Page 239 - DSOC202_SOCIAL_STRATIFICATION_ENGLISH

Social Stratification

Notes societies, downward mobility is generally caused by psychological problems and anxieties, where
individuals become unable to sustain the lifestyles to which they have become accustomed.
Redundancy is another main source of downward mobility. In India, calamities and catastrophes,
epidemics and disasters cause destruction and affect adversely the social arrangements. The man-
made macro-structural changes, such as the abolition of feudalism, withdrawal of the privilege of
the traditionally entrenched people and families, constitutional provision relating to adult franchise,
fundamental rights, etc., have also resulted into egalitarianism and downward mobility of the
formerly better-off sections of society.

11.2 Determinants of Social Mobility

Social mobility is therein every society. It has far reaching consequences for society and social
stratification. There are several factors that affect social mobility. Some factors facilitate for social
mobility and some act as barrier and restrict mobility. It has been argued that industrialization has
increased the rates of social mobility. Consequently, most of the mobility research has focused on
the study of social mobility in industrial societies, and the factors affecting mobility there. But
there are differences among scholars, on what are seen as the factors affecting social mobility.
Russian sociologist P.A. Sorokin argued that no society can be called completely closed nor it can
be completely open. He said that there are two varieties of factors affecting social mobility. One is
primary factors that affect mobility in all societies and other one is secondary factors that are
specific to particular societies at particular time. He identified four primary factors, they are :
1. Demographic factor,
2. Talent and ability,
3. Change of the social environment,
4. Faulty distribution of individuals in social positions.
Demographic Factor

The demographic factor has a bearing on social mobility in all societies. Fertility decline and
decline in population are very crucial factors in affecting the rate of social mobility. It has been
observed that the birth rate of higher strata population is lower than the lower strata population.
Likewise the death rate of lower strata population is higher than the upper strata population.
Decline in fertility rate provides scope for mobility of women.
There is decline in death rate, increase in life expectancy and decline in birth rate. With these,
emerges new institutions like hospitals, old age homes, family welfare centres etc. All these created
new vacancies and thus facilitated for social mobility.

The rate of mobility is higher in urban areas then the rural areas. With advance in medical
care and other factors have affected the demographic composition.

Talent and Ability

At the individual level, two factors facilitate for social mobility. One is achievement motivation
and other one is individual talent. People can achieve mobility with the help of their talent like
excellence in sports, arts, music etc. In ascriptive based societies, talent and ability has little to do
with mobility. Lipset and Bendix state that there are always new supplies of talent which must be
absorbed somewhere or the other. Even in societies with inherited status positions, there are
always opportunities for talented individuals for upward mobility. But an achievement oriented
society may not really be as open as it thought to be.

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