Theoretical critique of global stratification in caste in the united state
Tahrah Almatrood
Andrew Heller
SOC 1010-002
The University of Toledo
4/17/2013
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Global Stratification and Caste System in the United States: A Theoretical Critique - Prof, Exams of Physiology
The concept of social stratification, specifically the caste system in the united states, through the lens of functionalist and conflict theories. The authors, tahrah almatrood and andrew heller, discuss various castes in the us, their significance in promoting differentiation, and the impact of global stratification on these groups. They also suggest potential policy changes to improve social mobility and reduce neo-colonialism.
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Theoretical critique of global stratification in caste in the united state Tahrah Almatrood Andrew Heller SOC 1010- The University of Toledo 4/17/
According to psychologists, social stratification refers to the division of individuals into different layers according to their relative power and prestige. Social stratification is found in both people and nations and it affects the entire life of an individual particularly in accessing material possessions. Social stratification has four areas of study; they are class, estate, slavery and caste. Most scholars agree that the caste system is a social stratification that is based on ascribed status that follows a person in their entire life. Most sociologists would conclude that social stratification is universal. One of the most significant theoretical critiques of global stratification may be the functionalist theory. The functionalist mode was developed by Wilbert Moore. According to Moore, global stratification may be the inevitable especially when the society is constantly seeking to all of its positions are filled (Barry 25). Therefore, the society has to make sure the most qualified personnel take up the most significant positions. The functionalist theory also shows how the society rewards individuals for the time and energy they take in developing strong qualifications. Another theory that seeks at analyzing global stratification in castes particularly in the United States is the conflict theory. This model argues that in every society, factions compete for power and those groups that obtain the power uses it to exploit and manipulate the groups below them. The United States has been the world’s super power and may be seen by many as the nation that uses its powers to manipulate world events to its advantage. This paper is a theoretical critique of global stratification about caste in the united state. By using various sociologists’ theories, the paper will describe global stratification and its importance to the
However, in the US these class systems maintain a high stable stratification hierarchies and patterns. In most cases, income inequality is the key characteristic of the class system in the US. A theoretical critique of the global stratification about caste in the united state is very significant to the society in that individual are able to understand the various closed social stratifications that they inherit. This would assist in analyzing their current immobility from the system. In the US, castes are often stratified by depending on the economic status of the people or there, race. The US caste’s system is very complex since it combines some elements of social identity and power. Therefore, in the US, castes may be viewed as a method of stratifying people based on their race, ethnicity and social status. Conflict theory and global stratification about caste in the united state According to the conflict theorists, conflict may be the key aspect of global social stratification the US. The nations that gain power use it to control and manipulate the other nations that are below. The conflict theory argues that nations that are members of the ruling elite in the world may develop ideologies that seek to justify their society’s social stratification system. According to Marx, the ruling elite continued maintaining their position at the top of the social stratification system by simply making the nations below them believe that their welfare depended on keeping the entire society stable. According to sociologist who supports the conflict theory such as Gerhard Lenski, the most important factor of society stratification is usually based on the accumulation of surplus (Barry 125). The global social stratification is maintained through different methods, which all depend on the political climate, as well as, the resources available to the people and nations in power. In the current world, this entails controlling technology, communication systems and using military
force. The models used for stratification may be different; however, the process is universal. Global stratification is been maintained by neo-colonialism. This involves political and economic dominance by the more industrialized countries to the less industrialized nations. In the US, multinational corporations often gain access to the less industrialized countries’ raw materials markets, as well as, labour force. Karl Marx was a renowned social scientist whose major concern was the stratification of all types of societies. The social scientist focussed on the various effects of economic inequality on all aspects of the United States in the mid 19th^ century. According to Marx, capitalism was the economic system whereby production of the society was largely owned by the private sector. In such a community, the main incentive for the economic activity was increasing the accumulation of profits (Edna 12). Unlike Marx, max Weber insisted that there could never be a single characteristic that was enough to totally define another person’s position within a global stratification system. Weber identified three analytically distinct features of global stratification, they are: class, status and power. Weber used class to refer to people who most likely poses the similar level of income and wealth (Edna 164). A typical example is employees in the US supporting their families through jobs that pay the federal a minimum wage. Weber viewed such wage earners as a class since they have similar economic positions. Weber agrees with Marx’s on the significance of an economic stratification. However, he also argued that the people’s actions might be understood solely on economic terms. The conflict theory uses the term status group in defining the different social and economical groups that conflict in the society. The status group is used by sociologist to refer to those people that are in
Work cited Barry, Bluestone. Growing Prosperity: the battle for growth with equity in the 21st century. Boston: Harrison Century Foundation, 2010. Edna, Bonacich. Behind the label: inequality in the American apparel industy. New York: University of California, 2011.