Primary Dimensions of Stratification

PRIMARY DIMENSIONS OF STRATIFICATION

E. Lavrentsova*

Faculty of Pedagogy, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

ABSTRACT This paper examines the social nature of stratification and its primary dimensions on the basis of the classical approaches in the science of sociology. In addition to the economic factor, which determines the social stratification and is regarded as fundamental to Marx’s class theory, this paper analyzes other important dimensions of stratification such as power and prestige, introduced in the conception of M. Weber.

Key words: social stratification, society, inequality, class, power, status.

INTRODUCTION in the social space stems not only from the The social order of the groups in society ownership relations, but also from the relation necessarily involves a certain arrangement or to power as well as the level of social prestige. stratification of the individuals and groups On that basis, he introduces three primary along the vertical from top to bottom into dimensions of stratification: class (economic horizontal layers (strata). According to Karl position), party (power) and status (prestige). Marx, the means of production and the level of scientific-technological progress determine the These dimensions express three distinct forms evolutionary processes in society and define of social stratification, three types of the social stratification and inequality. Social stratification hierarchy, which stabilize the inequality is expressed in social structures like behavior of the members of society from the classes. Classes have a fixed position in the different sides and through different principles. system of social production, which is They are also interrelated to a significant determined by their relation to the ownership extent. One form leads to another: the high of the means of production. level of material economic welfare provides power and prestige, the power generates social Marx undoubtedly simplifies the nature of prestige and chances for economic enrichment, social stratification when he regards as the and the social status attracts money and power. single source of social stratification the relation In some societies, these dimensions might to the means of production, dividing practically merge into one, while in others, individuals into those who possess (capitalist they only demonstrate a tendency toward owners) and those, who can offer to the market partial overlap. only their own labor (proletarian wage laborers). In his attempt to overcome Marx’s The first dimension of stratification - the unidimensionality, Weber develops a economic - consists of two elements: income multidimensional approach to stratification. He and wealth. Income is the amount of money thinks that the economic position and class one receives. Wealth is property, the material affiliation are not the only dominants in society possessions owned by the individual that determine the system of social (immovable property, production and non- stratification. According to Weber, the production assets, jewelry, shares, securities, different position of the individuals and groups expensive artworks, etc.). As shown by the ______proposed definitions, these components do not *Correspondence to: Elena Lavrentsova, Faculty always overlap in the economic stratification of Pedagogy, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, system. This means that an individual can have Bulgaria, [email protected], phone: (042) 613 753 , high income without being wealthy, because mobil: 0889 42 84 90 he does not save money, has a tendency toward high consumption and manages to spend all of

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LAVRENTSOVA E. his available money. Or we could give an exercise significant influence over the example of the opposite when an individual formation and implementation of the economic possesses substantial wealth (expensive policy. Apart from the representatives of the possessions, jewelry, immovable property, managerial structures, the middle classes also material production resources, etc.) but still has include the small and medium entrepreneurs as insignificant income because he does not use well as the merchants. The intelligentsia is also this property as variable capital or receives present there and it includes bankers, only a small profit. financiers, technical specialists, people who practice freelance professions. According to Whether separately or in conjunction, the Weber’s methodology (even though he did not different levels of income and the differences propose a strictly defined and structured class in the amount of wealth and property primarily division) the following classes can be found in determine the processes of socio-economic the contemporary capitalist society: stratification of the society. On the basis of this 1. Working class; stratification, the class situation is gradually 2. Small bourgeoisie -the class of the small formed, which, according to Weber, is entrepreneurs and merchants; ultimately a “market situation” (1) and 3. Technical specialists and intelligentsia; involves the presence of different economic 4. Administrators and managers; interests in the conditions of the market for 5. Owners, who earn rental income or goods. It is determined by the property and the members of the commercial class. type of service that is offered. The category of “class” is related to all the groups of people in The famous researcher of Weber’s conception, the socium that are generated by such a R. Bendix correctly notes that for Weber as for situation. As Charles Hurst correctly notes, Marx, the basic condition of “class” lay in the “class, at its core, is an economic concept … it unequal distribution of economic power and is how one is situated in the marketplace that hence the unequal distribution of opportunity. directly affects one’s life chances” (2). Thus, But for Weber this economical determination we can talk about class when we have the did not exhaust the conditions of group following indications: 1. The presence of a formation (3). The people, whose fate is not group of people united by specific causal affected by the market, do not form a class- components pertaining to their life’s chances. they form status groups (4). Highlighting the 2. These components are economic interests, difference between group and class, Weber related to the production of goods and the states that status groups are real communities obtainment of income. 3. Such components are performing collective action as opposed to determined by the situation at the market for classes, which are only a potential foundation goods. Based on that, class can be defined as a for joint action (5). This is the main point of group of people, who have identical life’s disagreement between Weber and Marx. chances and common economic interests, Unlike Marx, Weber believes that class cannot related to the action of the market mechanism. be the subject of action as it is not a real community, but a type of amorphous structure, The market position and chances are different which is even connected with the capitalist for the members of the different classes. Those society. who have property form the class of the owners and on that basis receive the right to Power in Weber’s conception constitutes the control the labor or the products of the labor of second dimension of stratification. Power is other individuals. Those who do not have the ability or possibility to exercise and property form the “negatively privileged” class enforce one’s will, affecting other people’s (lumpenproletariat) and are differentiated on behavior by various means - economic, the basis of the level of potential for political, ideological, religious, etc. It is by consumption, the type of services that are these means that power can be used as force. offered and the way of demonstrating their At the root of the relations of power lies the usefulness. In addition to the above-mentioned mechanism of domination and force. Apart classes, there is also the so-called “middle” from domination, however, power is also class or more precisely, a whole spectrum of expressed in a variety of other forms - middle classes. This class primarily guidance, organization, management, control. incorporates people working in the sphere of When intentionally influencing other people’s management. Managing the companies, they behavior, those who have power use certain

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LAVRENTSOVA E. resources. Their main categories are the not the only source of the organization of following: punitive, restrictive resources or the parties, which can also be built on the basis of so-called domination instruments which refer a common religious affiliation or nationalist to some type of punishment or restriction- ideas. material, physical or spiritual; encouragement resources, which consist of a carefully chosen According to Weber, apart from an economic arsenal of various rewards or types of and a political dimension, stratification also encouragement, stimulating and motivating for has a purely social indicator - status (or the fulfillment of the orders of those in power; prestige as an assessment given to different resources utilizing conviction, which give social statuses on the basis of comparison those in power the ability to influence the performed by the members of society). Status consciousness and beliefs of the others and to is the relative social position of the individual change them in order to realize the objectives or group in the social hierarchy, which of the people in power. The impact of includes certain rights and obligations. Status conviction can be based on authority, personal also incorporates such socio-cultural charisma, reputation or manipulative, characteristics as the way of life. Stratification controlling influence, but its main function as by status goes hand in hand with a an instrument of power remains unchanged: monopolization of ideal and material goods or just like the other types of resources, it serves opportunities (7). By analogy with how Weber to promote the intentional domination and to sees class situation as economically force the other people to perform certain determined, the status situation is also actions. determined in terms of the positive and negative social esteem and privileges. This, Power allows those who possess it to dictate however, does not mean that there is no the common rules of the game and to secure a connection between class and status more attractive individual or group social differences. Property, for example, does not position by means of having control over the always serve as a status characteristic, but in resources. In this way, it dynamizes the most cases it gradually acquires this quality. processes of stratification, determines the character of the formation of elites and the Weber believes there are two kinds of status - arrangement of the social strata within the class and social. Class status involves material hierarchical social structure. The distribution possessions or commodities, externally of power in accordance with Weber’s ideas, demonstrable living conditions and the not only stratifies society, but also creates subjective sense of inner gratification. Class specific, mighty political structures like the statuses differ, depending on the types of class. parties. For the members of the class of owners, with all its diversity, it is primarily expressed in the Parties are associations that aim at securing monopoly on acquisition and sales of power within an organization (or the state) for expensive commodities, the control over its leaders in order to attain ideal or material investments and business, the socially advantages for its active members (6). They prestigious consumption. The class status of are the incarnation of power and serve to unite people, who are not owners and who lack people based on their shared dispositions and professional qualification is of a single type interests. As parties are directed at goals, and is characterized by the absence of freedom which involve the creation and implementation for economic activity and a position of of specific political programs, as well as subordination. obtaining positions of influence in the organizational structures, Weber believes that In addition to class status, there is also social they exist only in communities which have status, which is somewhat different but still rational order as well as a special group of closely related to the first type. Social status is people, whose job is to monitor the practical, linked to a certain level of social esteem and real-life application of this order. While Marx honors through the category of “prestige”. It is uses the class approach in explaining the typically expressed and determined by the genesis of the various parties (and statuses), lifestyle and thus, by the formal education and Weber thinks that their origin should not be the corresponding types of behavior, by the viewed solely through the prism of class. The hereditary and professional attributes. In real class differences in their economic sense are life, status according to Weber is expressed in

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LAVRENTSOVA E. the marital relations, commensalisms, position. Such an artificially constructed monopolistic appropriation of the privileged assessment or image tries to affirm itself by forms of consumption or the prohibition of means of various types of demonstration certain types of consumption. Following (titles, ranks, a certain dress code, etc.). The Weber’s idea, Swedberg specifically notes that forms of demonstration close the circle of the as opposed to a class, a status group is symbolic stylistics, created by the status typically related to consumption rather than to community, with the language of social production (8). communication and subculture typical of it. All of this helps to differentiate between its own To differentiate between the hereditary and members and the outsiders, to organize both professional forms of status and prestige, the space inside and outside the community by Weber introduces a very important distinction, means of interactions and connections with the which would later acquire the sociological others, and eventually leads to qualification of ascribed and achieved status. institutionalization of the stratum. Depending on whether the individual occupies a certain position due to hereditary attributes What is especially valuable in Weber’s (such as: social or family origin, gender, age, conception is the analysis of the status racial or ethnic affiliation, etc.) or due to his positions determined by the prestige of own efforts, personal qualities and education, profession, lifestyle and socio- achievements (education, profession, merits, cultural orientations, as well as the etc.) two types of status can be defined - demonstration of their relation to the market ascribed and achieved status. The predominant positions. When studying the phenomenon of impact and significance of certain attributes in social stratification, Weber convincingly the status field, hereditary or acquired, depends supports the thesis that the possession of the on the specific historical age and the type of means of production is one of the most society. In the earlier historical periods, the important sources of power and stratification in leading role undoubtedly belonged to the society, but not the only one, and that there are hereditary attributes and the position of the many factors as a result which stratification individual in the social hierarchy, his personal occurs. Each of them involves the presence of status depended a lot more on origin and other certain types of inequalities, as well as specific hereditary characteristics than on his personal means of legitimizing, maintaining and qualities and skills. In contrast, with reproducing them. contemporary societies characteristics like educational level, profession, appearance, REFERENCES manners and lifestyle become much more 1. Weber, M., Status Groups and Classes in: important in determining the personal social Weber, M., Economy and Society. status. Berkeley, 1978, V.1, p. 302-310. 2. Hurst, Charles E., Social Inequality Forms, Social status is one of the most powerful Causes, and Consequences. Sixth Edition, determinants affecting the actions and behavior Allyn and Bacon Boston, 2007, p. 203. of people. The struggle for status is typical of 3. Bendix, Reinhard, Max Weber: An every individual and social group and this fact Intellectual Portrait. University of has its explanation. Social status (Stand) itself, California Press, Berkeley, 1978, p. 86. in Weber’s view, is simultaneously expressed 4. Weber, M., On charisma and institutional in two hypostases: as a social position and as building. Chicago, London, Univ. of an estate group. In this way, it becomes a Chicago Press, 1968, 169-183. “corporate symbol”, which constitutes a 5. Weber, M., op. cit., 1978, p.302-310. community of people (status group) on the 6. Hurst, Charles E., op. cit., 2007, p. 206. basis of a specific lifestyle, social habits, 7. Weber, M. op. cit., 1978, p.302-310. values, beliefs, etc. Each status is ascribed a 8. Swedberg, Richard, The Max Weber certain symbolic esteem - external symbolic Dictionary Key Words and Central acclaim or prestige. And this prestige serves to Concepts, Stanford University Press, legitimize the status community and its social California, 2005, p. 269.

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