Understanding Culture, Society and

Politics
Quarter 2
Lesson Social and Political
9 Stratification

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW?

This module will help you understand Social and Political Stratification; identify
the characteristics of the system of stratification; and examine the concept,
characteristics and forms of stratification systems using sociological perspectives.
Objectives:
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. Define Social and Political Stratification;
2. Examine social stratification from the functionalist and conflict perspectives; and
3. Examine the concept, characteristics and forms of stratification systems using
sociological perspectives.

WHAT I KNOW?
INSTRUCTION: Write your answer in your activity notebook.
Mark a check (  ) if the statement corresponds to whether T (True) or F (False).

Statement T F
1. Social means relating to society or to the way society is organized.
2. Caste system means that people are free to move from one social class to another
3. Closed system means they have the rigid boundaries between social groups.
4. Socialization becomes more healthy when we share our ideas and thought with
other people.
5. Conflict theory explains that social role has a greater functional purpose will result
in greater reward.

WHAT’S IN?
 In the previous chapter you learned that Primary education is a right of every
child and it is the responsibility of the state and parents to ensure that every
child is provided with a satisfactory level of education.

WHAT IS IT?

SOCIAL AND POLITICAL STRATIFICATION

https://
www.slideshare.net/

happynezzabolongaita/ucsp-social-and-political-stratification v

Sociologists use the term social stratification to describe the system of social standing. 

Karl Maxx looked at it in terms wealth produced in relation to the ownership of means of
production. For example, if you are the owner of the company you get most of the profits gained
by your company’s operation compared to that of your employees. Wealth may refer to money,
properties, and similar tangible resources.

Max Weber, on the other hand, differentiates them into three: wealth, power, and prestige.
Individual’s social standing can be measured, all at once, based on their relative access to these
three. For example, a college professor may have less power and less wealth, but he/she enjoys a
lot of prestige. A government employee may have less wealth and less prestige, but he/she may
have more power. Political stratification can be related to norms, values, class structures, status
groups, associations, and laws, which structure the relations between individual.

Bases of Class According to Karl Marx and Max Weber

Karl Marx Max weber

 Economic Structure Power Wealth Prestige

Material prosperity, Political or social Widespread respect

ownership of the means authority or control, and admiration felt
of productions especially that which Material prosperity for someone due to
is exercised by a his/her achievements
government or quality

The Concept of Social Stratification

SOCIAL EXCLUSION
Process by which individuals are cut off from full involvement in the wider circles of society. May
be due to poor housing, lack of employment, inferior schools, or limited transportations. Leads to
lack of opportunities for self-improvement.

SYSTEM OF STRATIFICATION
CLOSED

 Impose rigid boundaries between social groups.

 Limit interactions between members who belong to different social groups or occupy
different levels in social hierarchy.
 Resistant to change in social roles.

OPEN

 Mainly based on achievements, allowing more flexibility in social roles, increased social
mobility, and better interaction.

Caste Systems
Are closed stratification systems because people are unable to change their social standing. Caste
systems promote belief in fate, destiny, and the will of higher spiritual power rather than promotion
of individual freedom. People born into caste society are socialized to accept their standing for the
rest of their lives. There are no opportunities to improve one’s social position.

CLASS
SYSTEM

Stratification system based on ownership of resources and the individual’s occupation or

profession. A SOCIAL CLASS is composed of people who share the same background and
characteristics (income, education, and occupation).
People are free to move from one social class to another and achieve higher status in life
through education and employment. Openness in class systems results in prevalence of

EXOGAMOUS MARRIAGES.

Society in general, still remains strongly influenced by other factors such as inheritance and
pressure to conform.

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

CONFLICT THEORY

 Takes critical view of social stratification.

 Considers society as benefitting only a small segment.
 Stratification causes inequality.
 Drawn from ideas of Karl Marx.
KARL MARX

 social stratification is influences by economic forces and relationships in society are defined
by factors of production.
 Two groups:
 Bourgeois (capitalists) – own factors of production (land, resources,
business and ploretariat); UPPERCLASS
 Ploretariat – workers who provide manual labor; LOWERCLASS
 Inequality causes workers to experience alienation, isolation, and great misery due to
powerless status. This leads to class conflict.

Symbolic interactionism

 Micro level perspective

 Attempts to explain how people’s social standing affects their everyday interactions.
 Leads to interactions within the same class.
 Stratification becomes a System that GROUPS people (interests, background, way of life)
 People’s appearance reflects their perceived social standing.

Theory of Conspicuous Consumption

 Buying certain products to make a social statement about a status.

SOCIAL MOBILITY

 Two main types:

a) Upward Mobility – upward movement in social class. May be through education,
employment or marriage.
b) Downward Mobility – lowering of social class. Brought by economic setbacks,
unemployment, illness and dropping out of school.
 Ability of individuals or groups to change their positions within a social stratification
system.
 How individuals progress from a lower to a higher class, or how they lose their status and
occupy much lower position in society.
 Major factor: Economic status (accumulation of wealth)
 WHAT I HAVE LEARNED
Directions: Write your answer in your activity notebook

1. What is Social Stratification?

2. Explain the different systems of stratification.
3. Define social mobility.

WHAT I CAN DO?

ACTIVITY: FORM A WORD
Directions: Arrange the letters to form a word. After forming a word, please write the meaning of
the word you have formed. All of this words are taken from this module. Be careful in arranging,
your answer is equivalent to three points each. Goodluck!!

1. ACETS
2. PICILTAOL
3. ONTSARITIFACTI
4. MSUFCNITNOLIA
5. CTCOILNF
6. ALOICS
7. ICYSBMLO
8. YTOERH
9. UORPGS
10. ESCEVERSPIF

ASSESSMENT

Directions: Answer the following questions. Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your
answer on your activity notebook.

1. It describes the socioeconomic level of society as “layers” with the wealthiest and most powerful
citizen being at the top?
a. functionalism theory b. conflict theory c. social stratification d. political
stratification
2. It is the system of stratification that imposed the rigid boundaries between social groups.
a. caste system b. closed system c. open system d. class system
3. People who are born into this system of society are socialized to accept their standing for the
rest of their lives.
a. class system b. closed system c. caste system d. open system
4. People are free to move from one social class to another and achieve higher status in life.
What system of stratification do they belong?
a. class system b. open system c. closed system d. caste system
5. This system of social stratification mainly based on achievement allowing more flexibility in
social roles, and better interaction.
a. closed system b. open system c. class system d. caste system
6. Social stratification is influence by economic forces and relationships in society are defined by
factors of production.
a. Conflict theory c. Symbolic Interactionism
b. Functionalism theory d. Theory of Evolution
7. Social role that has greater functional purpose will result in greater reward.
a. Conflict theory c. Symbolic Interactionism
b. Functionalism theory d. Theory of Evolution
8. Inequality causes workers to experience alienation, isolation and great misery due to powerless
status.
a. Conflict theory c. Symbolic Interactionism
b. Functionalism theory d. Theory of Evolution
9. This perspective explains how people’s social standing affects their everyday interactions.
a. Conflict theory c. Symbolic Interactionism
b. Functionalism theory d. Theory of Evolution
10. People appearance reflect on their perceived social standing.
a. Conflict theory c. Symbolic Interactionism
b. Functionalism theory d. Theory of Evolution
Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics
Quarter 2
Lesson Government Programs And Initiative

10
On Local, National And Global In
Addressing Social Inequalities

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW?

This module provides activities to explain the context, the content, and the role of
government to address social inequality.

After going through this module, learners are expected to:

1. understand Social Inequality and global inequality;

2. define laws of the Person with Disability; and
3. learn about different programs initiated by the government to address social
inequality.

WHAT I KNOW?
Activity 1: Analyze and answer the following questions on your activity notebook.
1. Base on the pictures below, what is your insight about your rights that you
enjoyed? Do you have an experience like those kids on the pictures? Describe
each picture and tell if they are enjoying their rights or not.

A B C
 D E

WHAT’S IN?
In the previous chapter, you learned about the social and political
stratification; the concept and forms; its theoretical perspective and the mobility to
transfer from one class to another.

WHAT’S NEW
Activity 2: Think and Post: The Happy Moments with my Family and Friends!

This activity encourages social media sharing to express social rights as a

responsible citizen. People nowadays find it more interesting to post their happy moments with
their family and friends through Facebook or any social media platform. This is an example of
expressing their right as an individual. Post on your facebook account one happy event with your
family, A birthday, a baptism, or any happy gathering that you enjoyed with your family. I will go
over your face book to check it.
 WHAT’S IN IT?
Social inequality is the existence of unequal opportunities and rewards for

different social positions or statuses within a group or society social. A similar

situation is faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and Queer (LGBTQ), who are often

discriminated and ridiculed by society which considered them aberrations or forms of deviancy.

Members of the LGBTQ community is struggling to win recognition for their civil rights, such as the

right for same-sex marriage that have already been granted in other countries

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings. No matter what our nationality is,

what color our skin is, what status we have in the society, etc., we are all equal. These rights are

all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.

Ethnic minorities are also discriminated. They are often discriminated by the people who do not

understand their cultures and traditions.

There are policies crafted by the legislators to address this social inequality. Some of which

are: Indigenous People’s Rights Act that protects the rights of cultural communities; the law that

protect the rights of the person with disabilities (PWD). RA 10754 – An Act Expanding the Benefits

and Privileges of Persons with Disability (PWD); and the like. Why discrimination still exist?

GLOBAL INEQUALITY

Inequality does not exist only in localities and states but also among states. There are states

that are influential, wealthy and powerful. This leads to a situation of global inequality; where poor

has less power and rich is powerful.

Global inequality (also sometimes referred to as international inequality) can be defined as the

unequal distribution of material resources and income across countries. Apart from economic

figures, global inequality may also refer to the access to medical care and also to education.

According to the global wealth report of Global Suisse, half of the worldwide wealth is owned by

the richest 1% of people. This also implies huge international inequality which has many adverse

consequences.
In the following, the facts, development, causes, effects and solutions regarding global inequality

are examined. The following are the important global inequality facts:

1. In 2018, the richest 26 people owned as much wealth as the 3.8 billion poorest people , half of

humanity lives of less than 5.50 USD per day in 2018.

2. Global wealth worldwide amounts to 361 trillion USD in 2019

3. There are 47 million millionaires worldwide in 2019

4. The average wealth per capital amounts to 70,849 USD in 2019

5. It is estimated that total global wealth increases to 459 trillion USD until 2024

6. 56% of the worldwide population owns wealth less than 10,000 USD in 2019

7. Less than 11% of the global population owns more than 100,000 USD in wealth in 2019.

8. The 10% richest people own 84% of overall global wealth in 2019

9. The richest 1% of people owned around 45% of overall global wealth in 2019.

The following are the causes for global Inequality, to wit: political goals, exploitation of

poor countries, Tax avoidance, Lack of education, Lack of innovation, Gender inequality,

Insecurity regarding property rights, Low investment incentives for firms, Low living quality,

Regional factors, Conflicts, Famine, Consumption behavior and Natural disasters.

The effects of global inequality are:

1. Health effects 6. Poverty 11. Migration

2. Social tensions 7. Starvation

3. Increased probability for conflicts 8. Lack of access to education

4. Frustration 9. Bad working conditions

5. Drug use 10. Radical movements

Solutions for Global Inequality:

1. Better access to education 7. Improve worker’s rights

2. Financial subsidies 8. Establish minimum wages

3. Create incentives for firms to locate to poor areas 9. Convince others

4. Increase incentives for innovation 10. Increase national stability levels

5. Worldwide support 11. Improve trade policies

6. Global wealth tax 12. Change consumption behavior

Global inequality is a big problem that has many severe adverse effects for poor countries

and the people living in those regions. Global inequality can be either caused by human actions or

also by natural circumstances.

In order to fight international inequality, it is crucial that countries all over the world work

together and share their newest research findings with each other.

Moreover, rich countries are in charge to provide financial subsidies for poor countries in order to

enable poor countries to progress. You can also contribute to a reduction in inequality in your daily

life by changing your consumption behavior. All these actions can lead to a state where global

inequality is reduced significantly and people all over the world will benefit from the positive related

effects.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED?

Activity 3: Check your understanding. Write you answer on your activity
notebook.
1. Why do people need to have human rights?

2. Define Human Rights.

WHAT I CAN DO?

Activity 4. Poster Making. On a short bond paper, draw a child who is enjoying
his/her rights (he/she can be a pupil, a happy kid and the like). Paste it on your
activity notebook. The Criteria are as follows:
Content 50%
Creativity 30%
Cleanliness 20%
Total 100%
ASSESSMENT
Directions: Write the letter of the correct answer. Write your answer on your activity notebook.

1. It is the existence of unequal opportunities and rewards for different social positions or statuses

within a group or society.
a. socialization b. environment c. social inequality d. political

2. It is an act on expanding the benefits and privileges on person with disability (PWD).
a. RA 10458 b. RA 16114 c. RA 10754 d. RA 61425

3. It is an act of providing for the Rehabilitation, Self-Development and Self Reliance of Disabled
person.
a. RA 7277 b. RA 7728 c. RA2777 d. RA 6778

4. This situation exists where poor is powerless and rich is powerful.

a. global inequality b. social inequality c. uncertainty society

5. The effects of global inequality are :

a. Health effects, social tensions, and increased probability for conflicts
b. United nation cooperation on the law of safety
c. Education, church and convention
d. Hospital, malls and airports

6. These financial institutions are also positioned to have enormous influence in the policy
directions of the countries that are indebted to them since they can dictate economic policies to
comply with their conditions for loans.
a. The Philippine National bank
b. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and Asian Development Bank (ADB)
c. The Philippine Stock Exchange
d. The Rural Banking Corporation

7. Solutions for Global Inequality

a. better access to education, Financial subsidies and Create incentives for firms to locate
to poor areas
b. Socialization plays no part in personality formation in individuals
c. Education, church and convention
d. Laws, government, bilateral and transnational

8. Which of the following statements is true?

a. Socialization plays no part in personality formation in individuals.
b. Large-scale complex societies that are not culturally homogenous usually have
unanimous agreement about what should be the shared norms.
c. Successful socialization can result in uniformity within a society.
d. b and c

9. This rights sometimes called a declaration of rights or a charter of rights, is a list of the most
important rights to the citizens of a country.
a. bill of rights b. bill of lading c. bill of divorce d. bill on electricity
10. Global inequality can be either caused by_________________
a. human actions or also by natural circumstances c. society with no wealth.
b. poor races. d. poor government.