UNDERSTANDING

CULTURE, SOCIETY
AND POLITICS
 3
The Concept, Characteristics and Forms of
Stratification Systems Using Sociological Perspectives
Lesson 1 – Systems of Stratification
Lesson 2 – Social and Political Stratification

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 At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:

1 Discuss the idea of social

stratification;
LEARNING Explain the concepts,

OBJECTIVES 2 characteristics and forms of

stratification systems using
sociological perspectives; and

3 Examine the social stratification in

the Philippine society.

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Systems of
Stratification
Social Stratification and
Social Class Defined
Social Stratification
• refers to a society's categorization of its
people into rankings of socio-economic
tiers (classes) based on factors like
wealth, income, race, education, and
power.

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Social Stratification
• defined as the hierarchical arrangement
and establishment of social categories
that may evolve into social groups
together with statuses and their
corresponding roles in the society
(Cordero-McDonald, et. al., 1995)

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Basis of Class According
to Karl Marx
Economic Standing
• Material prosperity
• ownership of the means of
productions

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 Basis of Class According to Max Weber

PRESTIGE
The respect with which a
WEALTH person or status position is
regarded by others –
It includes property such
Status Situation
POWER as buildings, lands, farms,
The ability of people or houses, factories as well as
groups to achieve their other assets– Economic
goals despite opposition Situation
from others – Parties
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 Open System
• encourages people to strive
and achieve something
Forms of • based on achievement, allow
movement and interaction
Social between layers and classes

Stratification • people have equal chance to

succeed; whether people do
something to improve their
lives or not this greatly
depends on them

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What can
you say
about the
picture?
The 1911 "Pyramid of
Capitalist System" cartoon
is an example of socialist
critique of capitalism and of
social stratification.
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 Forms of Closed System
• accommodates little change
Social • do not allow people to shift
levels and do not permit
Stratification social relationships between
levels

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Caste System
• Social contact is rigid and
clearly defined. People are
born and die in their caste.
Contact between and among
the caste is minimal and
governed by a set of rules –
especially those who belong to
the lower degree, as this will
tend to bring them down.
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Estate System
• The person’s social standing
is based on ownership of
land, birth, or military
strength. In the middle ages
there are three (3) major
estates in Europe – nobility,
clergy, and the peasants.

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 Ethnic System
• based on national origin,
Forms of language and religion
• ethnicity sets segments of
Social society apart and each group

Stratification has a sense of identity; people

interact more freely with
those people belonging to the
same ethnic category

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Social Classes of the Early Filipinos
Maginoo

Maharlika

Timawa

Alipin
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Social Classes during Spanish Period
Peninsulares

Insulares
Principalia
Mestizos
Indio
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Social Class
• a group of people with similar socio-
economic status or standing within the
society based on the level of income,
education, and occupation.

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Characteristics of Social Class
Class can change
throughout your
lifetime.

01

It is based on 02 03 Exogamy
achievement (social
mobility).
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 THREE GENERAL
ECONOMIC
CATEGORIES
• very wealthy; owns and
UPPER CLASS 01 controls the means of
production
• professional workers, small
MIDDLE CLASS 02 business owners and low-
level managers

• rely on low-paying jobs for

LOWER CLASS 03 their income

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Income Cluster Per Capita Income Monthly Income
Less than the official Less than PHP
Poor
poverty threshold 10,481
Low-income Between the poverty
PHP 10,481 to
class (but not line and twice the
PHP 20,962
poor) poverty line
Lower middle- Between two and four PHP 20,962 to
income class times the poverty line PHP 41,924
Between four and
Middle middle- PHP 41,924 to
seven times the poverty
income class PHP 73,367
line
Upper middle- Between seven and 12 Between PHP 73,367
income class times the poverty line to PHP 125,772
Upper-income Between PHP
Between 12 and 20
class (but not 125,772 to PHP
times the poverty line
rich) 209,620
At least 20 times the PHP 209,620 and
Rich
poverty line above
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 The systems of stratification give us
insights on the status and the basis of
inequality. The concepts of social class
today give us more understanding on the
level of hierarchy.

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Module 5
The Concept, Characteristics and Forms of
Stratification Systems Using Sociological Perspectives
Lesson 1 – Systems of Stratification
Lesson 2 – Social and Political
Stratification
What comes
into your mind
when you hear
the phrase,
“From rags
to riches?”
Social and
Political
Stratification
Theoretical Perspective and
Analysis of Social Stratification
 THEORETICAL
PERSPECTIVE AND
ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
Stratification is necessary to induce
Structural- people with special intelligence,
Functionalism 01 knowledge, and skills to enter the most
important occupations.

02

03

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 Structural-Functionalism
According to Davis & Moore (1945), different aspects of society
exist because they serve a needed purpose. They argued that the
greater the functional importance of a social role, the
greater must be the reward. The theory posits that social
stratification represents the inherently unequal value of
different work. Certain tasks in society are more valuable than
others. Qualified people who fill those positions must be rewarded
more than others.
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 THEORETICAL
PERSPECTIVE AND
ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
Stratification is necessary to induce
Structural- people with special intelligence,
Functionalism 01 knowledge, and skills to enter the most
important occupations.
Stratification results from lack of opportunity
Conflict 02 and from discrimination and prejudice against
the poor, women, and people of color.

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 Conflict
Many different explanations grounded in conflict theory exist, but
they all assume that stratification stems from a fundamental
conflict between the needs and interests of the powerful, or
“haves,” in society and those of the weak, or “have-nots”
(Kerbo, 2009). The former take advantage of their position at
the top of society to stay at the top, even if it means
oppressing those at the bottom. At a minimum, they can
heavily influence the law, the media, and other institutions in a way
that maintains society’s class structure.
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 THEORETICAL
PERSPECTIVE AND
ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
Stratification is necessary to induce
Structural- people with special intelligence,
Functionalism 01 knowledge, and skills to enter the most
important occupations.
Stratification results from lack of opportunity
Conflict 02 and from discrimination and prejudice against
the poor, women, and people of color.
Stratification affects people’s beliefs,
Symbolic-
Interactionism 03 lifestyles, daily interaction, and
conceptions of themselves.

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 Symbolic-Interactionism
It examines the differences that stratification makes for people’s
lifestyles and their interaction with other people. In most
communities, people interact primarily with others who
share the same social standing. The built-in system of social
stratification groups people together. . Symbolic interactionists also
note that people’s appearance reflects their perceived social
standing.

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Social and
Political
Stratification
Social and Structural Mobility
Social Equality and Global Inequality
In a democratic state like the Philippines, a
person can improve his social status, but
the degree of mobility varies. In an open
system, every individual is provided
equal opportunities to compete for the
role and status derived regardless of
gender, race, religion, family background
and political inclination.
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Social Mobility
• refers to the ability to change
positions within a social stratification
system.

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 Types of Social Mobility

UPWARD MOBILITY DOWNWARD MOBILITY

• increase—or upward • indicates a lowering of
shift—in social class. one’s social class. For
Prominent examples instance, some people
include Manny Pacquiao, move downward because
many celebrities, such as of business setbacks,
actors, singers and athletes unemployment or illness.
also belong to this.

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 Types of Social Mobility

VERTICAL MOBILITY HORIZONTAL MOBILITY

• refers to the movement of • indicates a change in
people of groups from one position, within the range
status to another. It of the status. A change in
involves change in class, status may come about
occupation or power. through one’s occupation,
marrying into a certain
family and others.

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Geographical (Physical) Mobility
• may be a voluntary movement of people from one
geographical area to another due to change in
residence, commuting from home to office, making
business trips, and voluntary migration from one
country to another.
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Geographical (Physical) Mobility
• It may be also a forced migration which include forced
relocation or residence, eviction, dispossession of
unwanted people, and transportation of slaves

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Role Mobility
• is the individual’s shifting from role to role. Every
member of a society has roles to play. Different
situations call for enactment of various roles.

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Social and
Political
Stratification
Social Equality and
Global Inequality
Social Equality
• a state where people are treated fairly
and given equal chances without any
discrimination.

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Dimensions of
Equality Political Capital
trust, goodwill and influence
possessed, to mobilize support
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01 02 toward a policy outcome.

Social Capital Economic Capital

group of people to work together resources that one possesses
effectively to achieve a common which is a function of honor,
prestige or recognition, or any
purpose or goal.
other trait that one value within a
culture.
Social equality is not about treating
everyone in the same way, but it
makes sure that their needs are met
in any needed way.

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Global Inequality
• refers to the idea of inequality between
countries. This may refer to economic
differences between countries.

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 Global Inequality
Second world countries:
First world countries:
middle income in terms of
refer to rich countries.
A B GNP and GDP.

Industrialized countries:
Third world countries: C D performed well in technology
rank as poor countries. and in the world of
globalization.

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This leads to a situation where poorer
and less powerful states end up being
controlled and influenced by the
richer and more powerful states.

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 Thank you!
Do you have questions?