Gender Identity

Assignment two Equality for All

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It is not possible to establish a society where there is no stratification based on class. Class is a group of people sharing the same social position in society.in most cases, it is based on income, power and prestige. Stratification is the ranking of people. Different societies rank people suing different criteria. Once classified, people receive rewards and benefits accrued to their status regardless of their individual abilities.

The competitive nature of humans makes it difficult to establish a society where there is no social stratification based on class. Human beings are competitive beings naturally and live in a world of finite resources. As a result, survival for the fittest takes pre-eminence. This brings about a situation where we have the haves and the have not’s. Those who have would want to lead a different way of life while those who have not would struggle to make both ends meet. They will study in the best schools, live in posh homes and drive sleek cars because they can afford. They have outfoxed the others and acquired the little resources.

Secondly, in order to establish a society devoid of stratification based on class, human rights must be compromised. Human beings have a right to own property. However, there are those who own property while others don’t. For there to be a situation where everyone owns property, those who have should share with those who don’t. This throws a spanner in the works because not everyone is willing to share the property they earned with those who do not have. This calls for the intervention for the ruling class because most people are unwilling to share their resources with those who don’t have. This in itself is a contradiction because the existence of the ruling class eliminates any chance of establishing classlessness.

Thirdly, social stratification is a characteristic of a society.it is not just due to individual characteristics. Therefore, in order to establish a society that is free of stratification based on social classes, there is need to change the minds of the society. However, this is difficult because this mentality is etched on their minds and many are adamant to relinquish it. Moreover, there are structures in place that have been established to support and champion social stratification. These structures need to be expunged. A lot of resistance should be anticipated especially from those who want to maintain status quo.

References

Plewis, I. & Bartley, M. (2014, June). Intra-generational Social Mobility and Educational Qualifications. Retrieved from

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0276562413000401

Moffit, K. (n.d).Social Stratification: Definition, Theories & Examples. Retrieved from

http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/social-stratification-definition-theories-examples.html#lesson

Unknown. (n.d).Stratification and Social Class. Retrieved from

http://quizlet.com/7715057/sociology-chapter-7-stratification-and-social-class-flash-cards/