UCSP Reviewer

2023-2024
The Meaning and Nature of Social Stratification
a. The ranking of people is the essence of stratification: the division of a society into larger categories or
strata of people who have unequal amounts of scarce but desirable resources or rewards. (Light, 1985)

b. Panopio (1989) defines social stratification as the hierarchical arrangement and establishment of social
categories that may evolve into social groups together with statuses and their corresponding roles. The
elements have varying ranks of superiority and inferiority.

c. Melvin Tumin defines social stratification as “an arrangement of any social groups or society into a
hierarchy of positions that are unequal with regard to power, property, social evaluation and psychic
gratification”.

d. Social Stratification is a sociological term for the hierarchical arrangement of

social classes, castes, and strata within a society. (Psychology Wikipedia).

Melvin M. Tumin has mentioned the following characteristics of social stratification:

It is Social:
Stratification is social in the sense that it does not represent inequality which are biologically based. It is
true that factors such as strength, intelligence, age, sex can often serve as the basis on which status are
distinguished. But such differences by themselves are not sufficient to explain why some statuses receive
more power, property and prestige than others.

Biological traits do not determine social superiority and inferiority until they are socially recognized. For
example, manager of an industry attains a dominant position not by physical strength, nor by his age, but
by having socially defined traits. His education, training skills, experience, personality, character etc. are
found to be more important than his biological qualities.

It is Ancient:
The stratification system is very old. Stratification was present even in the small wandering bands. Age and
sex wear the main criteria of stratification. Difference between the rich and poor, powerful and humble,
freemen and slaves was there in almost all the ancient civilization. Ever since the time of Plato and Kautilya
social philosopher have been deeply concerned with economic, social, political inequalities.

It is Universal:
Social stratification is universal. Difference between rich and poor, the „haves‟ or have notes‟ is evident
everywhere. Even in the non-literate societies stratification is very much present.

It is in diverse Forms:
Social stratification has never been uniform in all societies. The ancient Roman society was stratified into
two strata: the Patricians and the Plebians .The Aryan society was divided into four Varnas: the Brahmins,
Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Sudras, the ancient Greek society in to freemen and slaves, the ancient
Chinese society into mandarins, merchants, Farmer and soldiers. Class and estate seem to be the general
forms of stratification found in the modern world.
It is Consequential:
The stratification system has its own consequences. The most important, most desired and often the
scarcest things in human life are distributed unequally because of stratification. The system leads to two
kind of consequences: (i) Life chances and (ii) Life style.

Life chances refer to such things as infant mortality, longevity, physical and mental illness, marital conflict,
separation and divorce. Life styles include the mode of housing, residential area, education, means of
recreation, relation between parent and children, modes of conveyance and so on.

OPEN SYSTEM OF STRATIFICATION

-A workplace where promotions and career advancements are determined by an individual's skills,
education, and performance, allowing for movement between different levels.
CLOSED SYSTEM OF STRATIFICATION
-A community where social positions are inherited, and there is no possibility for individuals to change their status or
move between social levels.
CULTURAL EMPHASIS ON HIERARCHY factor contributes to the noticeable social stratification in the Philippines,
despite a majority of the population being in the middle class
MERITOCRACY is an ideal system where social standing is determined by personal effort and merit.
CLASS SYSTEMS are open, allowing individuals the freedom to change their education or employment levels
compared to their parents.
EXAMPLE OF GLOBAL INEQUALITIES
A. Economy
B. Political stability
C. Access to Health care
D. Basic Human rights and equality
E. Geography

ESSENCE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL

The collective ability to collaborate and work towards a shared objective.

POLITICAL CAPITAL
refers to the trust, good will, and influence possessed by a political actor, such as politician, to mobilize
support toward a preferred target.

SYMBOLIC CAPITAL
refers to the resources that one possesses which is a function of honor, prestige or recognition,
or any other traits that one values within a culture.

CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAM

refers is a government program that provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor in the
Philippines.

UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO QUALITY TERTIARY EDUCATION ACT

law in the Philippines institutionalizes free tuition and exemption from other fees in state universities and
colleges (SUCs), as well as local universities and colleges (LUCs)
SK REFORM ACT OF 2015
Act that includes provisions that specifically prohibit political dynasty in the Philippines.

MAGNA CARTA OF WOMEN

comprehensive women's human rights law in the Philippines aims to eliminate discrimination by recognizing,
protecting, fulfilling, and promoting the rights of Filipino women, particularly those in marginalized sectors of society.

ETHNIC MINORITIES
concept reflects the consistent labeling and treatment of minorities, who live traditionalistic lives away from
the city and technology, as individuals with minimal knowledge and capabilities.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9442

Republic Act in the Philippines aims to provide persons with disabilities the opportunity to participate fully in
the mainstream of society by granting them at least a twenty percent (20%) discount in all basic services.

SOCIAL REFORMS
It refers to deliberate changes or improvements in the social, political, economic, or cultural structures of a
society with the aim of addressing perceived problems, injustices, or inequalities.

CULTURAL FACTOR
a connection between our beliefs and social institutions, our values and social relationships. Values, beliefs,
ideas are the basic elements of a culture.

FACTORS OF SOCIAL CHANGE

1. Physical Environment

Human life is closely destined with the geographical condition of a place. People entirely depend on their
environment, to work, and even looking for food in dealing everyday life situation. Rising and falling of civilisations
greatly influenced geographical conditions. Generally, changes in physical environment force migration of people in
large numbers and this brings major changes in social behaviours, norms, and cultural values. Though physical
environment is an important factor which affects social life, it does not justify to be the only factor responsible for the
development of human society.

2. Biological Factor
Demographic factor is concerned with the size and structure of human population. Social structure of a society is
closely related with changes in the size, composition and distribution of population. Such changes can definitely lead
to family conflict, kinship, political relationship and other institutions. Increase in population entirely affects the
economic which leads to poverty.

3. Cultural Factor
It is a fact that there is a connection between our beliefs and social institutions, our values and social relationships.
Values, beliefs, ideas are the basic elements of a culture. All cultural changes involve social change. Thus, any
change in the culture brings a corresponding change in the whole social order.

4. Ideational Factor
Among the cultural factors affecting social change in modern times, the development of science thought have
contributed a lot to the development of modern outlook. We no longer obey many customs or habits purely because
they have the age-old tradition. Ideational changes are important contributory factors to many or most types of social
change. Ideas and ideologies together are powerful motivating forces in social change.
5. Economic Factor
Of economic influences, the most far-reaching is the impact of industrialisation. It has revolutionised the whole way of
life, institutions, organizations, and community life. Traditional production systems, levels of production were fairly
static since they were geared to habitual, customary needs. Modern industrial promotes the constant revision of the
technology of production, a process into which science is increasingly drawn.

6. Political Factor
State is the most powerful organization which regulates the social relationships. It has the power to legislate new
laws, repeal old ones to bring social change in the society. In many societies the political leadership control the
economy. Scientific-technological and non-technological change are also dependent on political development which
indirectly affects social change.

WHAT IS SOCIAL CHANGE?

It refers to any significant alteration over time in behaviour patterns and cultural values and norms. Today’s
sociologist readily acknowledge the vital role that social movements play in inspiring discontented members of a
society to bring about social change..

SOURCES OF SOCIAL CHANGE

Population Growth and Composition
Much of the discussion so far has talked about population growth as a major source of social change as societies
evolved from older to modern times. Yet even in modern societies, changes in the size and composition of the
population can have important effect for other aspects of a society.

Culture and Technology

Culture and technology are other sources of social change. Changes in culture can change technology; changes in
technology can transform culture; and changes in both can alter other aspects of society. As the world becomes a
smaller place, it becomes possible for different cultures to have more contact with each other. This contact, too, leads
to social change to the extent the one culture adopts some of the norms, values, and other aspects of another
culture.

Cultural Lag
When there is a change in one aspect of society or culture, this change often leads to and even forces a changed in
another aspect of society or culture. However, often some time lapses before the latter change occurs. Cultural lag
refers to this delay between initial social change and the resulting social change.

The Natural Environment

Changes in the natural environment can also lead to changes in a society itself. We see the clearest evidence of this
when a major natural calamities occurs such earthquake, landslide, flash flood or another natural disaster strikes.
Slower changes in the environment can also have a large social impact. As noted earlier, one of the negative effects
of industrialization has been the increase in pollutions or our air, water and ground.

Social Conflict: War and Protest

Change also results from social conflict, including wars, ethnic conflict, efforts by social movements to change
society, and efforts by their opponents to maintain the status quo. The immediate impact that wars have on societies
is obvious, as the deaths of countless numbers of soldiers and civilians over the ages have affected not only the lives
of their loved ones but also the course of whole nations.