Social Stratification--Poverty

class consciousness

A belief that you are a member of an economic group whose interests are opposed to people in other such groups

hierarchy

A group organized by rank

Socio-economic status

A person's position in society as determined by income, wealth, occupation, education, place of residence, and other factors

Inequalities

Differences between poverty and wealth, as well as in peoples' well-being and access to things like jobs, housing and education. Inequalities may occur in housing provision, access to services, access to open land, safety and security.

poverty

Inability to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter.

Proletariat

Marx's term for the exploited class, the mass of workers who do not own the means of production

Social Mobility

Movement of individuals or groups from one position in a society's stratification system to another

Bourgeoisie

Owns the means of production according to Marx

inherited wealth

Wealth which a person has not earned, but which has been left to them from a family member who has died.

Vertical mobility

a change upward or downward in occupational status or social class

Social Classes

a division of a society based on social and economic status.

Prestige

a high standing achieved through success or influence or wealth etc.

power elite

a small group of wealthy and influential people at the top of society who hold the power and resources

social pyramid

a social structure in the shape of a pyramid, with layers representing social classes of different rank

caste system

a social structure in which classes are determined by heredity

social stratification

a system by which a society ranks categories of people in social classes

Meritocracy

a system in which promotion is based on individual ability or achievement

open class system

a system in which social class is based on merit and individual effort; movement is allowed between classes

egalitarian

believing in the social and economic equality of all people

Horizontal mobility

change in occupation or lifestyle that remains within the same social class

destitute

deprived of the necessities of life; lacking in

Culture of Poverty

entrenched attitudes that can develop among poor communities and lead the poor to accept their fate rather than attempt to improve their lot

Income

money received, especially on a regular basis, for work or through investments.

working poor

people who work but whose earnings are not enough to lift them above the poverty line

impoverished

poor, in a state of poverty; depleted

Relative poverty

poverty defined according to the living standards of the majority in any given society

affluent

rich, wealthy

Power

the ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the first person's intentions

status quo

the existing state of affairs

Poverty Line

the official measure of poverty; calculated to include incomes that are less than three times a low-cost food budget

Absolute poverty

the point at which a household's income falls below the necessary level to purchase food to physically sustain its members

Wealth

the total value of everything someone owns, minus the debts

feminization of poverty

the trend of women making up an increasing proportion of the poor