Test 2: Stratification

Question 1

Social stratification

Answer 1

layering of unequal categories of people in society –rich and poor, powerful and powerless, highly educated and less educated, and so on

Question 2

Focus of stratification

Answer 2

(1) structure/shape of inequality
(2) movement of ppl betw. layers
(3) how+why dimensions of inequality vary over time and place
(4) micro level interactions that reinforce or subvert social hierarchies

Question 3

Functional Theory of Stratification

Answer 3

• Some jobs are more important than others.
• more important=require more training + sacrifice
• To motivate talented ppl high rewards must be offered.
• stratification is necessary, performs useful function.
• judge needs education, makes important decisions
• Davis + Moore

Question 4

Attack of the Class-Specific Killer Virus

Answer 4

• Case 1: virus kills all docs, life expectancy falls, society can continue
• professionals can’t live without labourers, we can exist without professionals
• Case 2: kills all farmers, ppl starve

Question 5

Futilism

Answer 5

• after roman empire destroyed by barbarians

- agreed to have land lords for protection in exchange for money/produce

Question 6

1400s

Answer 6

• need for services
• exploration
• abolish futile laws

Question 7

Criticisms of the Functional Theory of Stratification

Answer 7

• which occupations are more important unclear
• ignores pool of talent unused ‘cause of inequality
• immigrants with skill start as taxi drivers/poor kids can’t go to uni
• fails to examine how advantages + disadvantages are passed from generation to generation
• trust fund babies

Question 8

Marx’s Theory of Stratification

Answer 8

• ability of capitalists to hire/fire wage workers encouraged rapid technological change + economic growth
• drive for profits caused capitalists to concentrate workers, keep wages low + spend little on improving working conditions, specialized tasks, improve efficiency, division of labour
• result: class polarization, growth of class consciousness + working-class organizations, + growing demand by workers to end capitalist exploitation
• crises of overproduction would result in the fall of capitalism

Question 9

Critique of Marx’s Theory of Stratification

Answer 9

• Industrial societies didn’t polarize into 2 opposed classes
• Capitalism persisted by stimulating demand + creating easy credit
• get money-spend money-need more employed ppl, more money
• stimulate economy through adverts: create demand, planned obsolescence, create credit=debt

Question 10

Critique of Marx’s Theory of Stratification Part 2

Answer 10

• tech made it possible for workers to earn higher wages + work fewer hours in better conditions
• more tech=better quality of life
• Workers fought for, and won, state benefits
• Communism took root in semi-industrialized countries + witnessed the emergence of totalitarianism + new forms of privilege

Question 11

Weber’s Theory of Stratification

Answer 11

• Class position determined by “market situation”: possession of goods, opportunities for income, level of education + level of technical skill.
• 4 main classes: large property owners, small property owners, propertyless, but highly educated employees, + propertyless manual workers.
• Status groups (prestige) + parties (power) stratify the social order, to some degree independently of class

Question 12

Weber’s Stratification Scheme

Answer 12

Few people, high rewards
Three “pillars” of stratification based on market position, power, and prestige.
-More rewards for categories in which there are fewer people.
-independent of one another

Question 13

Implications

Answer 13

• nothing inevitable about level of social stratification. neither headed inexorably toward classlessness/we bound to endure high levels of inequality
• level of social stratification depends on complex interplay of class, status + party + their effect on social mobility
• in democracy, citizens decide which party is in office + political party in office enacts policies that have implications for social mobility; we decide how much inequality there should be

Question 14

Weber’s most important insights

Answer 14

inequality is shaped in part by government policy, and insofar as citizens elect governments, we have the capacity to shape inequality

Question 15

Inequality over 12,000 Years

Answer 15

• private property became increasingly important stratification principle, inequality rose
• After early industrialization, merit important stratifying principle + inequality fell
• government policy increasingly influenced level of inequality + accounts for much of the divergence in inequality
• Private property + merit still exert powerful influence on inequality, but new stratification principle was added with the creation of the welfare state

Question 16

Type of Society

Answer 16

Foraging: low inequality
Pastoral: domesticate animals+tools=increase in equality ppl controlled certain areas
Agrarian:productive, private property, inequality soared
Early Industrial: machines, factory=$
Late Industrial: inequality falls, merit
Post Industrial: welfare state, taxes, some countries had more

Question 17

Principles of Stratification

Answer 17

Private Property: more you have=more $
Merit: increase value for intellectual skill, more class mobility=middle class
Government Policy: welfare, government, policies (pensions, health care)

Question 18

Average Market Income of Canadian Families, Before Taxes and Government Transfers, 1951 to 2004

Answer 18

Two main reasons for rising curve:
1. Increased productivity.
2. Entry of women into paid labour force.
-cheap labour in asia=unemployment
-canada cuts welfare ‘cause can’t sustain
-increase inflation, unemployment, decrease welfare=stratification

Question 19

Market income

Answer 19

income before taxes and transfers

Question 20

Median Annual Income, Canada, 2010

Answer 20

• lower median income

- large disparity

Question 21

Distribution of After-Tax Income among Families and Unattached Individuals, Canada, 1976 and 2010

Answer 21

• gains of increased income only goes to rich
• share of income is worse
• everyone else has lower income share

Question 22

Share of Income by Canada’s Top 1%, 1920-2007

Answer 22

• drop is cause of welfare state

- wealth=assets-death

Question 23

Median Net Worth of Families, Canada, 1984, 1999, 2005

Answer 23

> inequality of income

-laws make sure they exist

Question 24

Household Income Inequality, 24 Countries

Answer 24

-happiness=lower inequality

Question 25

Common Beliefs about Poverty (myths)

Answer 25

• chronic: poor stay poor
• Most poor people depend exclusively on welfare
• Welfare is generous.
• Poverty is inevitable.

Question 26

Persistence of After-tax Low Income, Canada, 2005

Answer 26

LICO=low income cutoff=63 percent of gross income spent on food, shelter + clothing

• poor=<LICO
• poverty something ppl slip in + out of

Question 27

Poor Unattached Individuals Under 65 by Weeks Worked

Answer 27

-most poor ppl work, not exclusively on welfare

Question 28

Percent at or below the After-tax LICO and Unemployment Rate, Canada, 1996-2005

Answer 28

• % of Canadians falling at/below LICO correlates positively with unemployment rate
• exception occurred because of massive government budget cuts betw. 1993 and 1996; in that period, the correlation was negative.

Question 29

Welfare Benefits for Couple with Two Children, as Percent of Poverty Line, Canada, by Province, 2001

Answer 29

• ppl on welfare don’t want welfare
• miserable because it isn’t much
• child care reason for increased poverty
• need affordable daycare

Question 30

Before-tax LICO by Category, Canada, 1980-95

Answer 30

• 1980s gov. decided to make pensions more generous=less poverty in elderly
• persistently high for single mothers

Question 31

Perceptions of Class

Answer 31

• Few North Americans have trouble placing themselves in the class structure
• minority of North Americans believe high level of inequality is needed to motivate people.
• Most North Americans believe inequality persists ‘cause it benefits rich+powerful + ‘cause ordinary ppl don’t get together to do something about it
• Most North Americans don’t want government to provide a basic income or create jobs.
• attitudes and perceptions vary by social class: lower = more radical.