SOA356Final__1 SOA356Final_
Social class vs. caste vs. social issues vs wealth, status and power in america
Emile 1
Christina Emile
Professor Magrass
SOA 356
December 9, 2019
TITLEEEEE
Introduction
Social class is a hierarchy in which groups and individuals are categorized according
to prestige and esteem developed from wealth and economic success. A social class simply
means a set of individuals with the same levels of wealth, status and influence are grouped
together. According to Karl Marx Theory of social class, what differentiates one category of
a society from another it’s the method of production. Each method of production forms a
certain class system which controls the production while the other classes are the producers
and provide service to the prevailing class.
Sociologists use three approaches to determine a social class. The approaches used
include objective, reputational, and subjective methods. The objective method is where
sociologists measure and evaluate physical facts. On the subjective method, individuals are
questioned on how they think about themselves, while on the reputational method individuals
are asked on how they think about other people. Through this approach, people are divided
into various social classes.
Emile 2
The four main social classes include the upper, middle, working and lower class.
These social classes only are classified in America. The upper class are the individuals that
have the supreme status in society. From my understanding these people are very wealthy
and have a lot of power. Some occupation of these individuals may be investors, CEOs ,
heirs and some celebrities. The middle class are individuals that are considered white collar
workers and these individuals may work in the professional setting. The working class are
the individuals of low status occupations such as manual labor, food and retail jobs, blue
collar jobs, jobs where you are in a cubicle, and even caring jobs such as home health aides.
The lower class, which is at the bottom, are individuals with low education that leads to low
status jobs which leads to low income.
According to the book Social Class and Stratification: Classic Statements and
Theoretical Debates edited by Rhonda F. Levine, she writes “When societies are complex
and service large populations, they always possess some kind of status system which, by its
own values, places people on higher or lower positions” (Levine 71). This quote stood out to
me because Levine is saying that is almost inevitable to not have a hierarchy within a society.
A system is put in place to have some kind of order within the society, so with a system
hierarchy is needed.
Caste systems
Caste is a method of social stratification categorized by endogamy, inherited
transmission of lifestyle that mainly includes formal status in a hierarchy, profession,
Emile 3
customary social interaction and segregation centered on cultural perception of righteousness
and wickedness. Mostly applied in Hindu society to differentiate various groups based on
levels of pollution or ritual purity. According to the article, Caste and Distributive Justice:
Can Social Policy Address Durable Inequalities written by Sony Pellissery, Amrutha Jose
Pampackal and Partha Bopaiah, it states “The caste system may essentially be considered a
class system in that it entails division of labour, wherein Brahmin is the priestly class,
Kshatriya is the military class, Vaishya is the merchant class and Shudra comprises artisans
and menial workers. Outside this varna system falls the untouchables or “dalits”. This rigid
caste structure that prevented mobility warranted a revolt (Pellissery 787). Within the caste
system they have four levels which are Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra. These
different levels
Similarities between social classes and castes
Both social class system and caste system are categories of social stratification. They
are both methods of organizing society and have a habit of limiting social mobility. Social
stratification, takes place in societies and big groups of people in which individuals are
divided into diverse groups grounded on specific demographic factors. Another similarity
between social class system and caste system is that they both have discrimination (Pellissery
793). In the society, it is not easy to find people from different groupings interacting closely
Both social class and caste systems are determined by birth. Transition from one
social rank to another occurs only in caste system but not in social class system. In both
Emile 4
categories of social stratifications, the castes and upper classes are focused to
defend/maintain their positions and on the other hand also, the castes and lower class
continue to thrive for improved status and the advantages that come along with the status.
Differences between social classes and castes
According to Max Weber, both class and caste are status groups. Social classes are
mainly based on relation of production while the caste classes are alleged as inherited groups
with strong ritual Status. In social classes, persons in the same class have common life
chances, lifestyles, altitude and prestige while in caste system individuals have different life
opportunities and lifestyles since in the caste groupings the political and economic privileges
do not resolute the groupings but the ritual legitimation authorities.
In social class systems there are no formal restrictions on inter-marrying people from
different groupings. People are free to interact and marry from different groups or classes. In
caste system there are restriction since endogamy is highly practiced. In social class systems,
the classes are not created by religious or legal provisions while in Castes religion/rituals are
the core aspects that determine the classes. In addition, membership in social classes in not
inherited as it is the case in caste systems.
Another difference is that castes are mainly in India only while social classes are
found everywhere in the world (Bidner, 150) According to Dumont caste is a special
distinctive phenomenon found only in India. In caste systems, non-economic aspects like
religion, for example, the theory of Karma matter a lot in the categorizing of the
Emile 5
groups/classes. This is quite different from social classes since economic differences and
disparities in ownership and regulation of material resources are used to determine the
classes.
Feudalism, Capitalisms and Socialism and how they promise an ordinary person
Feudalism is a system of duties and land ownership. The land in the kingdom
belonged to the king. The soldiers who fought for the king were given some of the land. It
was a system of holding land in exchange for service and labor (Laclau, 178). A social
hierarchy was created grounded on local administrative control and land division into units
called fiefs. A land owner gave land on return with promise of military protection.
Capitalism is an economic system where people can have private businesses and own
capital goods for a profit. The prices, investments and distribution of goods are determined
by the private sector (Mondal 354). With capitalism, you have more economic freedom in a
way because the government does not really control you because of your business helping
the system but it can also lead to inequality. Capitalism promises an ordinary person every
generation will rise depending on the generation before due to natural performance of market
economy.
Socialism is an economic and political theory which encourages that modes for
production, exchange and distribution to be posed by a collection of people. It discourages
private ownership of property. It promises an ordinary person that he or she will enjoy
maximum results of his or her labor.
Emile 6
Formal and Substantive Equality
Formal equality refers to a belief that for fair treatment for all people to be considered
equal and no privileges over certain persons in the workplace (Craig, 105). While substantive
equality does not only consider the recognition of equality for everybody but also points out
for fair treatment of the disadvantaged and marginalized persons in the society.
Conclusion
All in all, wealth, status and power in America are all divided by someone’s social
class in society.
Emile 7
Social class and stratification: classic statements and theoretical debates by rhonda f. Levine
Works cited
Bidner, Chris, and Mukesh Eswaran. “A gender-based theory of the origin of the caste
system of India.” Journal of development economics 114 (2015): 142-158.
Craig, Paul. “Formal and substantive conceptions of the rule of law: an analytical
framework.” The Rule of Law and the Separation of Powers. Routledge, 2017. 95-115.
Laclau, Ernesto. “Feudalism and capitalism in Latin America.” Promise of Development.
Routledge, 2018. 166-190.
Mondal, Lipon Kumar. “Social formation in Bangladesh: an essay on the political
economy of state, class and capitalism.” Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
(Hum.) 59.2 (2014): 343-365.
Pellissery, Sony, Amrutha Jose Pampackal, and Partha Bopaiah. “Caste and Distributive
Justice: Can Social Policy Address Durable Inequalities?.” Social Policy &
Administration 49.6 (2015): 785-800.
Who rules america
https://ia802907.us.archive.org/23/items/pdfy-_kk5SUEa8GvEgy3B/Who%20Rules%20Americ
a%20Power,%20Politics%20and%20Social%20Change
https://ia802907.us.archive.org/23/items/pdfy-_kk5SUEa8GvEgy3B/Who%20Rules%20America%20Power,%20Politics%20and%20Social%20Change
https://ia802907.us.archive.org/23/items/pdfy-_kk5SUEa8GvEgy3B/Who%20Rules%20America%20Power,%20Politics%20and%20Social%20Change
Emile 8
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/social-and-global-stratification/types-of-soci
al-classes-of-people
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=fQbpXV2T99oC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&ots=nEdtd
pHnbC&sig=I7MSIpRE0RHJctXFxVfQr6UniVI#v=onepage&q&f=false
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/social-and-global-stratification/types-of-social-classes-of-people
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/social-and-global-stratification/types-of-social-classes-of-people
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=fQbpXV2T99oC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&ots=nEdtdpHnbC&sig=I7MSIpRE0RHJctXFxVfQr6UniVI#v=onepage&q&f=false
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=fQbpXV2T99oC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&ots=nEdtdpHnbC&sig=I7MSIpRE0RHJctXFxVfQr6UniVI#v=onepage&q&f=false
Emile 1
Christina Emile
Professor Magrass
SOA 356
December 9, 2019
TITLEEEEE
Introduction
Social class is a hierarchy in which groups and individuals are categorized according
to prestige and esteem developed from wealth and economic success. A social class simply
means a set of individuals with the same levels of wealth, status and influence are grouped
together. According to Karl Marx Theory of social class, what differentiates one category of
a society from another it’s the method of production. Each method of production forms a
certain class system which controls the production while the other classes are the producers
and provide service to the prevailing class.
Sociologists use three approaches to determine a social class. The approaches used
include objective, reputational, and subjective methods. The objective method is where
sociologists measure and evaluate physical facts. On the subjective method, individuals are
questioned on how they think about themselves, while on the reputational method individuals
are asked on how they think about other people. Through this approach, people are divided
into various social classes.
Emile 2
The four main social classes include the upper, middle, working and lower class.
These social classes only are classified in America. The upper class are the individuals that
have the supreme status in society. From my understanding these people are very wealthy
and have a lot of power. Some occupation of these individuals may be investors, CEOs ,
heirs and some celebrities. The middle class are individuals that are considered white collar
workers and these individuals may work in the professional setting. The working class are
the individuals of low status occupations such as manual labor, food and retail jobs, blue
collar jobs, jobs where you are in a cubicle, and even caring jobs such as home health aides.
The lower class, which is at the bottom, are individuals with low education that leads to low
status jobs which leads to low income.
According to the book Social Class and Stratification: Classic Statements and
Theoretical Debates edited by Rhonda F. Levine, she writes “When societies are complex
and service large populations, they always possess some kind of status system which, by its
own values, places people on higher or lower positions” (Levine 71). This quote stood out to
me because Levine is saying that is almost inevitable to not have a hierarchy within a society.
A system is put in place to have some kind of order within the society, so with a system
hierarchy is needed.
Caste systems
Caste is a method of social stratification categorized by endogamy, inherited
transmission of lifestyle that mainly includes formal status in a hierarchy, profession,
Emile 3
customary social interaction and segregation centered on cultural perception of righteousness
and wickedness. Mostly applied in Hindu society to differentiate various groups based on
levels of pollution or ritual purity. According to the article, Caste and Distributive Justice:
Can Social Policy Address Durable Inequalities written by Sony Pellissery, Amrutha Jose
Pampackal and Partha Bopaiah, it states “The caste system may essentially be considered a
class system in that it entails division of labour, wherein Brahmin is the priestly class,
Kshatriya is the military class, Vaishya is the merchant class and Shudra comprises artisans
and menial workers. Outside this varna system falls the untouchables or “dalits”. This rigid
caste structure that prevented mobility warranted a revolt (Pellissery 787). Within the caste
system they have four levels which are Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra. These
different levels
Similarities between social classes and castes
Both social class system and caste system are categories of social stratification. They
are both methods of organizing society and have a habit of limiting social mobility. Social
stratification, takes place in societies and big groups of people in which individuals are
divided into diverse groups grounded on specific demographic factors. Another similarity
between social class system and caste system is that they both have discrimination (Pellissery
793). In the society, it is not easy to find people from different groupings interacting closely
Both social class and caste systems are determined by birth. Transition from one
social rank to another occurs only in caste system but not in social class system. In both
Emile 4
categories of social stratifications, the castes and upper classes are focused to
defend/maintain their positions and on the other hand also, the castes and lower class
continue to thrive for improved status and the advantages that come along with the status.
Differences between social classes and castes
According to Max Weber, both class and caste are status groups. Social classes are
mainly based on relation of production while the caste classes are alleged as inherited groups
with strong ritual Status. In social classes, persons in the same class have common life
chances, lifestyles, altitude and prestige while in caste system individuals have different life
opportunities and lifestyles since in the caste groupings the political and economic privileges
do not resolute the groupings but the ritual legitimation authorities.
In social class systems there are no formal restrictions on inter-marrying people from
different groupings. People are free to interact and marry from different groups or classes. In
caste system there are restriction since endogamy is highly practiced. In social class systems,
the classes are not created by religious or legal provisions while in Castes religion/rituals are
the core aspects that determine the classes. In addition, membership in social classes in not
inherited as it is the case in caste systems.
Another difference is that castes are mainly in India only while social classes are
found everywhere in the world (Bidner, 150) According to Dumont caste is a special
distinctive phenomenon found only in India. In caste systems, non-economic aspects like
religion, for example, the theory of Karma matter a lot in the categorizing of the
Emile 5
groups/classes. This is quite different from social classes since economic differences and
disparities in ownership and regulation of material resources are used to determine the
classes.
Feudalism, Capitalisms and Socialism and how they promise an ordinary person
Feudalism is a system of duties and land ownership. The land in the kingdom
belonged to the king. The soldiers who fought for the king were given some of the land. It
was a system of holding land in exchange for service and labor (Laclau, 178). A social
hierarchy was created grounded on local administrative control and land division into units
called fiefs. A land owner gave land on return with promise of military protection.
Capitalism is an economic system where people can have private businesses and own
capital goods for a profit. The prices, investments and distribution of goods are determined
by the private sector (Mondal 354). With capitalism, you have more economic freedom in a
way because the government does not really control you because of your business helping
the system but it can also lead to inequality. Capitalism promises an ordinary person every
generation will rise depending on the generation before due to natural performance of market
economy.
Socialism is an economic and political theory which encourages that modes for
production, exchange and distribution to be posed by a collection of people. It discourages
private ownership of property. It promises an ordinary person that he or she will enjoy
maximum results of his or her labor.
Emile 6
Formal and Substantive Equality
Formal equality refers to a belief that for fair treatment for all people to be considered
equal and no privileges over certain persons in the workplace (Craig, 105). While substantive
equality does not only consider the recognition of equality for everybody but also points out
for fair treatment of the disadvantaged and marginalized persons in the society.
Conclusion
All in all, wealth, status and power in America are all divided by someone’s social
class in society.
Emile 7
Social class and stratification: classic statements and theoretical debates by rhonda f. Levine
Works cited
Bidner, Chris, and Mukesh Eswaran. “A gender-based theory of the origin of the caste
system of India.” Journal of development economics 114 (2015): 142-158.
Craig, Paul. “Formal and substantive conceptions of the rule of law: an analytical
framework.” The Rule of Law and the Separation of Powers. Routledge, 2017. 95-115.
Laclau, Ernesto. “Feudalism and capitalism in Latin America.” Promise of Development.
Routledge, 2018. 166-190.
Mondal, Lipon Kumar. “Social formation in Bangladesh: an essay on the political
economy of state, class and capitalism.” Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
(Hum.) 59.2 (2014): 343-365.
Pellissery, Sony, Amrutha Jose Pampackal, and Partha Bopaiah. “Caste and Distributive
Justice: Can Social Policy Address Durable Inequalities?.” Social Policy &
Administration 49.6 (2015): 785-800.
Who rules america
https://ia802907.us.archive.org/23/items/pdfy-_kk5SUEa8GvEgy3B/Who%20Rules%20Americ
a%20Power,%20Politics%20and%20Social%20Change
https://ia802907.us.archive.org/23/items/pdfy-_kk5SUEa8GvEgy3B/Who%20Rules%20America%20Power,%20Politics%20and%20Social%20Change
https://ia802907.us.archive.org/23/items/pdfy-_kk5SUEa8GvEgy3B/Who%20Rules%20America%20Power,%20Politics%20and%20Social%20Change
Emile 8
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/social-and-global-stratification/types-of-soci
al-classes-of-people
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=fQbpXV2T99oC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&ots=nEdtd
pHnbC&sig=I7MSIpRE0RHJctXFxVfQr6UniVI#v=onepage&q&f=false
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/social-and-global-stratification/types-of-social-classes-of-people
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/social-and-global-stratification/types-of-social-classes-of-people
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=fQbpXV2T99oC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&ots=nEdtdpHnbC&sig=I7MSIpRE0RHJctXFxVfQr6UniVI#v=onepage&q&f=false
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=fQbpXV2T99oC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&ots=nEdtdpHnbC&sig=I7MSIpRE0RHJctXFxVfQr6UniVI#v=onepage&q&f=false