Handouts Week-9

Handouts Week 9
Social Stratification
 Stratification is a hierarchy of positions with regard to economic production which

influences the social rewards to those in the positions.
 Social Stratification is a particular form of social inequality.
 Social stratification means division of society into different strata or layers.
 Social stratification refers to the division of a society into different hierarchical layers or
levels based on various factors such as wealth, occupation, social status, and power.
The Meaning and Nature of Social Stratification

a. The ranking of people is the essence of stratification: the division of a Society into
larger categories or strata of people who have unequal amounts Of scarce but desirable
resources or rewards. (Light, 1985)
b. Panopio (1989) defines social stratification as the hierarchical arrangement and
establishment of social categories that may evolve into social groups together with
statuses and their corresponding roles. The elements have varying ranks of superiority
and inferiority.
c. Melvin Tumin defines social stratification as “an arrangement of any social groups or
society into a hierarchy of positions that are unequal with regard to power, property,
social evaluation and psychic gratification”.
d. Social Stratification is a sociological term for the hierarchical arrangement of social
classes, castes, and strata within a society.
TYPES OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
1. Caste System:
The caste system is a form of social stratification based on hereditary membership in
particular social groups called castes. In this system, individuals are born into a specific
caste and their social status and opportunities are determined by their caste affiliation.
Movement between castes is usually not possible.
2. Class System:
The class system is a type of social stratification based on economic criteria such as
wealth, income, and occupation. Individuals in this system have the opportunity to move
up or down the social ladder based on their achievements, education, and economic
success. It allows for more mobility compared to the caste system.
3. Estate System:
The estate system, also known as feudalism, was prominent during medieval times. It is
based on the division of society into three major estates: the clergy, the nobility, and the
commoners, with each estate having different rights, privileges, and obligations. Social
mobility in this system was limited, as one’s position was generally inherited and tied to
landownership.
4. Slavery:
Slavery is a form of extreme social stratification where individuals are considered
property and are owned by others. Slaves have no personal freedom or rights and are
often forced into labor through coercion or violence. This system has been historically
prevalent in various societies, though it is now widely abolished.
These types of social stratification systems differ in terms of how they allocate power,
resources, and opportunities within a society, ultimately shaping the social structure and
dynamics of that particular community.
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

Here in the Philippines, social stratification is very noticeable. Wherever you are and wherever
you go, social stratification is present. Sometimes, you cannot notice it but when you look at a
certain thing or situation deeply, you can see that. The influence of government officials is more
noticeable in public today. Sometimes, in a simple traffic violation, they usually involved the We
don‟t want to be inferior to others that‟s why we are looking on the other way to popular or
known, to gain reputation and to be prioritized by others. We are always looking for
advancement that we can get only when we are in the higher class in society. Even though most
of the Filipino population today is in the middle class and only a few are in the highest class, we
can feel the influence of those few who are in the highest class in our everyday living. This is
how great the social stratification is and in which even in the house of God or in the churches
their influence is very noticeable. But even though this Social stratification is present in our
everyday living, don‟t forget that in the eye of God we are all equal and we are given equal
prioritized by Him. But don‟t be Stocked on what you are today. Exert an effort to have an
improvement in life.name Of their known politician to escape the punishment that they should
face. In terms Of wealth, they usually use the money to do them a favor and to prioritize them.
In Education, most of the time people don‟t look at the knowledge that the person has, They
usually look at the school or university where the person came from. And in Physical
appearance, people having luminous skin, tall, and attractive are given More chances and
advancement. These are some basics that what was said in the Law that all citizens are equal
was not true because, in a fundamental sense, people Are not equal. And these are the reasons
why we people deserve and looking for More improvement in life. We Filipinos are very
conscious of the social class where We belong.
TYPES OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION SYSTEM

Social stratification is an inherent character of all societies. It is historical as we Find it in all
societies, ancient and modern; and it is universal as it exists in simple Or complex societies.
The social differentiation on the basis of high and low is the Historical heritage of all societies.By
stratification we mean that arrangement of any social group or society by which Positions are
hierarchically divided. The positions are unequal with regard to Power, property, evaluation and
psychic gratification. We add social, because Positions consist of socially defined statuses
Stratification is a phenomenon present in all societies that have produced a Surplus.
Stratification is the process by which members of society rank themselves And one another in
hierarchies with respect to the amount of desirable goods they Possess.
The existence of stratification has led to the centuries old problem of social Inequality. In
societies that have closed stratification systems, such inequalities are Institutionalised and rigid.
An individual born into a particular economic and social Stratum or caste, remains in this
stratum until he dies. Most modern industrial Societies have open or class stratification systems.
In open stratification systems, Social mobility is possible, although some members of the
population do not have The opportunity to fulfill their potential.
The term stratification refers to a process by which individuals and groups are Ranked in a more
or less enduring hierarchy of status. It refers to the division of a Population into strata, one on
the top of another, on the basis of certain Characteristics like inborn qualities, material
possessions and performance.
According to Raymond W. Murray “Social stratification is a horizontal division of Society into
higher and lower social units. As Malvin M. Tumin says, Social Stratification refers to
arrangements of any social group or society into a hierarchy Of positions that are unequal with
regard to power, property, social evaluation, And/or social gratification.
Lundberg writes, “A stratified society is one marked by inequality, by differences Among people
that are evaluated by them as being lower and higher”. As Gisbert Says, “Social stratification is
the division of society into permanent groups of Categories linked with each other by the
relationship of superiority and Subordination.
According to Bernard Barber, “Social stratification in its most general sense, is a Sociological
concept that refers to the fact that both individuals and groups of Individuals are conceived of as
constituting higher or lower differentiated strata or Classes in terms of some specific or
generalized characteristic or set of Characteristics.” Sociologists have been able to establish
several strata or layers Which form a hierarchy of prestige or power in a society. Characteristics
of Stratification.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
It is Social:
Stratification is social in the sense that it does not represent inequality which are Biologically
based. It is true that factors such as strength, intelligence, age, sex can Often serve as the basis
on which status are distinguished. But such differences by Themselves are not sufficient to
explain why some statuses receive more power,Property and prestige than others.Biological
traits do not determine social superiority and inferiority until they are Socially recognized. For
example, manager of an industry attains a dominant Position not by physical strength, nor by his
age, but by having socially defined Traits. His education, training skills, experience,
personality,character etc. are Found to be more important than his biological qualities.
It Is Ancient:
The stratification system is very old. Stratification was present even in the small Wandering
bands. Age and sex wear the main criteria of stratification. Difference Between the rich and
poor, powerful and humble, freemen and slaves was there in Almost all the ancient civilization.
Ever since the time of Plato and Kautilya social Philosopher have been deeply concerned with
economic, social, political Inequalities.
It is Universal:
Social stratification is universal. Difference between rich and poor, the “haves”or “have notes‟ is
evident everywhere. Even in the non-literate societies stratification is Very much present.
It Is in diverse Forms:
Social stratification has never been uniform in all societies. The ancient Roman Society was
stratified into two strata: the Patricians and the Plebians .The Aryan Society was divided into
four Varnas: the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Sudras, the ancient Greek society in to
freemen and slaves, the ancient Chinese Society into mandarins, merchants, Farmer and
soldiers. Class and estate seem to Be the general forms of stratification found in the modern
world.
It Is Consequential:
The stratification system has its own consequences. The most important, most Desired and
often the scarcest things in human life are distributed unequally Because of stratification. The
system leads to two kind of consequences: (i) Life Chances and (ii) Life style.Life chances refer
to such things as infant mortality, longevity, physical and mental Illness, marital conflict,
separation and divorce. Life styles include the mode of Housing, residential area, education,
means of recreation, relation between parent And children, modes of conveyance and so on.

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Handouts Week 9

 Stratification is a hierarchy of positions with regard to economic production which

The Meaning and Nature of Social Stratification

TYPES OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

SOCIAL STRATIFICATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

TYPES OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION SYSTEM

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

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