Social Stratification & Social Inequality

1. Social Stratification & Social Inequality

3. Systems of Stratification • Closed vs. open systems • Whether social mobility is possible or not • Slavery • free people and property of others • Caste System • Rank is hereditary and permanent, marriage between different members is not allowed

4. Systems of Stratification • Estates • Social hierarchy based on power and land ownership by religious and political elites • Social classes • Achieved status (gained by ability and merit) are the principal means of ranking

5. Determining Social Class Ranking • Wealth • a person’s or family’s total economic assets • Power • Ability to realize one’s will, even against resistance and the opposition of others • Personal v. social power

7. Determining Social Class Ranking • Prestige • The respect and admiration people attach to various social positions • Socioeconomic status • Combines income, occupational prestige, education and neighborhood

8. American Social Classes • The Upper Class “The Rich” • Around 1% of the population • ~$500,000 or more per year • Same schools, camps, colleges • Old Money, New Money, gov’t officials, celbrities • Old Money • New Money • Gov’t officials, celebrities • “Rich” vs. “super-rich”

9. American Social Classes • Upper Middle Class • ~15% of population • ~$100,000 or more per year • Professionals, good occupational prestige • Elite is some small towns

10. American Social Classes • Lower-Middle Class • 30-40% of population • ~$40,000 to $75,000 per year • Emulate the upper middle class but lack resources to reach it

11. American Social Classes • Working Class • $16,000-$30,000 per year • Few job benefits, dangerous work, long hours, • threat of falling into poverty

12. American Social Classes • Lower Class • ~16-20% • $0 - 23,050for family of four ($11,000 for 1 person) • Many have jobs (sometimes) • Homeless, welfare- only is only around 1-2%

13. Poverty in America Media Images and Reality

14. What is poverty? • Absolute poverty: when people fall below a minimum subsistence level and are unable to function as members of society • Relative poverty: a lack of resources relative to others and the overall standards of a society • U.S. poverty line is based on cost of living and family size—the absolute measure

17. Who is America’s Poor? According to 2012 Census Bureau Report • The bottom 10 percent of earners made the same amount of money in 2011 as they did in 1994 • Women continued to earn 77 percent of what men earned • 27.6 percent of Black Americans were in poverty • 25.3 percent of Hispanic Americans were in poverty • 9.8 percent of White Americans were in poverty • More than one-fifth of those under 18 were in poverty

23. Types of Poverty • Situational poverty: is generally caused by a sudden crisis or loss and is often temporary. • environmental disasters, divorce, or severe health problems • Generational poverty: occurs in families where at least two generations have been born into poverty. • Families living in this type of poverty are not equipped with the tools to move out of their situations.

24. Homelessness • Economic and political factors are largely responsible • Closing of mental institutions • Turndown in manufacturing, jobs

26. Culture of Poverty • Culture of poverty: a set of norms, beliefs, values and attitudes that trap a small number of the urban poor in a permanent cycle of poverty • Oscar Lewis, sociologist • Many sociologists point out that poor do respond to opportunities • Also consider skills learned which could apply to legitimate jobs

27. The Pruitt-Igoe Myth As you watch answer the following questions: • What factors led to the development of the Pruitt-Igoe project? • What types of families originally lived there? • Why factors led to its failure?

28. Global Stratification

29. Global Stratification • Global stratification system: where nations are ranked in hierarchy on the basis of their access to the world’s wealth, power and prestige • Measured using Human Development Index (HDI)

33. High-Income Nations • Advanced industrial economies and high living standards • Developed nation • Only about 20% of population live in high-income nations, but use 75% of resources

34. Middle-Income Nations • Nations that are newly industrialized and have moderate wealth and living standards • High income elite, but many people have access to basics

35. Low-Income Nations • Nations that are poor, agrarian, and benefit least from their participation in the global economy • Average incomes around $400 • Used to benefit rich countries more than themselves

37. Modernization Theory • Global development is a process in which advanced industrial nations and technology help poor nations advance Old Modernization Theories: • Climate, resources • Political corruption • Traditional customs • Culture of poverty Singapore bucks the these ideas

38. Singapore • Largely authoritarian rule for more than 40 years • Still kept traditional customs • Went from agrarian to high-tech • However, still had some outside help from wealthy nations

39. Conflict Approaches to Global Inequality • Colonialism & Imperialism: more powerful nations dominate and exploit weaker ones in trade and other relations

40. Conflict Approaches to Global Inequality • Dependency Theory: rich industrialized nations keep poor nations from advancing through dependency relationships • Trade • Industrial • Investment

41. Trade Dependency • Continuation of Colonialism • Purchasing raw materials at lowest possible prices • MFN treaties not extended to poor nations • High tariffs cost poor countries $700 billion a year (UN)

42. Industrial Dependency • Corporations take advantage of cheap labor, access to local markets, tax advantages, and avoid environmental regulations

43. Investment Dependency • World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) give liberal loans, then draconian austerity measures to recoup loans—preventing growth

44. World System Theory • Maintains that all nations are part of a worldwide division of labor • Core, semiperiphery, periphery nations • Depending on what they have to offer, they get more or less