Sandy Kong

Sociology 1
Professor Lookholder
10/10/15
Stratification Definitions
Social Stratification
Social stratification is a term used by sociologists to describe the automatic
differences that separates society into different economic and power hierarchies.
Sociologists explain that individuals are slotted into a layer of stratum according to
their social class, thus they receive the benefits and rewards according to their
respective social class. Power is held through social network where people are
rewarded in the form of income and wealth, these power are then passed down from
generation to generation. Thus, social class is closely maintained among the same
group of people through generations.
An open stratification system is one where individuals are able to easily move
from on social position to another. Class system is considered to be an open
stratification system in the United States because the government have removed
legal barriers preventing women, ethnic and racial minorities from opportunities that
can improve their social positions. A closed stratification system is one where
individuals are strictly contained in the social positions in which they are born. Caste
system is considered to be a closed system because in India where such system
exists, people are expected to marry into their own caste and are divided into
different groups according to their religion.
An ascribed status is where individuals are assigned a social position by
society according to their demographics. Slavery, caste and estate are systems

based on ascribed status where individuals inherit their social statuses. Their social
statuses are not determined by their personal qualities. Social classes are systems
based on achieved status where economic mobility means that an individuals social
position is determined by their achieved characteristics that are financially rewarded.

Means of Production
According to Karl Marx, means of production includes land, factories,
machines and tools. He believed that those resources are owned by people who
holds the most power in society at the time. In the feudal system, the nobles and the
upper class owned those resources, therefore, the peasants didnt have any choice
but to work for them in return for the land that the nobles provide them with. Marx
separates the society into two categories, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The
bourgeoisie holds power in society and thus, control the means of production.
Proletariat is a term used to describe the working class who are not titled to
ownership to any of the factors of production.
Class consciousness describes the subjective awareness of the needed
collective political action to bring about social change. Dominant Ideology refers to
the attitudes, beliefs, values and morals commonly shared by the majority of the
people. False consciousness refers to the attitude and perspective held by
individuals of a class that does not accurately reflect their social positions.

Webers definition of Class, Status Group & Party

According to Weber, class separation is solely measured by their economic
resource. For example, many argue that the education system is an example of

class separation where people of lower income can barely afford basic K-12
education while the upper-middle class can comfortably afford higher education.
Status groups are separated according to how each persons social status is
perceived by the society. For example, lawyers and doctors belong in the same
status groups because both the professions are perceived to be prestigious in
society. Party is different to class and status group as it came into existence to
achieve an established end goal. Party is an organized group that functions
efficiently to achieve their end goal. For example, the Republican Party in the United
States is an organized political group who have pioneered academic freedom,
improve consumer rights protection laws and the separation of the church and the
state.

Cultural Capital
Pierre Bourdieu emphasized the importance of cultural resources, as some
cultures are perceived to be more valuable than others. Our tastes, knowledge,
attitude, language and perspective that we exchange in our interactions with others
are components of cultural capital.
The material resource that one acquires or is associated with determines their
power. The more expensive materials and prestigious their reputation is, the more
they are perceived to be powerful in society. Social resource is another component
of cultural capital where the ownership of a desired social resource adds of a
persons power due to its ability to control it. For example, a college graduate whose
father is the president of one of the fortune 500 companies is said to have strong
social resources. They can use their social resources to jump-start their career in a
way it would be impossible or difficult without their connections. Having good social

resources by having good knowledge of worthy or desired cultures may add to an

individuals cultural capital. These three components come together in to shape a
persons cultural capital and are expressed in their life.
Cultural capital is linked to class differences according to the different tastes
that each cultural class posses. Thus, different expression of tastes denotes
different class. For example, in terms of tastes for food, heritage/ heirloom/ artesian
foods that are refined and healthy are considered high culture. For example, dining
at a restaurant that has Michelin stars is considered to be high culture. On the other
hand, people on the lower end of the cultural spectrum often consume eating instant,
microwavable or fast food. The things we consume and the material resources we
associate ourselves with in our everyday lives adheres to specific class descriptions
in the long run. This includes the clothing brands we buy and the neighborhood in
which our house is located. People of wealthy background are likely to take vacation
in a different country while middle to lower class family will take a road trip r camping
trips to a nearby place for vacation. Skiing and snowboarding is considered to be an
expensive sport that only upper middle class to upper class can afford, thus it is
considered to be their form of cultural expression.
An example of the high cultural capital thats religiously followed by the media
and many viewers around the world is the reality TV: Keeping Up with the
Kardashian. It is a reality movie that sets and defines the symbols, materials and
lifestyle of a wealthy Hollywood family. It looks at the house they live in, the cars they
drive, the food they eat, the hobbies they pursue and all other things they do.
Relative poverty is a term used to describe the floating standard used to
measure the shortages that people in the lower end of the economic spectrum
experience relative to the rest of the nation. Absolute poverty refers to the lowest

level of living circumstances thats below the bare minimum level necessary to lead a
substantial life. Socioeconomic standard uses multiple variables such as income,
education, occupation and wealth to measure a persons social standing. Prestige
refers to the respect and admiration that one has as a result of their occupation.
Esteem refers to the reputation that one earns within an occupation.