SOCIAL STRATIFICATION AND SOCIAL CLASS

Inequality of entire categories of people who have different access to social desireables because of their position in a social hierarchy.

SOCIAL CLASS:

Those aspects of the social system which determine differential access to social desirables, i.e. different life chances or "who gets how much of what"?

BASIC QUESTION:

What is the basis on which the different rewards of society should be distributed?

CONFLICTING IDEOLOGIES ABOUT STRATIFICATION

EQUALITY VS INEQUALITY

• Inequality is functional because it serves as a motivator for excellence and a reward for achievement

vs

• Equality is functional because it means a fair game for all.

EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY

Everyone has the right to start out with the same "chances", i.e. with access to the social desirables but the outcome will depend on individual effort.

EQUALITY OF OUTCOME

Everyone has the right to a baseline of social desirable (income, food, housing, medical care, employment, etc.) regardless of individual achievement.

Inability to provide for the basics needed to preserve life and health.

RELATIVE DEPRIVATION:

Inability to provide for the standard of living customary in one's community or among one's set of peers.

SOCIAL DARWINISM

(Herbert Spencer)

The doctrine that Charles Darwin's theory of the "Survival of the Fittest" applies to human societies as well.

Societies progress as competition "weeds out" the "weak stock" (e.g. the poor, disabled, criminal, mentally ill, etc).

It follows from this doctrine that no measures should be taken to provide help for these individuals or families who are seen to be biologically inferior.

WHAT CAUSES INEQUALITY?

INDIVIDUAL EXPLANATIONS (Favored by Americans)

* Individual Effort (or lack thereof). "To each according to his/her own ability". "The prizes of the race go to the swiftest". Based on laissez faire arguments of Adam Smith and Social Darwinist arguments of Herbert Spencer.

* Follows from above: Each person/family responsible for self; society (esp government) owes nothing. Poor are responsible for own poverty; wealthy deserve the fruits of their efforts/ investments.

CULTURAL EXPLANATIONS

Lower Class Culture/ Culture of Poverty (Oscar Lewis)

* "Inherited" as subculture or adaptive to situation

* Unwillingness to delay gratification (e.g. sex, alcohol)

* Orientation to present; fatalistic view re: future

* Belief that own efforts are useless

* Weak commitment to family and community

STRUCTURAL/ SOCIETAL EXPLANATIONS

* Competition for scarce resources with those who are well positioned, who seek to maintain their position, fearful that they will lose relative advantage if others move up.

Socialist argument that profits are maximized if wages are minimized.

Discrimination according to race, ethnicity, etc.

* Changing industrial/ occupational patterns with dislocation of jobs. Move of economy from industrial to post-industrial base.

Change in location of jobs geographically.

SOCIAL MOBILITY: Movement from one social status to another.

INTERGENERATIONAL MOBILITY: Movement up or down the social hierarchy by family members from one generation to another.

EXCHANGE MOBILITY: Changes in people's social statuses as they exchange places with each other at different levels of the social hierarchy.

STRUCTURAL MOBILITY: Changes in people's social statuses as a result of changes in the structure of the economy.

* Splits in the society between "haves" and "have-nots"

* Conflict, despair and a lack of integration in the society

* Crime and the costs of crime; the "costs of weak bonds"

* Costs for welfare; disease; the "dehumanization" of poverty; low birth weight babies which have less chance for healthy development

* Wasted human potential among those who are among the "leftouts"

1. Splits in the society between the haves and the have nots;

2. Despair and a lack of integration in the society; alienation; conflict and a sense of not getting ones fair share; potential revolution.

3. Crime and the costs of crime. The "strength of weak bonds".

4. Costs for welfare; disease; dehumanization; low birth weight babies, which have less chance of healthy development, etc.

E. DEVICES FOR REDUCING INEQUALITY

1. Employment solutions: building the economy, providing jobs, full employment.

2. Equalizing opportunity: Headstart, open admissions at CUNY; PELL grants, affirmative action program. Level playing field

3. State socialist solution: Equalizing outcomes through taking over the economy; enforced equality (of outcomes).

4. Democratic socialist solution: Redistribution of wealth through the tax system; providing minimum floor of decency of health and well being.

5. Building strong power groups (i.e. unions, community organizations, lobbies, etc) which can demand their share of the wealth and resources available.

6. Volunteerism, self-help groups, individuals sharing, Individual vs class solution, i.e. charity vs entitlements.

F. WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT?

1. Individuals

2. Mediating groups (churches, unions, voluntary associations, etc)

3. Business

4. Government