160 likes | 276 Views
Stratification Notes. How are societies divided? Why are all societies stratified? What motivates people within society? How do elites control the populace?. Marx and Weber ( at it again). Marx. Proletariat v. Bourgeoisie
E N D
Stratification Notes How are societies divided? Why are all societies stratified? What motivates people within society? How do elites control the populace?
Marx • Proletariat v. Bourgeoisie • Thought what was holding workers back from revolting was a sense of false class consciousness. • What class would you answer?
Weber • Determined that class was made up of three components: • Property- earliest voters • Prestige- Jersey Shore and Paris Hilton…really folks? • Power- BP again means Bully Pulpit
Why are all societies stratified? • Marx and communism didn’t exactly work out in the USSR and is dramatically eroding in China. Why? • Why might a stratified society be unavoidable?
Functionalists v. Conflict • Read the conclusions of Davis and Moore on p. 239. What is their theory, and why does Tumin disagree? • Then read the arguments of Conflict sociologists Mosca and Marx on p. 240 and summarize their views. • What are the key differences between these perspectives?
Your thoughts on U.S. stratification? • Do you feel or sense this stratification about you? To what extent do you consider it? • Thinking of books, television, Hollywood, etc. , can you think of any particular stories in which the populace is being controlled, manipulated or monitored by a small controlling elite?
Means of control: • Controlling ideas: -naturally stronger or smarter -more inclined to lead. • Controlling Information: -in the interest of national security -hard drive scanners -“Tiny Brothers”
Labeling Nations • pp. 246-247 map
How did this come to be? • Using pp. 248-254, summarize the three theories offered as to how our currently stratified world came to be. • The three include Colonialism, World System Theory and Culture of Poverty. • If time, read the “Thinking Critically” inset on pp. 252-253.
Maintaining Global Stratification • How do we explain how the most prosperous nations/groups continue their prosperity in relationship to others?
Neocolonialism • Definition: the economic and political dominance of the least industrialized nations by the most industrialized nations • Larger nations have more ability to determine how much they will pay for exports of less industrialized nations. More options if they have to do without. • More hazardous industries also often moved to these nations from the more industrialized. • Turns lesser industrialized nations into debtor nations to the wealthier. • For cheaper products to support their economies, more industrialized nations might overlook particular political or social issues within the lesser. (Ex. Saudi Arabia)
Multinational Corporations • Definition: companies that operate across national boundaries • Able to facilitate many of the issues found from neocolonialism, but allow governments to have greater amounts of plausible deniability • Have greater freedom than governments with whom they do business. Often less publicized. • Go where they will have to pay less for labor and taxes. Increases net profits. If doors closed in one nation, can look to others. “Favorable business climate.” • Offer opportunities in skill development, infrastructure and capital base.
Technology and Global Domination • Always has been a part of separating human groups (Guns, Germs, and Steel), but rapidly advancing in the 21st century. • India and China are two emerging economies in the last 20 years to aggressively expand R&D of new technologies.