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Social Stratification Social Stratification Stratification in pre-industrial Stratification in pre-industrial societies societies The Caste system of India The Caste system of India Stratification in an Advanced Stratification in an Advanced Industrial Society – the U.S. Industrial Society – the U.S. Income Inequality Income Inequality What is the median income? What is the median income? How many people live in poverty? How many people live in poverty? Wealth Inequality Wealth Inequality Status Inequality in the U.S. Status Inequality in the U.S. Social Mobility Social Mobility Income and wealth inequality in Income and wealth inequality in comparative perspective comparative perspective

Social Stratification Stratification in pre-industrial societies Stratification in pre-industrial societies –The Caste system of India Stratification in

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Page 1: Social Stratification Stratification in pre-industrial societies Stratification in pre-industrial societies –The Caste system of India Stratification in

Social StratificationSocial Stratification

Stratification in pre-industrial societiesStratification in pre-industrial societies– The Caste system of IndiaThe Caste system of India

Stratification in an Advanced Industrial Stratification in an Advanced Industrial Society – the U.S.Society – the U.S.– Income Inequality Income Inequality – What is the median income? What is the median income? – How many people live in poverty?How many people live in poverty?– Wealth Inequality Wealth Inequality – Status Inequality in the U.S.Status Inequality in the U.S.– Social Mobility Social Mobility

Income and wealth inequality in comparative Income and wealth inequality in comparative perspectiveperspective

Page 2: Social Stratification Stratification in pre-industrial societies Stratification in pre-industrial societies –The Caste system of India Stratification in

Stratification in pre-Stratification in pre-industrial societiesindustrial societies Very little stratification in hunting Very little stratification in hunting

and gathering societiesand gathering societies Nobody owns much, so there is no Nobody owns much, so there is no

basis for inequality.basis for inequality. Primary differences are differences Primary differences are differences

in prestige or social honor (status)in prestige or social honor (status) Good hunters, weavers, older Good hunters, weavers, older

people etc. are given prestigepeople etc. are given prestige

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In horticultural societies people In horticultural societies people are more settled in one place and are more settled in one place and own more, so there is more own more, so there is more stratificationstratification

If a horticultural society is a tribe, If a horticultural society is a tribe, there may be no leaders or there may be no leaders or someone referred to as a “big someone referred to as a “big man.”man.”

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Men compete for status by Men compete for status by holding feasts and giving away holding feasts and giving away food and goods. food and goods.

The man who holds the biggest The man who holds the biggest feast and gives away the most feast and gives away the most becomes the big man of the tribe. becomes the big man of the tribe.

Big men are not permanent Big men are not permanent leaders and cannot bequeath leaders and cannot bequeath their positiontheir position

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Sometimes horticultural societies Sometimes horticultural societies have chiefs, or permanent leaders have chiefs, or permanent leaders who can bequeath their position to who can bequeath their position to their children.their children.

Now we see status group differences Now we see status group differences between the chief, his family and his between the chief, his family and his retainers (who become the retainers (who become the aristocracy) and the common peoplearistocracy) and the common people

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Most of these differences concern Most of these differences concern rules of behavior and dressrules of behavior and dress

Dress codes can be so elaborate Dress codes can be so elaborate for aristocrats that they are a for aristocrats that they are a physical handicap.physical handicap.

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Zulu warrior

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Material differences between Material differences between aristocrats and commoners are aristocrats and commoners are not great.not great.

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Inequality reaches its maximum in Inequality reaches its maximum in agrarian societies.agrarian societies.

At the top is a monarch who is hugely At the top is a monarch who is hugely wealthy.wealthy.

There is also a large aristocracy – the There is also a large aristocracy – the ruling classruling class

Below the aristocracy is the retainer Below the aristocracy is the retainer class of top officials, soldiers and class of top officials, soldiers and servants.servants.

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Most people are part of the peasantry, Most people are part of the peasantry, the vast majority of people who work the vast majority of people who work the land.the land.

Below the peasantry are groups of Below the peasantry are groups of slaves, craftsmen, and degraded slaves, craftsmen, and degraded classes who work as tanners or classes who work as tanners or garbage collectors.garbage collectors.

Below them are groups of beggars and Below them are groups of beggars and the destitute.the destitute.

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There are vast differences There are vast differences between the lifestyle of the between the lifestyle of the monarch and the aristocracy and monarch and the aristocracy and the peasants and lower classes.the peasants and lower classes.

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The caste system of The caste system of IndiaIndia This system of ranked groups of This system of ranked groups of

people in agrarian societies people in agrarian societies reaches its most rigid form in the reaches its most rigid form in the Indian caste system.Indian caste system.

Each caste is an endogamous, Each caste is an endogamous, hereditary group. hereditary group.

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Brahmins- priestly class Brahmins- priestly class Kshatria - rulers and aristocrats Kshatria - rulers and aristocrats Vaisia - landlords and business men, or. Vaisia - landlords and business men, or. Sudra, the peasantry and those who Sudra, the peasantry and those who

work in non-polluting jobs. work in non-polluting jobs. Untouchables- those who work in Untouchables- those who work in

unclean jobs such as garbage unclean jobs such as garbage collection, etc. collection, etc.

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The first three castes have social The first three castes have social and economic rights which the and economic rights which the Sudra and the untouchables do Sudra and the untouchables do not have. not have.

Interaction between the castes is Interaction between the castes is strictly regulated, and there are strictly regulated, and there are penalties for people who do not penalties for people who do not follow the rules.follow the rules.

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Stratification in the Stratification in the U.S.U.S. Inequality can be by money Inequality can be by money

(class) or status(class) or status Class inequality can be inequality Class inequality can be inequality

by income or inequality by wealth by income or inequality by wealth (property, stocks and bonds, (property, stocks and bonds, savings)savings)

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Income InequalityIncome Inequality

In 2007, the top fifth of In 2007, the top fifth of households in the U.S. earned households in the U.S. earned nearly half of all income.nearly half of all income.

Equivalence income takes into Equivalence income takes into account the number of people account the number of people living in the householdliving in the household

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Page 18: Social Stratification Stratification in pre-industrial societies Stratification in pre-industrial societies –The Caste system of India Stratification in

Which states have the Which states have the most income most income inequality?inequality?

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Has income inequality Has income inequality been getting better or been getting better or worse?worse?

Percent change in Gini coefficient, U.S. Higher coefficients mean more inequality.

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In which states do In which states do people earn the most?people earn the most? Income is usually referred to as Income is usually referred to as

median incomemedian income That is the income of someone That is the income of someone

who is the very middle of the who is the very middle of the income scale.income scale.

Median income is highest on the Median income is highest on the east and west coastseast and west coasts

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Has median income Has median income been rising or falling?been rising or falling?

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Is that because women Is that because women are working?are working?

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How about poverty? How about poverty?

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Is that getting better or worse?Is that getting better or worse? Mostly it seems to be getting Mostly it seems to be getting

betterbetter Fewer people are living in povertyFewer people are living in poverty

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Wealth InequalityWealth Inequality

Net worth refers to equity in Net worth refers to equity in home, stocks, bonds, IRAs, 401k home, stocks, bonds, IRAs, 401k accounts, savings, equity in accounts, savings, equity in vehicles, etc.vehicles, etc.

It is a measure of wealthIt is a measure of wealth Figures shows median net worth Figures shows median net worth

by income by income

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In 2002, households in the In 2002, households in the highest fifth of income earners highest fifth of income earners had substantially higher net worth had substantially higher net worth than anyone else.than anyone else.

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How has net worth How has net worth changed over time?changed over time?

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Status Inequality in Status Inequality in the U.S.the U.S. There are status groups in There are status groups in

American society that may be American society that may be defined by their style of life.defined by their style of life.

The ranking of a status group The ranking of a status group often corresponds to its income often corresponds to its income and wealth ranking, but not and wealth ranking, but not always.always.

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Status groups in the Status groups in the U.S.U.S. The top out of sight group-The top out of sight group- This group This group

lives entirely on inherited capital. This lives entirely on inherited capital. This is most prestigious if it is at least 3 to 4 is most prestigious if it is at least 3 to 4 generations old (e.g. Rockefellers). generations old (e.g. Rockefellers).

The upper-The upper- This group inherits a lot of This group inherits a lot of their money but earns a lot too, their money but earns a lot too, “usually from some attractive, if slight “usually from some attractive, if slight work, without which they would feel work, without which they would feel bored or even ashamed.” This work bored or even ashamed.” This work might be controlling banks or older might be controlling banks or older corporations, think tanks, or corporations, think tanks, or foundations. foundations.

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Upper middleUpper middle -This group may have as -This group may have as much money as the upper group, but much money as the upper group, but they earned it from law, medicine, they earned it from law, medicine, finance, oil, shipping, real estate or the finance, oil, shipping, real estate or the more honorific kinds of trade such as art. more honorific kinds of trade such as art.

MiddleMiddle -The middle is the most earnest -The middle is the most earnest and insecure group. Middle class people and insecure group. Middle class people are very concerned about what people are very concerned about what people think of them and often obsessed with think of them and often obsessed with doing everything right. Middle class doing everything right. Middle class people have jobs in the middle ranks of people have jobs in the middle ranks of companies.companies.

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High Proletarian -High Proletarian -This group is made up This group is made up mostly of blue collar workers, people mostly of blue collar workers, people who skilled workers and craftspeople. who skilled workers and craftspeople. People in this group are proud of their People in this group are proud of their work and are tempted to call what they work and are tempted to call what they do a profession. do a profession.

Mid proletarian-Mid proletarian-This group is made of This group is made of operators like bus drivers, truck drivers operators like bus drivers, truck drivers and heavy equipment operators. They and heavy equipment operators. They tend to have more supervision in their tend to have more supervision in their jobs than the high proletarians. jobs than the high proletarians.

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Low proletarian-Low proletarian-These people have These people have uncertain employment such as seasonal uncertain employment such as seasonal jobs. They are highly supervised on the jobs. They are highly supervised on the job and often prefer social isolation job and often prefer social isolation outside of work.outside of work.

Destitute-Destitute-These people never have even These people never have even seasonal work but live wholly on welfare.seasonal work but live wholly on welfare.

Bottom out of sight-Bottom out of sight-The homeless, and The homeless, and those in charitable or correctional those in charitable or correctional institutions.institutions.

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Social MobilitySocial Mobility

How easy is it to move up (or How easy is it to move up (or down) the class structure in the down) the class structure in the U.S.?U.S.?

Research shows that in most Research shows that in most industrial societies there has been industrial societies there has been considerable upward mobility considerable upward mobility over the course of the 20over the course of the 20thth century.century.

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Much of that mobility, however, is Much of that mobility, however, is due to changes in the available due to changes in the available jobs, and the proliferation of jobs, and the proliferation of white collar jobs (that are white collar jobs (that are generally higher prestige) and the generally higher prestige) and the disappearance of blue collar jobs disappearance of blue collar jobs (that are generally lower prestige)(that are generally lower prestige)

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When changes in the nature of When changes in the nature of available jobs is factored in, the available jobs is factored in, the amount of mobility has not amount of mobility has not change that much in over a change that much in over a century. century.

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How does the U.S. How does the U.S. compare to other compare to other industrial societies?industrial societies? The United States is by far the The United States is by far the

richest nation.richest nation.

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Page 41: Social Stratification Stratification in pre-industrial societies Stratification in pre-industrial societies –The Caste system of India Stratification in

Why? Americans work harder – Why? Americans work harder – longer hours every day and more longer hours every day and more weeks per year.weeks per year.

Unemployment tends to be low in Unemployment tends to be low in U.S.U.S.

More U.S. couples are dual earner More U.S. couples are dual earner couples.couples.

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At the same time, the U.S. has At the same time, the U.S. has the highest level of income the highest level of income inequality.inequality.

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The U.S. also has a larger The U.S. also has a larger percentage of people in poverty.percentage of people in poverty.

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