Global Stratification Theories of Global Stratification Consequences of Global Stratification

Until recently, global stratification was depicted by using a simple model consisting of First (industrialized capitalist nations), Second (communist nations) and Third (all the rest of the nations) Worlds. With the collapse of communism, these terms became outdated.

A more neutral framework is to talk about degrees of industrialization and to depict on a global level the three primary dimensions of social stratification: property, power, and prestige.

The Most Industrialized Nations are the United States, Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, Switzerland, and other industrialized nations of western Europe, as well as, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand; they are capitalist, although variations exist in economic systems. Their wealth is enormous, and the poor in these countries live better and longer than the average citizens of the Least Industrialized Nations.

The Industrializing Nations include the former Soviet Union and its former satellites in Eastern Europe. People in these countries have considerably lower income and a poorer standard of living than people in the Most Industrialized Nations but better than those living in the Least Industrialized Nations.

The Least Industrialized Nations are those where most people live on farms or in villages with low standards of living; the majority of the world's population lives in these nations. Included among this groups are countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Cambodia, Laos, etc.

Some measures of well-being used: Income (i.e. proportion people live in poverty) Life expectancy Infant mortality Access to health Education level Etc

 Meant

to indicate the degree of deprivation in 4 basic dimensions of human life: A long and healthy life Knowledge Economic well-being Social inclusion (i.e. social/political participation)

In industrialized countries, the following indicators are used:

proportion of people not expected to live to age 60 the adult functional illiteracy rate the incidence of income poverty long-term unemployment rates

In developing countries, the following indicators are used: % of people not expected to live to age 40 adult literacy rate proportion of people lacking access to health services and safe water % of children under 5 who are moderately or severely underweight

Measures the total output of goods and services produced by residents of a country each year plus the income from nonresident sources, divided by the size of the population. This does not truly reflect what individuals or families receive in wages or pay; it is simply each persons annual share of their countrys income were the proceeds shared equally.

To develop, countries must embrace new technologies (i.e. industrialization, high technology) and market driven values (i.e. export-oriented economy, investment, international capital/TNC). Poverty results from adherence to traditional values and customs that prevent competition in a modern global economy (i.e. less saving, inwardlooking).

Developed in early 60-s by Paul Prebish (Director of The United Nations Commission for Latin America). Criticize the failures of economic growth approach in global equality.

Exploits the least powerful nations to the benefit of wealthier nations (poor countries supplied natural/mineral sources, agriculture products, and cheap labor, used the technology bought from rich countries, and bought products from the rich in which the materials were supplied from the poor nations). Poverty of low-income countries is a direct result of their political and economic dependence on the wealthy countries (i.e. capital, loans, technology). Development in this area is highly influenced by the external forces (economic and political system and policies of the rich states/global economic institutions dominated by the rich nations, i.e. IMF, WB)

According to world system theory (as espoused by Immanuel Wallerstein), countries are politically and economically tied together. 1. There are four groups of interconnected nations: - core nations, where capitalism first developed; - semi-periphery nations (Mediterranean area), which are highly dependent on trade with core nations; - periphery nations (eastern Europe), which are mainly limited to selling cash crops to core nations, with limit! - external area nations (most of Africa and Asia), which are left out of growth of capitalism, with few economic ties to core nations.

Economic development is explained by understanding each countrys place and role in the world economic system. Poverty is the result of core nations extracting labor and natural resources from peripheral nations.

2. A capitalist world economy (capitalist dominance) results from relentless expansion; even external area nations are drawn into commercial web. 3. Globalization (the extensive interconnections among nations resulting from the expansion of capitalism) has speeded up because of new forms of communication and transportation. The consequence is that no nation is able to live in isolation

John Kenneth Galbraith argued that some nations remain poor because they are crippled by a culture of poverty, a way of life based on traditional values and religious beliefs that perpetuates poverty from one generation to the next and keeps some of the Least Industrialized Nations from developing. Most sociologists prefer colonialism, world system, and dependency theory explanations to the culture of poverty theory because the last places the blame on the victim, but each theory only partially explains global stratification.

60% of people live in countries with an average income of less than $760/year. The richest countries have only 15% of the worlds population. As countries develop, fertility levels decrease and population growth levels off.

Life Expectancy
Afghanistan 43

Access to safe water

13%

Iran
Mexico U.S.

69
73 77 years

95%
86% 100%

High income countries have: Lower childhood death rates. Higher life expectancies. Fewer children born underweight. Clean water and adequate sanitation.

In the richest nations, education and literacy are almost universal. 18% of the worlds nations have literacy rates below 50%. 6% report a school enrollment rate below 50%.

High income countries have: Lower childhood death rates. Higher life expectancies. Fewer children born underweight. Clean water and adequate sanitation.

Around the world, women feel poverty more than men do. Women in wealthier countries have better health and education than women in poorer countries.

28% of the worlds population live in extreme poverty. Women constitute 60% of the words population, perform 2/3 of all working hours, receive 1/10 of the income, and own less than 1% of the worlds wealth.