Stratification

• Power: The ability to get what they want, despite any opposition from other people. It can be used to describe someone’s ability to influence political decisions/people with political responsibilities.
• Wealth: Ownership of assets such as property, land and works of art, as well as money held in savings accounts and shares in companies.
• Income: The money received by an individual in a period of time, e.g. wages, interest on savings.
• Status: The social standing or “prestige” given to someone for their behaviour/job/attitude by others in the community or society
• Social inequality refers to the idea that depending on your position, you will have unequal access to resources such as money and power, opportunities, privileges and life chances related to employment, education and health
• Ascribed status is where social positions are fixed at birth and unchanging overtime

  Achieved status is earned and on the basis of personal talents and merit
• social mobility refers to the movement between the layers or strata.
• Closed systems – There is no chance that you can work your way up this system of stratification. Whichever group that you are born into affected your whole life.

  Open systems – In these systems of stratification, there is a chance that people are able to move up the strata of society, earning a higher position.
• forms of stratification

  Slavery: Slavery was a stratification system where defeated societies were treated as "strangers" or "aliens" by the victorious society. The defeated became possessions, with humane owners but denied slave rights, respect, and control over their lives.

  Feudalism was a medieval European system with four layers: states, nobles, knights, and peasants. Allegiance was sworn to the king, land was awarded, and marriage was forbidden.
• forms of stratification

  social class is the main form of stratification based on economic factors like occupation and income. The upper social class is a small group of rich and powerful individuals, followed by the middle and working class. Despite inequality, this open stratification allows for social mobility and advancement through education and starting businesses
• forms of stratification

  India's caste system, based on Hindu beliefs, categorises individuals into specific groups, with higher castes considered worthier and lower castes untouchables, impacting job prospects, relationships, and living conditions.
• Functionalists

   believe that stratification is crucial for societal functioning, as every institution and person has a role to play. They view social stratification as natural and healthy, and inequality as functional. 

  • They believe that poverty motivates people to work hard, as the rewards of higher-status jobs, such as doctors, lawyers, and scientists, make them important and respected. This requires hard work in education, training, and practice.
• Davis and Moore (functionalists) 

  argue that social stratification is crucial for ensuring role allocation and enabling all types of jobs to be filled. They believe that some jobs are more functionally important for society due to their essential services, survival, and the need for exceptional talent and skills.

  These jobs deserve the highest rewards of money and status, as they are needed by society.
• Davis and Moore (functionalists) pt2

  Social inequality means that the most important jobs are filled by the most talented, trained, and qualified individuals. Without unequal rewards, people would not work hard for these jobs, as they would not be motivated to work harder and longer. They believe that unequal rewards are essential for a functioning society.
• Davis and Moore (functionalists) pt3

  Functionalists argue that society's meritocratic system, which rewards hard work and determination, allows for social mobility. This is evident in the education system and laws governing equality, which provide opportunities for people to move up the ladder. They believe that inequality is seen as necessary in society, as it allows for the best individuals to have important jobs.
• Two-Class Stratification 

  Capitalism is an economic system where the upper ruling class owns production means, while the lower working class works for them, creating an unequal and exploitative relationship. 

  Surplus Value 

  Marx argued that the bourgeoisie seeks to pay workers minimally, as pay affects profit. They aim to make the rich richer and the poor poor, resulting in surplus value (profit) and wealth inequalities between the ruling and working classes.
• alienation; being removed from something and isolated
• Alienation (Marxism) 

  labour power – they have to work as and when required and to perform the tasks set by their employers.

  products of their labour – which are successfully claimed by capitalists to be sold as products on the marketplace for profit, while workers only receive a fraction of this profit as wages
• Alienation (Marxism) 

  each other – they are encouraged to compete with each other for jobs and work is not social.

  species being – satisfying work is an essential part of being human, and capitalism makes work a misery, so work under capitalism thus alienates man from himself. It is no longer a joy; it is simply a means to earn wages to survive.
• ‘False class consciousness’ whereby the working classes do not realise the extent of their exploitation and cannot see any alternative to the existing system.
• Ideology argue that the working class often doesn't challenge capitalism due to the bourgeoisie's control over institutions like education and the criminal justice system. 

  Capitalist ideology shapes society's culture, and all institutions operate to benefit the upper ruling class. This creates a state of 'false class consciousness'

  • view capitalism as an unfair system controlled by the ruling class, exploiting and oppressing the working class.
• Revolution 

  Marx argued that capitalism's inherent contradictions would eventually lead to its downfall due to class conflict. He predicted a widening divide between the working and ruling classes, known as the polarisation of social classes. 

  • The working class could overthrow capitalism through a transformative revolution, becoming class-conscious through trade unions and creating a communist society where production means are shared. This would eliminate economic inequalities and create a classless society.
• • Zaresky False Class Consciousness:(1)

  The Cult of private life: Family life often obscures the injustices of capitalism, preventing workers from realizing their exploitative nature. They believe happiness lies in family life, preventing them from organizing a revolution.

  A unit of consumption: The capitalist system's profits are maintained by targeting families who are persuaded through advertising that materialistic happiness is the key to success.
• Zaretsky-  False Class Consciousness (2) 

  Socialisation: Women socialize children into obedience, conformity, and respect for hierarchy, preparing them for working in the bourgeoisie and influencing their understanding of authority.

  Economic Support: Women offer emotional support, alleviating the frustrations of the working class, which benefits capitalism by allowing them to work without stress or anger, facilitating a working-class revolution. 
• Correspondence Principles - Bowles and Gintis

  False Class Consciousness (1)

  Obedience to authority and rules, accept the hierarchy, and not to question authority →benefits capitalism as they will remain as passive works who never question the exploitation they facing, it benefits capitalism and keeps it running
• Correspondence Principles - Bowles and Gintis // False Class Consciousness

  Preventing creativity (5)

  rewards for students who display the characteristics of being hardworking, Submissive and obedient creative students are seen as lower and tend to to get low grades produces

  unimaginative and unquestioning work force
• Correspondence Principles - Bowles and Gintis // False Class Consciousness

  Competition (3)

  learn to compete in school through grades in the work play they're competitive with pay & promotion, produce a motivated workforce that continues capitalism

  Fragmented learning (4)

  school is covered in fragments, a few connections made between subjects- knowledge is broke downjobs and tasks are specific and separated between workers, they're denied knowledge of the overall picture but they're used to this and will never question it
• Correspondence Principles - Bowles and Gintis // False Class Consciousness

  Extrinsic rewards (2) 

  taught that they should be motivated by external rewards in the form of exam results & good grades rather than enjoying subject matter and gaining satisfaction from learning work is most likely to be repetitive and not intrinsically satisfying therefore motivation comes from pay & bonuses. Workers will work harder for the rewards.
• Weber and Stratification (1)

  Class : Weber argues that class is more than just income, and is divided by owners and workers. It also affects market position, which is determined by potential earnings. High-level qualifications and specialist skills make individuals more marketable, while the amount of money they can demand for wages is their market position.
• Weber and Stratification (2)

  Status: Weber argued that status is crucial in social stratification, affecting how a person is perceived and categorized. Lifestyle factors, such as occupation, education, and clothing, can influence one's status. Income does not always correlate with status, as some groups have high incomes but low status, while others have low income and high status. For example, secondhand car dealers earn more but have less status.
• Weber and Stratification (3)

  Power: Weber emphasized the importance of power in stratification, arguing that individuals or groups exercise power by influencing decisions despite opposition. Power can be exercised through force, coercion, or authority, such as politicians, managers, or police officers, who hold positions within organizations and are known for their charisma.
• Liberal feminists 

  argue that gender inequalities stem from socialization and unfair laws, rather than biological differences. They believe that cultural change and changing norms can bring about equality, while stereotypes and prejudices hinder progress, such as women's exclusion from decision-making roles.
• Radical feminists argue that society is dominated by men, with men gaining control and power in every aspect. They believe gender inequality stems from men's collective efforts to dominate and exploit women. They view family life as patriarchal, with women contributing most to domestic work and emotional support, while men benefit the most.
• Ann Oakley: Gender Role socialisation (Liberal feminist) 

  Oakley looked at the social construction of gender roles in the family

  She argued that children were steered towards a patriarchal division of labour and roles. She identified 4 ways:

  Canalisation: the channeling of gender identity through toys

  Verbal appellations: the use of phrases and words

  Different activities: the focus on

  Manipulation: the encouragement and discouragement of certain types of behaviour
• Sue Sharp: Liberal feminist

  • Importance of gender stereotyping on educational achievement

  Researched the aspirations of working-class girls in London in the 1970s and again in the 1990s.

  In the 1970s, the girls’ concerns were ‘love, marriage, husbands, children, jobs’ in that order.

  In the 1990s girls’ priorities had changed – now jobs/careers were the main concern.

  This change helps to explain the increased educational attainment of girls and shows the importance of changing cultural attitudes.
• Delphy and Leonard – Familiar Exploitation (1992)

  Men, as heads of the household benefit from the work that gets done by women.

  Women provide ’57 varieties of unpaid service’ for men including housework, sexual and reproductive work.

  • Wives are not always passive victims, but economic and social constraints make it difficult for women to escape from the patriarchal family.
• Johnson (1972) – Patriarchal Terrorism

  Women face constant threats of male violence and sexual aggression, limiting their freedom. This patriarchal terrorism involves men's control over women, using violence, economic subordination, threats, and isolation. This violence is evident in global domestic violence.
• Ansley: (Marxists feminist) 

  · Sees women as acting as a "safety valve" and that women are absorb their husbands' frustrations at their own "powerlessness and oppression" - As husbands return home after being exploited thus take their frustrations out on their wives.

  → She suggests that women are the 'takers of shit'.
• Benston: (marxist feminist) 

  Women are 'the slaves of the wage slaves' - as women take primary responsibility for domestic tasks as well as attending to the Sexual and emotional needs of their husbands

  The unpaid work done by wives helps to keep the workers going and subsequently, the capitalist economy going too.

  The wife keeps the husband in a running order by feeding and taking care of him which is essential to keep capitalism running smoothly.

  To ensure they keep working hard and making profits for the bosses.
• Vertical social mobility describes upward or downward movement.