(1) What are the nature and attributes of social stratification? (Length: at least 100 words; 5 points) (2) Compare and contrast Karl Marx and Max Weber's perspectives on social class (Length: at leas

ESSENTIALS OF SOCIOLOGY, 7 TH EDITION CHAPTER 7: STRATIFICATION, CLASS, AND INEQUALITY 1 CHAPTER SUMMARY What Is Social Stratification? • Social stratification refers to the division of people socioeconomically into layers or strata . When we talk of social stratification, we draw attention to the unequal positions occupied by individuals in so ciety. In the larger traditional societies and in industrialized countries today there is stratification in terms of wealth, property, and access to material goods and cultural products. • Three major types of stratification systems can be distinguishe d: sla very , caste , and class . Whereas the first two of these depend on legal or religiously sanctioned inequalities, class divisions are not "officially" recognized but stem from economic factors affecting the material circumstances of people's lives. • The most p rominent and influential theories of stratification are those developed by Marx and Weber. Marx placed the primary emphasis on class, which he saw as an objectively given characteristic of the economic structure of society. He saw a fundamental split betwe en the owners of capital and the workers who do not own capital. Weber accepted a similar view, but distinguished another aspect of stratification, status. Status refers to the esteem, or "social honor," given to individuals or groups. • Kingsley Davis and W ilbert Moore outlined a functionalist theory of stratification that has now come to be widely derided. Davis and Moore’s theory suggests that a person’s social position is based solely on his or her innate talents and efforts, when it is acknowledged that individuals have unequal access to positions in the first place. How Is Social Class Defined in the United States? • Class is of major importance in industrialized societies, although there are many complexities in the class system within such societie s. Th e main class divisions are between people in the upper , middle , and lower working classes , and the underclass . • Membership in the requisite class is determined by a combination of one’s income , wealth , educational attainment , and occupational status . W hat Are the Causes and Consequences of Social Inequality in the United States? • Most people in modern societies are more affluent today than was the case several generations ago. Yet the distribution of wealth and income remains highly unequal, especially a long racial and ethnic lines. • Between the early 1970s and the late 1990s, partly as a result of economic globalization, the gap between rich and poor grew. Incomes at the top increased sharply, while many ordinary workers and families saw their incomes dr op a s higher -wage manufacturing jobs moved offshore to low -wage countries. Please review the entire chapter to gain a more comprehensive view and understanding of the subject matter. Do not rely solely on th is chapter summary. ESSENTIALS OF SOCIOLOGY, 7 TH EDITION CHAPTER 7: STRATIFICATION, CLASS, AND INEQUALITY 2 • In the study of social mobility, a distinction is made between intragenerational and intergenerational mobility . The first of these refers to movement up or down the social scale wi th in an individual's working life. Intergenerational mobility is movement across the generations, as when the daughter or son from a blue -collar background becomes a professional. Social mobility is mostly of limited range. Most people remain close to the level of the family from which they came, although the expansion of white -collar jobs in the last few decades has provided the opportunity for considerable short -range upward mobility. How Does Poverty Affect Individuals? • Poverty remains widespread in the United States. Two methods of assessing poverty exist. One involves the notion of absolute poverty , which is a lack of the basic resources needed to maintain a healthy existence. Relative poverty involves assessing the gaps between the living conditions of some groups and those enjoyed by most of the population. • A large portion of Americans fall under the label of working poor , people who do not earn enough to lift themselves above the poverty line. Problems of declining income and poverty are especially p ronounced among racial and ethnic minorities, families headed by single women, and persons lacking education. The feminization of poverty is especially strong among young, poorly educated women who are raising children on their own. • Explanations of poverty can be grouped under two main headings: theories that see poor individuals as responsible for their status and theories that view poverty as produced and reproduced by structural forces in society. • Social exclusion refers to processes by which individuals may become cut off from full involvement in the wider society. People who are socially excluded, due to poor housing, inferior schools, or limited transportation, may be denied the opportunities for self - betterment that most people in society have. Homele ssness is one of the most extreme forms of social exclusion. Homeless people may be shut out of many everyday activities that most people take for granted. How Does Social Inequality Affect Your Life? • Globalization has led to the creation of low -cost consu mer goods, making it easier for young people to afford consumer electronics, shoes, clothes, and other products made overseas. Yet, globalization has also contributed to the loss of jobs in the United States, and young people may be forced to compete with workers overseas for jobs. • The economic recession that begin in 2008 may have serious consequences for young adults entering the labor force for the first time. College students may have difficult paying for tuition if the economic downturn affects their o r their parents' economic resources.