Social Stratification - Ahn seo hyeon (안서현)

Stratification

Stratification refers to the hierarchical divisions of people in a society.

Economic stratification is how people are distinguished because of their wealthy(inequality).

People are distinguished by they have scarce, valued resources or not in society.

(By no specific [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

Origin of inequality

Inequality is originated from transition from hunter/gatherer societies to horticultural/pastoralist societies.

In hunter/gatherer society, people did their own works, so there are little surplus things.

Therefore they didn’t trade things.

In horticultural society, people lived in one place, and they divided works.

So there were surplus things then people traded each other. Therefore inequality was made.

In contemporary society. Socioeconomic status was decided by power, property, prestige.

Gender inequality (sort of inequality)

(By Gromat (자작, Daten von UNDP [1]) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons)

Theories of inequality

There are many theories about inequality.

Inequality is maintained by social reproduction theory

First, the rich and powerful protect the system of inequality because of their benefits.

The rich and powerful have not only means of production but also impact on government power.

Second, culture teaches people to accept the equality.

That make people believe their status are natural.

Third, socialization makes people to accept the position in life.

Also, education helps to reinforce an acceptance of inequality. And education effects people’s roles when leaving school.

^{Theories of stratification} 

^{There are theories about stratification.}

Structural-Functionalism on Stratification

 Structural-functionalism focuses on function on things in society.

Stratification and inequalities are inevitable and beneficial to society.

This approach assumes that the system of stratification is fair and rational, and that the ‘best’ people end up on top because of their superiority

Conflict Theorists on Stratification

Stratification is dysfunctional and harmful in society Stratification benefits the wealth.

Global inequality

Global inequality is a problem in contemporary society. There are theory about it.

World Systems Theory

The world economy system is divided into a hierarchy of three types of countries: core, semiperipheral, and peripheral.

Core countries have most of the world’s capital and technology and have great control over world economic.

And core countries exploit both semiperipheral and peripheral countries.

Semiperipheral countries generally provide labor and materials to core countries and exploit peripheral countries like core countries.

Interesting thing & Thinking

I was interested that stratification is expanded from one society to world.

All society have stratification system. There are the rich, ordinary people, and the poor.

In world, there is stratification system. There are core, semiperipheral, and peripheral countries.

I think world's stratification is caused by the timing of industrialization.

Core countries develped earlier than semiperipheral, peripheral countries so they exploit other countries using develped technologies.

Semiperipheral countries learned from core countries so semiperipheral countries eclpoit peripheral countries.

Peripheral countries are exploited by core, semiperipheral countries. 

I think it's because peripheral countries cannot develop quickly.

Culture and education indoctrinate that their economic status is natural. So they (peripheral counties people) do not think to develop and get out of exploitation of core,semiperipheral countries..

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