What Is Social Stratification? (continued)
Overview
Why do some people seem stuck at the bottom of society no matter how hard they try? In this second half of the stratification story you meet two powerful answers. The first comes from labelling theory, which says the names society pins on people, scrounger, troublemaker, failure, can become a kind of trap that shapes how they are treated and even how they see themselves. The second comes from Marxism, which says inequality is no accident at all but a system in which one class lives off the labour of another and keeps the arrangement looking normal.
You will learn how stereotypes harden into a master status and trigger a self-fulfilling prophecy, and how Marxists explain poverty through exploitation, ideological control, the poverty trap and the reserve army of labour. Then you will tie these ideas to social mobility, the chance of moving up or down the layers, and see why movement is far harder than the idea of a meritocracy suggests. By the end you will be able to argue inequality from both the labelling and the Marxist side.
Objectives
- Labelling theory, e.g.: stereotypes, master status, self-fulfilling prophecy.
- Marxism, e.g.: exploitation of the proletariat, ideological control, poverty trap, reserve army of labour.
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on What Is Social Stratification? (continued). Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- A single label that overrides a person's other identities and becomes the main way others see them is called a: A. stereotype B. master status C. self-fulfilling prophecy D. life chance Answer: B
- In Marxist theory, the pool of unemployed workers used to keep wages low is the: A. proletariat B. bourgeoisie C. reserve army of labour D. underclass Answer: C
- A coal miner's daughter who becomes a surgeon is an example of: A. intragenerational mobility B. intergenerational mobility C. downward mobility D. a closed system Answer: B
- Marxists use the term ideological control to describe how the ruling class: A. pay workers the full value of their labour B. make inequality appear natural and just through schools, media and religion C. abolish private property D. raise the wages of the reserve army of labour Answer: B
- The idea that a prediction can come true because people act as though it were already true is the: A. poverty trap B. master status C. self-fulfilling prophecy D. dependency culture Answer: C
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