SOC 103 Chapter 5: How society works chapter 5

• School: Ryerson University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 103
• Professor: Amrita Ahluwalia

Document Summary

I(cid:374) ea(cid:396)lie(cid:396) (cid:272)hapte(cid:396)s, so(cid:272)ial (cid:272)lass is defi(cid:374)ed as a pe(cid:396)so(cid:374)"s (cid:396)elatio(cid:374)ship to the (cid:373)ea(cid:374)s of production. O(cid:374)e of the (cid:373)ost i(cid:373)po(cid:396)ta(cid:374)t ele(cid:373)e(cid:374)ts of the o(cid:272)(cid:272)up(cid:455) (cid:373)o(cid:448)e(cid:373)e(cid:374)t i(cid:374) (cid:1006)(cid:1004)(cid:1005)(cid:1005) (cid:449)as (cid:862)we a(cid:396)e the. It (cid:271)(cid:396)ought (cid:374)otio(cid:374)s of i(cid:374)e(cid:395)ualit(cid:455) i(cid:374)to the pu(cid:271)li(cid:272) sphere for the first time in generations. Sociologists would say we focus on status categories rather than class categories. Status refers to any position held by people in society. A status can be ascribed as in the case of sex or race or acquired such as level of education, occupation or martial status. Prior to the rise of capitalism, class relations were highly visible. Although (cid:449)e te(cid:374)d (cid:374)ot to (cid:862) ee(cid:863) (cid:272)lass i(cid:374) ou(cid:396) so(cid:272)iet(cid:455), it is (cid:374)o(cid:374)etheless a ke(cid:455) tool to help us make sense of society and our place in it. The 3 major classes in capitalist societies are: the capitalists, the workers, and the petite bourgeoisie.