Social stratification refers to the way society is organised in layers or strata, with some groups having more power, wealth and status than others. It's like a layer cake, with different groups stacked on top of each other based on their access to resources and opportunities.
Key Definitions:
Social stratification affects nearly every aspect of our lives - from the schools we attend and the healthcare we receive to our job prospects and life expectancy. Understanding stratification helps us make sense of inequality and consider how society might be organised differently.
Sociologists have different views on why stratification exists. Functionalists see it as necessary for society to function properly. Marxists view it as exploitation. Weberians consider multiple dimensions of inequality. In this session, we'll focus on the Marxist perspective.
Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a German philosopher, economist and sociologist who developed a powerful critique of capitalism. His ideas have been hugely influential in sociology, economics and politics.
According to Marx, society is divided primarily into two main classes:
The capitalist class who own the means of production (factories, land, resources). They make profit by exploiting workers' labour.
The working class who must sell their labour to survive. They create value through their work but receive only a fraction of it as wages.
Marx believed that the relationship between these classes is inherently exploitative and would eventually lead to revolution.
The poverty trap is a concept that describes how difficult it is for people to escape poverty once they're in it. It's like being stuck in quicksand - the harder you try to get out, the more systems and structures seem to pull you back in.
From a Marxist perspective, the poverty trap isn't an accident - it's a feature of capitalism that helps maintain the class system. Here's how it operates:
In the UK, over 1 million workers are on zero-hours contracts. These contracts don't guarantee any hours of work, making income unpredictable. Workers often can't plan financially, access credit, or rent homes. From a Marxist perspective, these contracts benefit employers (bourgeoisie) by maximising flexibility and minimising obligations to workers (proletariat). They're a modern example of how employment structures can trap people in poverty despite being employed.
The "reserve army of labour" is another key Marxist concept. It refers to the pool of unemployed or underemployed workers that exists in capitalist economies. Marx argued that this group serves several important functions for capitalism.
According to Marxist theory, the reserve army of labour:
When there are many unemployed people competing for jobs, employers can offer lower wages. Workers are less likely to demand higher pay when they know others are waiting to take their job.
Businesses can quickly hire more workers during economic booms and lay them off during downturns. This allows the capitalist system to expand and contract as needed.
The reserve army includes several groups:
The poverty trap and the reserve army of labour work together in Marxist theory. The reserve army helps keep wages low, which contributes to the poverty trap. Meanwhile, the poverty trap ensures there's always a supply of desperate workers for the reserve army.
Today, we can see these concepts at work in the gig economy, where workers have few protections and unstable incomes. Companies like Uber or Deliveroo can draw on a large pool of potential workers, keeping pay rates low and working conditions precarious.
Not everyone agrees with Marx's analysis. Some argue that capitalism has created unprecedented prosperity and that poverty has declined globally. Others suggest that class is just one form of inequality alongside gender, race and other factors.
In 2022, around 13% of UK workers were living in poverty despite having jobs. This challenges the idea that employment is a guaranteed route out of poverty. Marxists would argue this shows how the system keeps workers in a precarious position - employed but struggling, with little power to demand better conditions. The working poor form part of the "stagnant reserve" in Marx's theory - neither fully employed with security nor completely unemployed.
While Marx was writing in the 19th century, his ideas continue to provide useful tools for analysing modern society. Here are some ways to apply Marxist concepts to contemporary issues:
Social stratification is the way society is organised in layers, with some groups having more resources and opportunities than others. Marxism provides a powerful framework for understanding stratification through class analysis.
The poverty trap describes how systems and structures make it difficult for people to escape poverty. The reserve army of labour refers to the pool of unemployed or underemployed workers that helps keep wages down and provides flexibility for employers.
These concepts help us understand why inequality persists and how economic systems shape people's life chances. Whether or not you agree with Marx's solutions, his analysis highlights important questions about fairness and power in society.
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