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Yiming Chen

Professor Lookholder

Sociology 001

July 30, 2017

Social stratification

Social stratification is a means of ranking for all people belonging to society. This is a

developed hierarchy which classifies individuals to a respective classes. Social class is

connected to social stratification because social stratification places individuals in similar

divisions typically based on economic status. Four systems of social stratification exist in

order to place individuals into belonging classes. There is the slavery system where some

people serve and others get served. Second is the caste system where people are given a

social status that will last with them throughout their lifetime. The third system is the estate

system, ranking people in between the clergy, the noble, and the common people. These three

systems can be regarded as closed systems as individuals are stuck with them for their

lifetime. They are also ascribed systems because they are all given at a time of birth or

appointed later in life. Fourth is the class system which defines social class on the

accumulation of wealth one has and is mainly seen today. The class system is an open system

as individuals may rank higher with the more the make, as seen in a capitalistic society. The

estate system andis an ascribed system because people are given status based on merit. It is

also an achieved status because one can make more money based on determination.

Referring to Karl Marxs ideologies, the means of production refers to anything that is

used to produce. This means of production is owned by specialized individuals belonging to a

group. This means of production can be utilized to produce in order to obtain goods not able

to be produced by oneself. For example, a sword maker possesses the means of production of
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making a sword, whereas a pharmacist possesses the means of production for compounding

drugs. The bourgeoisie is regarded as the class that holds most of the wealth in society. The

proletariat is the lowest class in that society. They share a relationship due to the bourgeoisie

being able to create jobs for the proletariat, thus circulating the wealth in society based on the

means of production of the proletariat. Class consciousness is the awareness of one's

belonging in their own social class. A proletariat would know they belong in factories

working in assembly lines. Dominant ideology is what shapes the thoughts of those of

different classes. It has the proletariat thinking that the only way to be happy is to belong to

the bourgeoisie. False consciousness refers to the failure to understand where one falls in

their societal class.

Regarding Webster, class is a term used to group people that fall under a similar

status. A child born into a poor family bears the same status as any member of a different

poor family. A status group is used to define a group of people who are looked at through a

non-economic lens. This can be someone such as a priest who is of a high class clergyman. A

party is a group that shares the same ideas and want to push movement of certain aspects of

society in their favor. This can be seen in political groups such as republicans and democrats.

What differentiates Weber and Marx is that Marx views property to place individuals in

respective classes. Weber views class as something that is more than based solely on

belongings, and is defined by effort.

Cultural capital is linked to class difference because based on the property and

intellect of specific classes, they may have more advantage and leverage over other groups.

Social capital is linked because there are three main groups people are placed under: the

upper, middle, and lower classes. This indicates the places of people in society. It is also

correlated to the amount of money and power some people have over other people as well as
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other places. Cultural capital is expressed by cars driven, clothes worn, and the size of ones

house.