Social Class Essay

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In sociology, the term ‘social class’ is most often used to refer to the primary system of social stratification found in modern capitalist societies. Social stratification lies at the core of society and of the discipline of sociology. Social inequality is a fundamental aspect of virtually all social processes, and a person’s position in the stratification system is the most consistent predictor of his or her behavior, attitudes, and life chances. This creates distinctive social groups which are ranked one above the other in terms of factors such as prestige and wealth. It has been suggested that social inequality is a feature of all human societies. Sociologists have identified a number of different forms of stratification systems existing in other societies or historic periods, for example, the caste system in traditional India, slavery and feudalism. From a study of other systems it is clear that not all systems of stratification are organized in terms of social class; the caste system for example was stratified in terms of status. Karl Marx, made an examination of the workings of social strata was essential to an understanding of social inequality. Stratification by class was particularly important to him. Marx argued that ‘The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles’. For Marx there were two distinct classes in society; the capitalist class, who own the means of production, and the working class, who own only their labour power which they sell to the capitalist class, or bourgeoisie, in return for wages. He then made a formation of social classes in society results from a given society’s economic structure or base. He argued that classes formed the only significant groups in society and inequality was the result of a group’s relationship to the means of production. Marx believed that the relationship between the bourgeoisie

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