Sociology 1020 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Mikhail Gorbachev, Agrarian Society, Social Stratification
15 Mar 2016
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Document Summary
Social stratification - a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. Based on four basic principles (1) is a trait of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences (2) carries over from generation to generation. Social mobility - changes in people"s position in a system of social stratification - Social mobility may be upward, downward, or horizontal. Move downward as a result of business setbacks, unemployment, or illness. Move horizontally, exchanging one occupation for another at a comparable level (3) is universal but variable. What is unequal and how unequal it is, varies from one society to another (4) involves not just inequality but belief as well. Like the what of inequality, the explanation of why people should be unequal differs from society to society. Closed systems allow for little change in social position. Open systems allow for more social mobility. Class is considered to be more open.
