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Understanding Social Inequality: Systems & Theories

Explore caste systems in India, egalitarian, ranked, and stratified societies, wealth-based class ranking in America, distribution of wealth, and theories of maintaining inequality. Learn about Functionalist and Conflict theories.

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Understanding Social Inequality: Systems & Theories

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  1. Chapter 13Social Inequality and Stratification • Systems of Equality and Inequality • Castes in Traditional India • Theories of Inequality

  2. Basic Types of Inequality • Egalitarian - few differences in the rewards received by families or other kinds of kin groups within a society. • Ranked - limited number of high-ranking positions or titles. • Stratified - major differences in access to rewards between families or kin groups. 

  3. Egalitarian Societies • Example: mobile foragers • Frequent seasonal movements make it difficult to transport possessions. • Reciprocal sharing prevents individuals from becoming wealthier than their band mates. • Families have the right to visit and exploit the resources of many areas. 

  4. Ranked Societies • Example: Tikopia • Tikopia's 1,200 persons were divided into four patrilineal clans, each with it's own chief. • Each clan was divided into patrilineages. • The chief and nobility of each clan had little more wealth than any one else and no power over land or ocean resources.

  5. Stratified Societies • Marked inequalities in access to wealth, power and prestige. • Inequality is based on unequal access to resources such as the land and tools people need to make their living. • Unequal access to rewards has a strong tendency to be heritable throughout the generations.

  6. Castes in Traditional India • Brahmins (priests and scholars) • Kshatriyas (nobles and warriors) • Vaishas (merchants and artisans) • Shudras (farmers, craftspeople and laborers) • Untouchables

  7. Wealth As the Basis of Class Ranking in America • Wealth is more measurable than other indications of class membership. • Wealth is the single biggest indication of benefits citizens are receiving.

  8. Wealth As the Basis of Class Ranking in America • Extremely high wealth is correlated with ownership of productive resources. • Wealth determines people’s access to political power.

  9. Distribution of Wealth in America - 2000 • Poorest 20% earned only 3.6% of all income. • Wealthiest 20% earned almost 50% of the total income earned by households. • Wealthiest 5% earned about 22% of total family income.

  10. Maintaining Inequality - Theories • The elite use wealth and power to organize armed forces stronger than that of the opposition. • Ideologies that justify the status quo of inequality.

  11. Theories of Inequality • FunctionalistSocieties offer unequal rewards to individuals with the scarcest talents. • ConflictInequality is based on control over productive resources.

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