Deck 10: B: Social Stratification

Question 1

What is status consistency? Give an example.

Answer 1

Status consistency refers to the situation where an individual's social standing is similar across various dimensions of social inequality. In other words, it's the degree to which a person's social status is the same across different aspects of their life, such as wealth, education, and prestige. When someone experiences status consistency, their various social statuses tend to align and be relatively equal.

For example, consider a medical doctor. Typically, a doctor has a high level of education (a professional or doctoral degree), a high level of income, and a high level of occupational prestige. In this case, the doctor experiences status consistency because their statuses are uniformly high across these different dimensions.

On the other hand, status inconsistency occurs when an individual's social status varies significantly between different aspects of their life. For instance, a college professor might have a high level of education and high occupational prestige but might not necessarily have a high income. This disparity between different status dimensions indicates status inconsistency.

Status consistency is an important concept in sociology because it can affect an individual's social experiences and interactions. High status consistency is often associated with social stability and can reinforce social hierarchies, while status inconsistency can lead to tension and efforts to change one's social standing.

Question 2

What is meritocracy? What part does it play in class systems?

Answer 2

Meritocracy is a political, social, or economic system in which individuals are rewarded and advanced based on their abilities, talents, and achievements, rather than on the basis of their social status, ethnicity, gender, or wealth. The term "meritocracy" was coined by British sociologist Michael Young in his 1958 satirical essay "The Rise of the Meritocracy," where he envisioned a society in which individuals' social status was determined by intelligence and effort, measured by a standardized test.

In a meritocratic system, the idea is that the most capable and hardworking people will rise to the top, leading to a more efficient and fair society. Education and personal effort are typically emphasized as the pathways to success, and those who excel are rewarded with higher positions, greater influence, and more resources.

Meritocracy plays a complex part in class systems. On one hand, it can be seen as a challenge to traditional class systems that are based on hereditary privilege, as it provides a mechanism for social mobility. Individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds have the opportunity to advance based on their merit, potentially allowing them to move into higher social classes.

On the other hand, meritocracy can also reinforce class divisions. Access to education and opportunities to demonstrate merit are not evenly distributed across society. Those from wealthier backgrounds often have access to better education and more opportunities to develop the skills valued by a meritocratic system. This can lead to a situation where the advantages of the upper classes are perpetuated by the guise of merit, as their children are better positioned to succeed in a system that ostensibly rewards merit but also reflects existing inequalities.

Furthermore, the concept of merit itself can be subjective and influenced by societal biases. What is considered valuable or meritorious in one culture or context may not be seen the same way in another. Additionally, the focus on individual achievement can overlook the role of collective effort and the impact of systemic factors that contribute to or hinder success.

In summary, while meritocracy aims to create a fairer society by rewarding individual talent and effort, its implementation can be complicated by existing social inequalities and biases that affect what is considered merit and who has the opportunity to demonstrate it. As such, the relationship between meritocracy and class systems is multifaceted and can both challenge and reinforce social stratification.

Question 3

State several ways in which caste and class systems differ.

Answer 3

no answer

Question 4

Define structural social mobility.How does it differ from individual social mobility?

Question 5

State the Davis-Moore thesis.Why,according to this theory,is social inequality useful for society?

Question 6

How does a society's technology affect its type of social stratification?

Question 7

What is the Kuznets curve? What is its significance?

Question 8

What did Max Weber mean by describing inequality in terms of a socioeconomic status hierarchy?

Question 9

Explain how social stratification shapes patterns of social interaction.

Question 10

According to Karl Marx,what are the two major classes in industrial-capitalist societies? What did Marx say was the relationship between the two classes?

Question 11

How do life and death on the Titanic reflect the class structure of Canadian and other modern societies?