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.