Chapter 7: Social Stratification and Social Inequality
George Lenski
saw that as technology evolved and the amount of surplus increased society evolved and stratification increased
Social mobility
the movement of individuals or groups within the hierarchical system of social classes
Vertical social mobility
the movement between social classes and, depending on the direction, is often called either upward mobility or downward mobility.
Intergenerational mobility
the movement between social classes that occurs from one generation to the next.
Intragenerational mobility
the movement between social classes that occurs over the course of an individual's lifetime.
Horizontal social mobility
the occupational movement of individuals or groups within a social class.
Apartheid
the term for the system of segregation of racial and ethnic groups that was legal in South Africa between 1948 and 1991.
Social inequality
the unequal distribution of wealth, power, or prestige among members of a society.
bourgeoisie
who owned the means of production
proletariat
who sold their labor for wages
caste system
a form of social stratification in which status is determined by one's family history and background and cannot be changed.
Relative deprivation
a relative measure of poverty based on the standards of living.
Ascribe status
a social position "assigned" to a person without regard for that person's unique talents
Achieved status
a social position attained by a person largely through her or his effort.
Absolute deprivation
an objective measure of poverty that is defined by the inability to meet minimal standards for food, shelter, clothing, or health care.
Social class
refers to a system of stratification based on access to resources such as wealth, property, power, and prestige
Structural mobility
refers to changes in the social status of large numbers of people due to structural changes in society.
five stages of society according to Lenski
Hunting and gathering society, Advanced hunting and gathering, Horticultural, Agrarian, Industrial society
Symbolic interactionists
examine the way we use status differences to categorize ourselves and others.
Slavery
is the most extreme form of social stratification and is based on the legal ownership of people
Social stratification
the division of society into groups arranged in a social hierarchy.