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Social  Stratification


                   Notes          •   All societies arrange their members in terms of superiority, inferiority and equality. The
                                      vertical scale of evaluation, this placing of people in layers is called stratification. Those in
                                      the top stratum have more power, privilege and prestige than those below.
                                  •   Stratification is social in the sense it does not represent biologically caused inequalities. It is
                                      true that such factors as strength, intelligence, age and sex can often serve as the basis of
                                      strata are distinguished. But such differences by themselves are not sufficient to explain why
                                      some statuses receive more power, property and prestige than others. Biological traits do not
                                      determine social superiority and inferiority until they are socially recognized and give
                                      importance.
                                  •   The stratification system is quite old. According to historical and archaeological records,
                                      stratification was present even in the small wandering bands. Age and sex were the main
                                      criteria of stratification then, women and children last was probably the dominant rule of
                                      order. Difference between the rich and poor, powerful and humble, freemen and slaves was
                                      there in almost all the ancient civilizations. Ever since the time of Plato and Kautilya social
                                      philosophers have been deeply concerned with economic, social and political inequalities.
                                  •   The stratification system has never been uniform in all the societies. The ancient Roman
                                      society was stratified into two strata-the partricians and the plebians. The ancient Aryan
                                      society into four Varnas the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Sudras, the ancient
                                      Greek society into freemen and slaves, the ancient Chinese society into the mandarins,
                                      merchants, farmers and the soldiers and so on.

                                  1.4 Key–Words

                                  1. Social Evaluation  :  Status and Prestige.
                                  2. Canvassing     :  Persuade people to vote for the party.

                                  1.5 Review Questions

                                  1. What do you mean by Stratification? Discuss the concept of social stratifications.
                                  2. Explain the characteristics of social stratification
                                  Answers: Self–Assessment
                                      1. (d)         2. (b)         3. (b)          4. (b)        5. (c)

                                  1.6 Further Readings




                                              1. Sharma, K.L., 2010 : Perspectives on Social Stratification, Rawat Publication.
                                              2. Sharma, K.L., 2010 : Social Stratification & Mobility, Rawat Publication.
                                              3. Hasnain, Nadeem, 2011 : Indian Society and Culture Continuity and Change,
                                                 Jawahar Publishers and Distributors.
















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