UCSP 2

• Basis or Forms of Stratification


  • Free and unfree
  • Class
  • Caste
  • Estate and Status
  • Occupation and Income
• Free and unfree


  The population of a society may be divided into freemen and slaves. Slaves do not enjoy rights and privileges, are the property of their master, and can be bought and sold.
• Class

  Social classes are portions of the community or collections of individuals standing in relation of quality and marked off from others by accepted standards of superiority and inferiority.
• Caste


  Social stratification based on caste, where in an open society individuals can move from one class or status level to another, i.e. equality of opportunity exists.
• Estate and Status

  Land was granted by the King to nobles, called lords temporal, for military service; they in turn made similar grants to the inferior class on oath of loyalty and military support.
• Occupation and Income


  Occupation influences social class structure and leads to unequal standard of life. Occupation is related to social status, and attempts have been made to rank occupations.
• Social stratification may be based on a variety of forms or interpenetrating principles
• Talcott Parsons confirmed that the main criteria of class status are to be found in the occupational achievements of men, as prestige is attached to occupation