The term "social strata" appeared in the XX century. These social hierarchy units group together people with a certain set of traits and characteristics.
Social classes and layers
In science, social strata are an instrument of social stratification - the division of society according to different criteria. Scientists have been studying this problem since ancient times. Social strata as a concept appeared in the 20th century. Prior to this, other units of the hierarchy were common - castes and estates.
In the 19th century, the doctrine of social classes was popular. This phenomenon was first studied by Adam Smith and David Ricardo, the classics of political economy. The class theory was most fully developed and revealed by the German scientist Karl Marx. Modern social strata have adopted some features from his teachings.
Dichotomous division of society
Social strata are characterized by classification according to several defining features. These are we alth, power, education, leisure and consumption. These indicators are signs of inequality and social distances between different members of society.
There are several models for dividing the population into layers. The simplest is the idea of dichotomy - the division of society. According to this theory, society is divided into masses and elites. This specificity was especially characteristic of the most ancient civilizations. In them, pronounced social inequality was the norm. In addition, in such societies, castes of the so-called "initiates" appeared - priests, leaders or elders. Modern civilization has abandoned such social constructions.
Social hierarchy
According to modern stratification, the social strata of society have certain status features that unite people. Between them there is a sense of connectedness and belonging to one community. At the same time, the layer indicators carry only the assessment “better - worse” or “more - less”.
For example, when it comes to education, people are divided into those who have graduated from school or university. Similar associations can be continued when talking about the income or career growth of the individual. In other words, the social strata of society have a strict vertical hierarchy. This is a kind of pyramid, at the top of which are the “best”. If, for example, we compare basketball fans and folklore fans, then their difference will not be vertical, but horizontal. Such groups do not fall under the definition of social strata.
Status concept
The main category in the theory of social strata is status. It is he who is of key importance in the modern stratification of society. The current social strata of the population differ from the classes of the 19th century also in that a person is not tied to any group for life. What does it look like in practice?For example, if a boy was born into a poor family, but at the same time he studied well and, thanks to his talents, was able to achieve a high career position, then he certainly moved from one layer to another.
Status implies that the person who belongs to it must meet certain requirements. They concern the ability of a member of society to consume and produce goods. For the status, and hence for the social stratum, it is important to observe the lifestyle established as the norm.
Welfare and labor
The signs by which representatives of social strata are divided can be divided into several groups. For example, they are related to the economic situation of a person. This group includes the presence of private property, the size and types of income. In general, these signs can be described as the level of material well-being. According to this criterion, the poor, middle-income and rich strata are singled out. You can also use the example of low-wage and high-wage employees living in public housing, property owners, etc.
The concept of the social stratum refers to the phenomenon of the division of labor. In this hierarchy, we are talking about the professional skills and training of a person. The work of each individual finds a different application, and it is in this difference that the next social stratum is reflected. For example, you can select workers employed in agriculture, industry, the service sector, etc.
Power and influence
No less important in the social hierarchy is power. They are determined by the ability of a person to influence others. The source of such abilities may be a high position held or the possession of socially important knowledge. In this hierarchy, one can distinguish ordinary workers in a municipal enterprise, managers in a small business, or, for example, government leaders.
Signs of influence, authority and prestige stand out in a separate group. In this case, the assessments of others play an important role. This indicator cannot be objective, therefore it is very difficult to measure and designate it within some specific framework. According to this characteristic, one can single out informal leaders, famous cultural figures, representatives of the state elite, etc.
Minor features
The main signs were described above, according to which the modern stratification of society is built. However, in addition to them, there are secondary features. They do not have a decisive value, but also affect the position of the individual in the general hierarchy. What social strata are present in society to a greater or lesser extent does not directly depend on these traits. Their nature is supportive.
Ethno-national sign in different societies affects the position of a person to an unequal degree. In multicultural countries, this quality does not play a role at all. At the same time, there are still enough countries in the modern world where conservative national sentiments reign. In such societies belonging to someone elseethnic group can be a decisive factor in determining whether a person belongs to a particular social stratum.
Other such characteristics are gender, age, religious and cultural traits of a person. Their totality affects the social circle of the individual and his interests. It is also worth noting the sign associated with the place of residence. In this case, it is mainly about the big difference between the townspeople and the villagers.
People with specific social status
Belonging to a particular group in society also depends on certain qualities and psychological attitudes of a person. In this series, scientists distinguish a marginal position in society. It includes the unemployed, people without a permanent place of residence, refugees. In some societies, this may also include the disabled and pensioners, whose living conditions are markedly worse than the rest of the population. Such a social gap occurs in countries where there is an irresponsible state. If the authorities cannot provide the population with the basic signs of a comfortable life, there will be more and more such marginalized people over time.
People with illegal behavior also have a specific status. These are citizens who have been convicted for their crimes. These include representatives of the criminal world, persons imprisoned in prisons and other correctional labor institutions. People who find themselves in a marginal or criminal group, as a rule, cannot climb the social ladder on their own or do not want to at all.
