Social Class and Social Stratification
Social Stratification and Social Class The definition of social stratification is the division of people into layers according to their relative power, property, and prestige. All nations practice social stratification, and always, the men are put before the women. There are three major systems of social stratification. They are slavery, caste, and class. ... A social class is more open than the others and is usually determined by wealth and material possessions. The upper class is the very wealthy, the middle class is the average of the society, and the lower class is the poorer people of the society. ... Unlike slavery and the caste system, an individual can move either way in the class system. ... Social stratification is maintained in several different ways. ... Social class is a large group of people who rank closely together according to wealth, power, and prestige. ... A person’s class can determine what kind of life they will lead and the opportunities they will have. ... The upper class consists mainly of people with a generous amount of wealth. ... Most people are status consistent, meaning that they meet all what is considered the norm for their class. ... His or her prestige puts them in an upper class but their income puts them in another. ... Joseph Kahl and Dennis Gilbert developed a six class model. ... In the United States, the capitalist class is only one percent of the population but owns ninety percent of the wealth. ... The upper middle class consists mainly of people who have wealth because of the education they have had.