Social Stratification: Meaning, Definitions, Characteristics and Functions of Social Stratification

Social stratification
Meaning, definitions,
characteristics and functions of
social stratification
• In all societies people differ from each other on the basis of
their age, sex and personal characteristics. Human society
is not homogeneous but heterogeneous. Apart from the
natural differences, human beings are also differentiated
according to socially approved criteria.
•
• So socially differentiated men are treated as socially
unequal from the point of view of enjoyment of social
rewards like status, power, income etc. That may be called
social inequality.
• The term social inequality simply refers to the existence of
socially created inequalities.
Meanings:
• Social stratification is a particular form of social inequality. All

societies arrange their members in terms of superiority, inferiority
and equality.
• Stratification is a process of interaction or differentiation whereby
some people come to rank higher than others.
• when individuals and groups are ranked, according to some

commonly accepted basis of valuation in a hierarchy of status levels
based upon the inequality of social positions, social stratification
occurs.
• Social stratification means division of society into different strata or
layers. It involves a hierarchy of social groups. Members of a
particular layer have a common identity. They have a similar life
style.
Definitions:
• 1. Ogburn and Nimkoff:

• ‘The process by which individuals and groups are
ranked in more or less enduring hierarchy of status is
known as stratification”
• 2. Lundberg:
• “A stratified society is one marked by inequality, by
differences among people that are evaluated by them
as being “lower” and “higher”.
• 3. Gisbert:
• “Social stratification is the division of society into
permanent groups of categories linked with each other
by the relationship of superiority and subordinations”.
• 4. Williams:
• Social Stratification refers to “The ranking of individuals
on a scale of superiority-inferiority-equality, according
to some commonly accepted basis of valuation.
• 5. Raymond W. Murray:
• Social stratification is horizontal division of society into
“higher” and “lower” social units.”
• 6. Melvin M Tumin:
• “Social stratification refers to “arrangement of any
social group or society into hierarchy of positions that
are unequal with regard to power, property, social
evaluation and psychic gratification”.
Characteristics of Stratification:
• 1. It is Social:
• Stratification is social in the sense that it does not
represent inequality which are biologically based.
It is true that factors such as strength,
intelligence, age, sex can often serve as the basis
on which status are distinguished.
• But such differences by themselves are not
sufficient to explain why some statuses receive
more power, property and prestige than others.
• 2. It is Ancient:
• The stratification system is very old. Stratification
was present even in the small wandering bands.
Age and sex wear the main criteria of
stratification.
• Difference between the rich and poor, powerful
and humble, freemen and slaves was there in
almost all the ancient civilisation.
• Ever since the time of Plato and Kautilya social
philosopher have been deeply concerned with
economic, social, political inequalities.
• 3. It is Universal:
• Social stratification is universal. Difference
between rich and poor, the ‘haves’ or ‘have
notes’ is evident everywhere.
• Even in the non-literate societies stratification
is very much present.
• 4. It is in diverse Forms:
• Social stratification has never been uniform in all
societies. The ancient Roman society was stratified into
two strata: the Patricians and the Plebians .
• The Aryan society was divided into four Varnas: the
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Sudras, the
ancient Greek society in to freemen and slaves, the
ancient Chinese society into mandarins, merchants,
Farmer and soldiers.
• Class and estate seem to be the general forms of
stratification found in the modern world.
• 5. It is Consequential:
• The stratification system has its own
consequences.
• The most important, most desired and often
the scarcest things in human life are
distributed unequally because of stratification.
• The system leads to two kind of
consequences: (i) Life chances and (ii) Life
style.
• Life chances refer to such things as infant
mortality, longevity, physical and mental
illness, marital conflict, separation and
divorce.
• Life styles include the mode of housing,
residential area, education, means of
recreation, relation between parent and
children, modes of conveyance and so on.
Social Inequality and Social
Stratification:
• Inequality is found in all societies irrespective of time
or place.
• Personal characteristics such as beauty, skill, physical
strength and personality may all play a role in the
perpetuation of inequality.
• However, there are also patterns of inequality
associated with the social positions people occupy.
• We can say that there are two types of inequality:
• 1. Natural and
• 2. Man Made
• So far as the natural inequality is concerned
with reference to age, sex, height, weight etc.
the man made inequality may be horizontal or
vertical e.g. different occupational groups
perform different activities but when these
groups become social groups in the sense that
they are placed hierarchically and they have
interaction within the group and at the inter-
strata level, then such type of inequality is
called social inequality.
• The term social inequality refers to the socially
created inequalities. Stratification is a particular
form of social inequality.
• It refers to the presence of social groups which
are ranked one above the other in terms of the
power, prestige and wealth their members
possess.
• Those who belong to a particular group or
stratum will have some awareness of common
interest and common identity.
Functions of Social Stratification:
• I. For the Individual:

• 1. Competition:
• Individuals based on their attributes compete
with each other and only those individuals
who have better attributes get greater
recognition.
• This may be in the field of sports, education,
occupation etc.
• 2. Recognition of Talent:
• The persons with more training skills,
experience and education are given better
positions.
• The deserving individuals are not treated at
par with deserving candidates. Such a system
helps people to acquire better talents.
• . Motivation:
• The system of stratification motivates the
individuals to work hard so that they can
improve upon their social status.
• It is more true in case of those societies in
which statuses are achieved.
• 4. Job Satisfaction:
• As the jobs are given to the individuals
according to their skills and education, the
workers get job satisfaction.
• In case, a person with higher qualification is
not allowed to move higher in the social
ladder, he feels dissatisfied with his job.
• 5. Mobility:
• The system of achieved status also provides an
opportunity for upward and downward mobility.
Those persons who work hard and are intelligent
move up in the social ladder.
• On the other hand, those who fail to come up to
the expectations move downward.
• Hence, the possibility of change in the position
keeps the people always alert and makes them
work hard.
II. Functions for the Society
• 1. Ascriptive Form of Stratification:
• Under the caste system, the status of the
individual is fixed at birth and different castes
are hierarchically arranged.
• However, even within the caste system those
members who perform their caste roles
effectively and efficiently occupy higher’
status.

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Social stratification

• Social stratification is a particular form of social inequality. All

• when individuals and groups are ranked, according to some

• 1. Ogburn and Nimkoff:

• I. For the Individual:

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