https://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Social_str
atification
categorization of people
into socioeconomicstrata, based upon
their occupation and income, wealth and socia
l status, or derived power (social and political).
As such, stratification is the relative social
position of persons within a social group,
category, geographic region, orsocial unit. In
modern Western societies, social stratification
typically is distinguished as three social
classes: (i) the upper class, (ii) the middle
class, and (iii) the lower class; in turn, each
class can be subdivided into strata, e.g. the
upper-stratum, the middle-stratum, and the
lower stratum.[1] Moreover, a social stratum
can be formed upon the bases
of kinship or caste, or both.
The categorization of people by social strata
occurs in all societies, ranging from the
complex, state-based societies
to tribal and feudal societies, which are based
upon socio-economic relations among classes
of nobility and classes ofpeasants. Historically,
whether or not hunter-gatherer societies can
be defined as socially stratified or if social
stratification began with agriculture and
common acts of social exchange, remains a
debated matter in the social sciences.
[2]
Determining the structures of social
stratification arises from inequalities of status
among persons, therefore, the degree
of social inequalitydetermines a person's
social stratum. Generally, the greater
the social complexity of a society, the more
social strata exist, by way of social
differentiation.[3]
Social Stratification can be described as sociallypatterned inequality of access to things that a
culture defines as desirable. Social stratification is
a topic of extraordinarybreadth. Stratification
pervades all aspects of culture and society, and
stratification perfusesthe points of articulation
between social, cultural and physical

environments. Sociologists examine stratification

through the lenses of human ecology, culture,
demography, health, economic sociology,
education, employment, race, religion, ethnicity
and so-on. Stratification research often asks
questions that require new analytic methods, so
stratification researchers at Chicago are closely
connected to research methodologists. From
Anderson to Znaniecki, the history of American
stratification research and theory is defined by
scholars who spent some or all of their most
productive years in the University of Chicago
Department of Sociology. Virtually every member
of the current University of Chicago Department
of Sociology could claim membership in the
stratification cluster and would be welcome to do
so.

The Political Leadership: Mills held

that, prior to the end of World War II,
leaders of corporations became more
prominent within the political sphere along
with a decline in central decision-making
among professional politicians.[14]

The Military Circle: During the

1950s-1960s, increasing concerns
about warfare resulted in top military
leaders and issues involving defense
funding and military personnel training
becoming a top priority within the United
States. Most of the prominent politicians
and corporate leaders have been strong
proponents of military spending.

The Corporate Elite: Mills explains

that during the 1950s, when the military
emphasis was recognized, corporate
leaders worked with prominent military
officers who dominated the development
of policies. Corporate leaders and highranking military officers were mutually
supportive of each other.[14][15][pp. 274276]

http://sociology.uchicago.edu/people/st
ratification.shtml