Social Stratification The way society ranks through hierarchy on a scale of social worth so that your ranking affects life chances in unequal ways Life chances person s life will follow certain path and turn out in a certain way Social prestige level of respect and admiration for a status Status value people possessing one characteristic is regarded or treated as more valuable than people who possess a different characteristic Class a person s overall economic and social status in a system of social stratification Karl Marx Social Class Determined by relationship to the means of production and source of income Focused on class struggle and conflict between classes Bourgeoisie owners of the means of production Proletariat workers who must sell their labor to bourgeoisie Max Weber Social Class based on Social class composed of those who hold similar life chances Income Access to consumer goods and services Ability to generate income Negatively privileged Class standing is complicated by status groups and power Status group group held together by a lifestyle that has come to be expected of all those who wish to belong to the circle Poverty Absolute vs Relative Extreme Wealth the most excessive form of wealth Absolute Poverty the most extreme form of poverty unable to provide necessities for self
View Full Document
Unlocking...