Social stratification sociology

• Life chances


  The same oppurtunities of enjoying the good things in life and avoiding the bad ( rich people have better)
• Wealth


  the value of assets owned
• Lifestyle


  The way in which a person or group lives
• Communism


  A community sharing things like wealth and resources - A society based on equality
• Capitalism


  Private individuals or businesses own more wealth
• Welfare state


  Provides healthcare, education, homes and benefits for all of society
• Stratification


  Society is in layers (ranks)
• Social class


  Determined on what your job is, higher middle or lower
• Apartheid


  Segregation with white people at the top and different ethnic groups at the bottom
• Caste


  Ascribed status based on religious belief, people at the lower levels are being punished for something from their past life
• Underclass


  Extreme poverty
• Social mobility


  Movement of individuals or groups from one position in a society's stratification system to another
• Role allocation (Davis and Moore)


  Highest rewards (status + income) go to important people. "Society is a meritocracy".
• Meritocracy


  a system in which promotion is based on individual ability or achievement
• What did Saunders say about unequal rewards?


  They are needed and middle- class people are naturally clever so deserve the better jobs
• Bourgeoise


  The upper class
• Proletariat


  The lower class
• Exploitation


  the action or fact of treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work.
• What does marxism say about social class?

  society is based on inequality and the bourgoise has the most power as they have the most money
• What does Weber say about social class?


  Class can affect your identity ( power, class and status)
• Market postion


  Ladder of postition in market (rich at top, sort of rich ect.)
• Identity


  Power, class and status
• Power


  the ability of one person against another person
• Patriarchy


  Men ruled society
• Equal pay act 1963


  Requires that men and women be paid the same amount for doing the same job
• Discrimination


  Behaving differently, usually unfairly, toward the members of a group.
• Nationality


  the status of belonging to a particular nation
• Disability


  any lost, absent, or impaired physical or mental function
• Sexuality


  desire, sexual preference, and sexual identity and behavior
• Stereotypes


  A generalized belief about a group of people
• Sanctions


  Punishments or rewards for behaviour
• Agencies of social control

  Organisations, institutions and groups that guide or coerce people into conforming to norms
• Informal sources of power


  friends, family, peers
• Formal sources of power

  MP's, people in charge
• Authority


  the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.
• Traditional authority


  Born into the power, based on tradition eg: queen
• Rational/legal authority


  Authority that you put yourself in, rule based eg: military
• Charismatic authority


  Authority that you work your way up to, based on personality eg: hitler
• Classless society


  Society where nobody is born into social classes
• Old boys network/club


  Connections that one has