conflict Theorist position

Conflict theory is related with Dahrendorf (A German Sociologist) According to him the major cause of social stratification is social conflict. There are different conflict groups in the society   and there is the conflict among them. Power and authority are the major causes of conflict. The group who has no power and authority tries to take from another group. There are four types of stratification as a result of conflict among the groups.

1. The ruling group : ruling party of a country
2. The service class : who helps for ruling group i.e. personnel and other classes
3. The subjected group : public ( who are under ruling and service )
4. The intellectuals : Free person (I and II also can not affect them)

Difference between Functionalism and conflict theories of society

Functionalism Theory

Conflict Theory

•          Society is held together by shared values and collective agreement •          Consensus as the normal state of society/Conflict as abnormal or representing an area where society has broken down •          Change is inevitable but evolutionary- a natural progression of society through reform •          Meritocracy exists in our current society- if you work hard you can achieve anything. •           Rewards and success are commensurate with hard work and ability  Inequality and stratification are natural and necessary for the functioning of society

•          Society is held together by the ability of the dominant group to oppress and impose their desires onto subordinate groups •          Conflict is the organizing principle of society •          Change is abrupt, often violent and revolutionary because it must overthrow the existing social order •          Meritocracy is an ideology used to disguise true power relations. It keeps people believing in the system which is actuality a sorting machine that serves the interest of the powerful •          Inequality and stratification are manufactured by the dominant group to serve their own purposes

Symbolic Interactions Theory

The Primary theorists for this paradigm or perspective are Max Weber (1864-1920) and Charles Horton Cooley (1964-1929).The concept of self includes me.

Self: An individual’s notion of who he or she is.

Me: The part of the self which represents internalized social attitudes and expectations.

The self also includes I. The individual’s reaction to situations from his/ her standpoint - produces spontaneity & individuality

Society is a network of interlocking roles and social order is constructed through interaction as individuals, through shared meaning; make sense out of their social world. It holds that definitions of deviance or social problems are subjective; separates deviant and non deviant people not by what they do but by how society reacts to what they do. Humans are interpretative and interactive. They are constantly changing as their “social beings” emerge and are molded by changing circumstances.

Weberian Position

Max Weber thinks that Symbolic interactionism is concerned with the inner or phenomenological aspects of human behavior. He believed that social class is more than just differences in material wealth. According to him there are three other defining characteristics which play the role for social stratification. They are: - Prestige, Power

Property or

 1. Political power

 2. Economic power 

 3. Status

These three things are closely related with each other. Economic power helps to raise the political power and status of an individual. The people who have political power, his economic status and prestige also become high. Likewise the people of high status obviously have good political power and economic conditions.

Synthetic Theory

Lenski developed this theory combining or synthesizing all Marxian, Webrian, functionalist and conflict theories of stratification. According to him distribution system is the only one cause of social stratification. Distribution system consists-

1. Distribution of survival needs - food, water, shelter etc.
2. Power: political power and other powers.
3. Privilege:  rights, advantages, grants, etc.
4. Prestige: reputation, importance etc.
5. Distribution of all those things should be equal to the each individual, society and community. If there is no equal distribution the conflict arises and social stratification appears.

How Have Nations become stratified?

1. Colonialism Theory -the process by which one nation took over another nation.

2. Dependency Theory -stresses how the least industrialized nations grew dependent upon most industrialized

3. Culture of Poverty -some nations are crippled by a way of life that affects poverty.

Why do the same countries remain poor over time?

Neocolonialism -the economic and political dominance over the Least Industrialized Nations by the Most Industrialized Nations.

Multinational Corporations -help to maintain global dominance.

Social class and social mobility

            The forms of social stratification can be divided into various categories. Social class is also considered as one of the forms of social stratification. The major forms of social stratification are-

1. Slavery

It   was existed many years ago both in the eastern and western countries. They were not considered as the citizen of their country and they didn’t have any voting rights as well. Especially Black people were in this category.

2. Estate

There are three types of estate are -

1. The lords of spiritual: Priests, chairman of church and other status group.
2. The lords of temporal: merchant etc.
3. The commons: general people or public.

c. Caste

There is a caste system in our country. There are many castes according to their profession and so on. But now days, it is considered as the sure name or the title.

d. Social class

In many countries it is considered that there are three types of social class according to their economic, agriculture, religion, political, social condition like-

Upper class

Middle class

Lower class

Social class can be defined as a level in society made up of people who consider themselves equals due to similarities in family background, level of education, occupation, race and attitudes towards social issues.

Social Mobility

Mobility is essential for the change or development of society. All the things in the society are changeable. The pace of social mobility depends upon the necessity of the society. In fact, the major element of social mobility is the status and role of an individual.

William Cecil Headrick says, "Movement of individuals or group or society from one social position to another is called social mobility."

According to Hevighurst and Neugarten, “The term social mobility means movement from one social class to another, involving the consolidation of the various elements of the new social position, including occupation, income, type of houses, neighborhood, new friends and new organizational membership."

Characteristics

1. Change in the individual

An individual is the unit of society. If the different kinds of change (economic, political, thinking…) appears in the different individual then the whole society seems changing and social mobility appears.

b.      Progress

It is one of the major characteristics of social mobility. Time, opportunity, seniority, effort, aspiration and working ability of the people of society determines the progress.

c.       Ideal of progress

Any members of the society and society itself become progress oriented looking others' progress and development. So, there should be the ideal person or society or country by which lower level people can do something being encouraged and enthusiastic.

d.      Imaginary

Every individual, society and country should have the imagination of development or to be superior. They have prepared future plans according to their imagination. So if there is the social mobility, there should be the imagination.

Classification/ measures/ types of social mobility

According to William Cecil Headrick there are two types of social mobility as

1. Horizontal social mobility

There are different people in the society. Each of them has different profession, economic condition, status, prestige etc. The changing or shifting the job, activities etc in to same category of job or activities is called horizontal social mobility. For example following the same kind of professing of forefather by the son, changing school and college by the teachers etc. Such mobility does not consider as the important aspect of social development.

2. Vertical social mobility

In this type of mobility the lower level people, undeveloped society reach in the top position in many aspects like social, economical, political academic etc. doing their own efforts. For instance, the son of farmer becomes the doctor or engineer, by which they can gain own prestige, status in the society. This can be regarded as upward social mobility. Likewise, the people have good status and prestige, their economic condition was also very good but they are in decreasing order is called downward social mobility.

Embourgeoisement

Embourgeoisement is the popular theory of social mobility. The proponents of this theory are Goldthrope and Lockwood. The adoption of the way of life, culture, modes and habits of the upper class by the lower class people is called embourgeoisement.

Embourgeoisement is the process of migration of individuals into the bourgeoisie as a result of their own efforts or collective action, that established middle class status for

factory workers and others that would not have been considered middle class by their employments, allowing increasing numbers of what might traditionally be classified as working class people to assume the lifestyle and individualistic values of the so-called middle classes and hence reject commitment to collective social and economic goals. The opposite process is "proletarianization

Sources/aspects

1. Economic: - Expectation of earning money and being economically worthy.
2. Normative: - Expectation of social attitude, behavior of upper level people.
3. Relational :-Being  enthusiastic to be popular among the upper level, doing own efforts

Factors affecting mobility

Opportunistic factors:-

1. Appreciation or depreciation of land or property
2. Acquiring of power through nepotism/favoritism
3. Success in war or adventure
4. Lottery
5. Marriage
6. Economic policy

Non- opportunistic factors

1. Achievement
2. Openness of society
3. Meritocratic distribution of opportunities (Getting opportunity to work according to the ability of a person)

Social mobility and role of Education

1. Ascribed role
2. No evaluation of ability and effort
3. The ruling status will be the higher one.
4. Acquired role
5. Important role of education
6. No opportunity without effort.
7. No importance to caste, color, hypnotism, and favors.

Education and social mobility

Education plays a vital role for social mobility of any place. It is only one such means by which one can bring the radical change in the society. Education can bring the change of thinking of people. It helps to increase the income power of an individual. So, it is the basic needs of the people. Therefore the Government should provide the quality education.

1. The government should try to Improvement   the curriculum time to time as per societies' need.
2. The country should provide technical education as far as possible.
3. If it is possible, technical education should be made compulsory.
4. Equal opportunity of having all levels of education to each individual.
5. There should be the regular follow up program to see and improve the educative processes.
6. Everybody should get an Opportunity of having job after getting the education. etc.

Conclusion

      Social stratification is the division of society into permanent groups. Because of divine power there is social stratification in the society. Social stratification may be on any factor. Due to social stratification, there arises conflict between several groups. It may be based on economic stratification or political stratification in the society. As we know that for the development and bring changes in the society there must be social stratification. Society Without social stratification is impossible and without it the society will remain always constant. It maintains norms and sanction in the society, and socialize the children. The form and quantity of stratification varies. It stratification can display good and evil qualities of human being. So the person with bad qualities is no facilitated with facilities. Therefore, it creates conflict between people for the facilities to achieve which brings change in the society. IT creates competition among the people or groups. They try to proceed ahead than another group behind laboring and working hard. Sometimes event the violation also brings changes and leads towards development of the society and human being. So in my opinion there must be social stratification for the development and change in people and society.