Ujjwal PriyankAIR 10 · CSE 2025 · 273 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening · a definition
Social stratification refers to the process of evaluating the differences of social groups and ranking them in a hierarchy from top to bottom.
Natural differences -> evaluation -> Inequality Inequality -> ranking -> Hierarchy Hierarchy -> reward -> Stratification
Body · points
Structural-functionalist explanation of social hierarchy & stratification
Structural-functionalist such as Talcott Parson believes in explaining the society as composed of various structure and each of them contributing to unity and certain function to whole.
Talcott Parsons believes that the society has various roles and each role is taken by the one who is best suited and has the most qualification.
Similarly, Davis and Moore gave the concept of differences in the significance of various role in a society.
A role which is more important for a society must be occupied by the one who is better than others.
Thus, there is a ranking of various roles in the society.
The one who occupies a higher position is rewarded better and thus there is social stratification.
Criticism of structural-functionalist explanation of stratification
Thinkers such as Melvin Tumin believes that there is no measuring scale or rod for deciding which role is more important.
The system of stratification is based on explaining and justifying inequality.
The critique believes that stratification is suited to the people who are in authority for protecting their hegemony.
The "value consensus" of Parson is used to justify Social action, rather than promoting equality in society.
Close · a summary
Despite these critique, the structural functionalist explanation of social stratification is useful to explain social hierarchy and the emergence of solidarity and 'consensus' in society.