I. Introduction: Social Stratificationa. What is the significance of stratification?b. Not simply a question of fairness.II. Definitiona. Stratification is the systematic inequality in the availability of those things that are sought after in society.b. Income, education, and occupation are often correlated.III. Origins: Domestication of plants and animalsIV. Systems of Stratificationa. Slaveryb. Caste systemc. Class systemV. Classes in Western Societya. Measures of social classi. Incomeii. Wealth b. The U.S. Class Structurei. Upper-upper classii. Upper classiii. Middle class1. Upper middle2. Middle3. Lower middleiv. Working classv. Lower classvi. UnderclassVI. Inequality in the U.S.a. Growing Inequalityb. CEOs vs. Workersc. Minorities vs. Whitesd. Single-parent families vs. Married Couplese. Feminization of Povertyf. Social Mobilityi. Intergenerationalii. Intragenerationaliii. Downward mobilityg. Poverty in the U.Si. Absolute vs. Relative Povertyh. Measuring Povertyi. Poverty line as defined by the OMB:1. $23,550 for a family of 4 (2013)2. $19,530 for a family of 3 (2013)3. $15,510 for a family of 2 (2013)4. $11,490 for unrelated individuals (2013)i. The poverty rate increased between 2007 and 2008 for the first time in 10 years (since 1997). It rose again in 2009 (US Census Bureau).i. 2007 – 12.5% (37.3 million people)ii. 2008 – 13.2% (39.8 million people)iii. 2009 – 14.3% (43.6 million people; the largest number in the 51 years of published poverty estimates)iv. 2010 – 15.1% (46.2 million people; the largest number in the 52 years of published poverty estimates)j. Explaining povertyi. Culture of povertyii. Dependency cultureVII. Theories of Stratificationa. Conflict Theoryi. Control of resourcesii. Control of ideology b. Karl Marxi. Marx’ economic determinism: A society’s class system is determined by its means of production.ii. Capitalistsiii. Surplus valueiv. Bourgeoisie: owners of the means of productionv. Proletariat: those who work for the owners and own nothing buttheir laborvi. Class consciousness: one’s subjective awareness of belonging to a classvii. Communist revolution leads to classless societyviii. Problems with Marxc. Weber’s multidimensional approachi. wealth: all of one’s material resourcesii. status: one’s social prestigeiii. power: the ability to exercise one’s will over others 1. C. Wright Mills, The Power Elite (1956)a. Business, Military, Governmentb. Eisenhower on “the military-industrial complex)iv. SES: socioeconomic statusd. Functionalism of Davis and MooreVIII. Summary and Conclusiona. Social inequality is inherent and universal.b. Systems may be either open or closed.c. Functionalism: stratification is necessary and inevitable.d. Conflict: stratification is a product of competition and power.e. Stratification can only be understood in a global context. We’ll discuss this