Puru DubeyAIR 86 · CSE 2025 · 159 wordsTheir whole copy
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Social stratification refers to the ranking of groups/individuals onto strata based on their access to wealth, status and power. It is a sociological understanding of inequality.
INEQUALITY AS CAUSE OF STRATIFICATION
Unequal access to wealth, status or power or other resources leads to creation of different groups in society with similar access. Social stratification views this inequality through this lens of sociological strata.
ex Roman Ancient society was divided into strata of citizens (elites and plebians) and slaves.
However, stratas once formed, tend to perpetuate themselves.
SOCIAL INEQUALITY : CONSEQUENCE OF STRATIFICATION
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Stratified societies perpetuate themselves. Weber highlights how occupational status groups practice social closure to prevent entry of others. Similarly, Frank Parkin saw this elite-self-recruitment among doctors.
Similarly, Robert Michels showed how all systems become oligarchic in some time.
Finally, meritocracy too morphs into a discriminatory system. Rich parents leaking NEET paper for their wards is a case in point.
Social inequality and stratification are thus intertwined concepts.