Chapter 7 Flashcards
(32 cards)
Social stratification
the existence of structured inequalities between groups in a society, in terms of their access to material or symbolic rewards. only with the development of state-based systems did wide differences in wealth and power arise. e.x. class division
slavery
a form of social stratification in which some people are owned by others as their property
caste system
a social system in which one’s social status is given for life
endogamy
the forbidding of marriage or sexual relations outside of one’s social group
class
one of the most frequently used concepts in sociology, there is no clear agreement of how it should be defined. used to refer to socioeconomic variations between groups of individuals that create variation in their material prosperity and power
life chances
introduced by Max Weber to signify a person’s opportunities for achieving economic prosperity
means of production
the means whereby the production of material goods is carried on in a society, including not just technology but the social relations between producers
capitalists
people who own companies, land or stocks and use theses to generate economic returns
surplus value
in Marxism theory, the value of a worker’s labor power left over when an employer has repaid the cost of hiring the worker.
status
the social honor or prestige that a particular group is accorded by other members of a society. Status groups normally display distinct styles of life. status privilege may be positive or negative
pariah groups
groups who suffer from negative status or discrimination-they are looked down on by most other members of society. e.x. the jews throughout european history
income
payment, usually derive from wages, salaries, or investments
wealth
money and material possessions held by an individual or group
upper class
a social class broadly composed of the more affluent members of society, especially those who have inherited wealth, own businesses or hold large numbers of stocks
lower class
a social class composed of those who work part time or not at all and whose household income is typically low
under class
a class of individuals situated at the bottom of the class system, often composed of people from ethnic minority backgrounds
social mobility
movement or individuals or groups between different social positions
intra-generational
movement up or down a social stratification hierarchy within the course of a personal career
intergenerational mobility
movement up or down a social stratification hierarchy from one generation to another
downward mobility
social mobility in which individual’s wealth, income or status is lower than that they or their partner once had
short range downward mobility
social mobility that occurs when an individual moves from one position in the class structure to another of nearly equal status
absolute poverty
the minimal requirements necessary to sustain a healthy existence
relative poverty
poverty defined according to the living standards of the majority in any given society
poverty line
an official government measure to define those living in poverty in the United States