Social Inequality: Condition whereby people have unequal access to valued resources, services, and positions in society.
Social Stratification: Inequality has been institutionalized, and there is a system of social relationships that determines who gets what, and why.
Inequality refers to differences in resources, opportunities, and rewards among individuals or groups in a society, while stratification involves the ranking of individuals or groups based on social attributes like income, education, and occupation. Inequality focuses on the unequal distribution of resources, while stratification is more concerned with the structured ranking of individuals in a society.
Key difference is...
Social differentation is how people vary due to their personal characteristics.(catergorizing)
Social stratification: how people are ranked according to the values of society ie. Wealth, power, access to resources. Social stratification is adding a vertical ranking to social differentation and is a STRUCTURED socially patterned social inequality.
Gender stratification refers to the unequal distribution of resources, power, and opportunities between genders in society, while gender inequality is a broader concept that encompasses disparities in various aspects of life such as wages, education, and representation. Gender stratification can contribute to gender inequality by reinforcing systems of oppression based on gender.
The division of large numbers of people into layers based on their relative power is known as stratification. This process can result in social hierarchies where individuals or groups are ranked according to various criteria such as wealth, status, or access to resources. Stratification can lead to inequality and differences in opportunities among different layers of society.
Social inequality reflects the social-conflict theorists ideas about social stratification.
Some approaches in the study of social stratification include structural functionalism, which focuses on how social institutions contribute to social inequality; conflict theory, which views social stratification as a result of competition for resources; and symbolic interactionism, which emphasizes how individuals' interactions and roles contribute to social hierarchy. These approaches offer different perspectives on how social hierarchies are created and maintained.
In the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn, an example of social stratification is the hierarchy that exists between humans, where one group (Takers) dominates and exploits other groups (Leavers, like tribal societies or non-human animals) for their own benefit. This illustrates how unequal power dynamics lead to oppression and environmental destruction.
Some approaches in the study of social stratification include structural functionalism, which focuses on how social institutions contribute to social inequality; conflict theory, which views social stratification as a result of competition for resources; and symbolic interactionism, which emphasizes how individuals' interactions and roles contribute to social hierarchy. These approaches offer different perspectives on how social hierarchies are created and maintained.
In the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn, an example of social stratification is the hierarchy that exists between humans, where one group (Takers) dominates and exploits other groups (Leavers, like tribal societies or non-human animals) for their own benefit. This illustrates how unequal power dynamics lead to oppression and environmental destruction.
Social inequality reflects the social-conflict theorists ideas about social stratification.
Major problems with social stratification include inequality, lack of social mobility, and perpetuation of power and privilege for certain groups while marginalizing others. This can lead to social tensions, discrimination, and limited opportunities for those in lower social classes. It can also deepen divisions within society and hinder overall societal progress and well-being.
Conflict Perspective
Social stratification is important in every society as it provides structure to that society. By doing this it makes it easier for people to understand their position and value within society, although by making social stratification too complex it can lead to increased inequality between the different groups.
Modernization theory argues that economic growth and development in poorer countries can be achieved through industrialization, technology adoption, and Westernization. Dependency theory, on the other hand, posits that underdevelopment in poorer countries is a result of their exploitation by richer countries, leading to a reliance on and subjugation to the developed world. Dependency theory challenges the assumptions of modernization theory and highlights the unequal power dynamics between developed and underdeveloped countries.
It has been observed that there is relationship between a society's technology and its social stratification. Situating social stratification in a historical perspective will help in understanding why there are varying degrees of inequality worldwide. Simple technology in the hunting and gathering stage provided only what was necessary for day to day living. The group was secured by sharing what people gathered. Social stratification gets more complex in societies with more advance technology. Technological advances create surplus products, thus making social inequality more pronounced. Education gives the individual more opportunities.
One of the differences between structure and classes socially is that structure is the organization of society, and classes are the stratification within that society. Think of it like a closet, and the different styles of clothes within the closet.
Some signs of inequality may be physical or emotional differences.
INCREASE IN INEQUALITY OF SOCIAL CLASSES got it correct on apex
The five basic characteristics of social stratification are: a) Ancient Stratification / The Antiquity of Social stratification b) The Ubiquity of Stratification c) The Social Patterning of Stratification d) The Diversity of Form and Amount of Stratification e) The Consequences of Stratification