1. What is social stratification? How is social class connected to social stratification?

Summarize the four systems of stratification (provide examples of each). Which

stratification system(s) is likely to be open and/or closed? Which systems reflect ascribed
and/or achieved status? Explain.
Social stratification is the system in which people are put into classes of social standing
based on certain factors like income, race, education, and power. Social class is connected to
social stratification by diversity of accomplishments. The four systems of stratification are:
slavery, caste, estate, and class. The system of slavery would have one high class person
owning people of a lower class to do their work, for example, paying off debts. The caste
system is a predetermined status that you inherit and stay in for the rest of your life, for
example, scholars, warriors, priests. The estate system represents the medieval times which
included nobility for example, Kings and other rulers, clergyman, farmers, and laborers. The
class system would be a persons position is based on their effort to get far and achieve;
people have the opportunity to rank higher or lower. Closed stratification systems are likely
to be slavery, caste systems, and estates systems. Open stratification systems are like the
class system where there is fluidity between ranks. The system that reflect achieve status
would be an open class system where people who achieve power can be reflected based on
the hard work they did to reach that point in life. An ascribed system would be a system
where a person inherited their position from their family like the caste system.
2. For Karl Marx, what is the means of production and who owns the means of production
(explain and give examples)? Distinguish among the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.
What is their relationship to the means of production? Finally, describe and explain the
following terms: class consciousness, dominant ideology and false consciousness.
Means of production is the land, factories, machines, and tools that help produce goods. The
bourgeoisie are who own the means of production and are the capital class who control all
the farms and other means of production to control the wealth and power. The proletariat are
the laborers employed by the bourgeoisie, and produce the goods that help make profit. The
proletariat created surplus value and the bourgeoisie pays the proletariat. The relationship to
the means of production is the dividing of power and labor in society. Class consciousness is
an ideology of the proletariat have to work together towards social change for their best
interest. Dominant ideology is values and ideals of the people in social class. False
consciousness happens when people understands their position but are opposed to it.
3. Distinguish among Webers usage of the following terms: class, status group and party.
Provide examples of each. Contrast Weber and Marxs views of social class.
Class is a group of individuals in the same economic standing with the same resources like
the working class. A status group is referring to benefits of a similar level of prestige like a
lawyer or a doctor. Party is the ability in achieving a goal like men and women in the March
on Washington to abolish slavery. Weber viewed social class of having mutual relations but
Marx viewed social class as power and production.
4. How is cultural capital linked to class differences? How is cultural capital linked to
power differences? Explain. Discuss cultural capital in relation to material, social and
cultural resources. How is cultural capital expressed in attire, housing, vacations, food
and sport?
Cultural capital is linked to class differences like upper division class, middle class, and the
lower class. Material, social, and cultural resources allows one to have more connections and
a better position in life and a faster access to success based on education and the experiences
he grows with. Cultural capital is how a certain class will wear certain attire and they are
classified in it because of quality, price, and style. It begins when an individual is more
mature in supremacy socioeconomic households. It is also seen in housing based on
neighborhoods and the surrounding environmental resources available to them where they
live. The upper class would have luxury vacations and better food and sport activities while
the lower-middle class would have to partake in something less luxurious based on their
economic standards.