social stratification
Definition
Social stratification is the hierarchical arrangement and classification of individuals and groups in any given society based on various factors such as wealth, ethnicity, gender, and education. It structures access to resources, rights, and privileges differently across the strata.
Analogy
Imagine a multi-layered cake where the top layer is made of the most exquisite ingredients available only to a few, while each lower layer has less of those premium ingredients and more common ones, representing how societal resources and opportunities are distributed unequally among different social layers.
Related terms
Class System: A form of social stratification based primarily on income, occupation, and education, where mobility between classes is possible through achievement or luck.
Caste System: A rigid form of social stratification where people's status is determined by birth and remains fixed for their lifetime, limiting social mobility.
Social Mobility: The movement of individuals or groups up or down the social hierarchy, which can be a result of changes in wealth, occupation, education, or marriage
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