Question 1

A stratification system in which certain people are owned as property is known as:

Accepted Answer

Slavery is a stratification system in which certain people are owned as property by others. Capitalism is an economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods and services. Caste is a social stratification system based on birth and determines an individual’s social status and mobility. Estates is a feudal system of stratification based on land ownership and labor.

Question 2

In an industrialized society,which term is most often used to analyze stratification?

Accepted Answer

In an industrialized society, the most often used term to analyze stratification is "class." This refers to a hierarchy based on economic position and is characterized by layers of people with varying degrees of access to resources and opportunities. Occupation, slavery, and caste are all factors that can contribute to class position, but they are not necessarily the primary focus of analysis in a stratified society.

Question 3

According to the textbook,what is the main reason that slavery does not exist in most societies around the world today?

Accepted Answer

A

Question 4

Workers picking strawberries can pick 100 baskets an hour,but it costs the employer only a value of 20 baskets to pay them their hourly wages.The income the employer collects from the extra baskets is __________,according to Karl Marx.

Accepted Answer

According to Karl Marx's theory of surplus value, the difference between the value of labor that workers provide and the wage paid to them is the surplus value, which is essentially the profit that the employer makes. In this scenario, the value of 100 baskets of strawberries picked by the workers is greater than the wage paid for an hour of work, which means the employer is making a profit through surplus value.

Question 5

Scholars believe that __________ has encouraged a shift to class-based systems in countries such as India that have been traditionally caste-based systems.

Accepted Answer

Globalization has encouraged the shift from caste-based to class-based systems in countries such as India. As a result of globalization, increased mobility and access to education and job opportunities have allowed people to move up the social ladder based on their skills and abilities rather than their caste.

Question 6

Sociologists study ________ when they are looking at the structured inequalities in a society.

Accepted Answer

Social stratification refers to the way in which a society is organized into hierarchical layers or strata, based on factors such as social class, race, gender, and education level. Sociologists often study social stratification to understand how it creates and reinforces structured inequalities within a society, and how these inequalities affect people's life chances and opportunities. Options B, C, and D are not accurate descriptions of what sociologists study when analyzing structured inequalities.

Question 7

According to Karl Marx,a class is made up of people who have the same relationship to the:

Accepted Answer

According to Karl Marx, a class is defined by its relationship to the means of production. This means that a class is made up of people who either own (bourgeoisie) or do not own (proletariat) the means of production.

Question 8

In systems of stratification,people are typically ranked by:

Accepted Answer

In systems of stratification, people are typically ranked based on social categories such as race, gender, class, and religion, which are often institutionalized and reinforced by societal norms and structures. Personality and intelligence may be factors that contribute to an individual's social status in some cases, but they are not typically the primary criteria for stratification. Social capital, which refers to the resources and connections that an individual has within their social networks, may also play a role in stratification, but it is not a universal measure of status.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT an example of a caste system?

Accepted Answer

Forced sex work is a form of exploitation and oppression but it is not necessarily linked to a caste system. The other options mentioned are examples of caste systems where social status and access to opportunities are determined by birth and are difficult to change.

Question 10

The caste system of stratification can be best classified as:

Accepted Answer

The caste system is a closed system in which individuals stay within the social position they are born into. This system is based on strict hereditary divisions and rituals that determine an individual's social status. There is little or no mobility between castes, and it is nearly impossible for individuals to move out of the caste they were born into.

Question 11

Today people are taken against their will and forced to work as bricklayers in Pakistan or sex workers in Thailand.According to the textbook,these examples are best described as:

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is an example of modern-day slavery, as individuals are being forced to work against their will and do not have the freedom to leave their situation. The other options (B, C, and D) do not fully capture the severity and lack of agency present in this situation.

Question 12

Karl Marx called those who own the means of production __________ and those who make their living by selling their own labor power for a wage __________.

Accepted Answer

Karl Marx referred to those who own the means of production as capitalists and those who sell their labor power for a wage as the working class.

Question 13

Which of the following concepts Max Weber introduced says the idea that your probability of economic success is largely dependent on the social position you are born into?

Accepted Answer

Max Weber introduced the concept of "life chances," which refers to the idea that an individual's probability of economic success is largely dependent on the social position they are born into. This concept is closely related to social stratification and inequality. Option A, caste, is a separate concept that refers to a hierarchical social group that an individual is born into, based on their religious or cultural background. Option B, life course, refers to the various stages and transitions that an individual goes through over the course of their life. Option D, status, refers to an individual's position or rank within a social hierarchy, which can be determined by factors such as income, occupation, or education. While social status can impact an individual's life chances, it is not the same as the concept described in the question.

Question 14

According to Karl Marx,the working class in industrialized countries would remain poor and live near subsistence level.Marx was right about the persistence of poverty in industrialized countries,but he was wrong in thinking that:

Accepted Answer

Marx was wrong in thinking that the income of most of the population would remain extremely low, as many in industrialized countries have seen significant improvements in living standards.

Question 15

In class systems,the boundaries between classes are:

Accepted Answer

In class systems, the boundaries between classes are not very clear-cut and are often fluid, allowing for individuals to move up or down the social ladder based on factors such as education, occupation, and wealth. While there may be some level of stability within certain classes, overall the class system is not fixed and can change over time.

Question 16

Oprah Winfrey was born into poverty and raised by a single mother,yet today she is one of the richest women in America.According to the textbook,her life story demonstrates that in a class system,the social position we are born into affects our life chances,but our class position is also:

Accepted Answer

Oprah Winfrey's story demonstrates that while social position at birth may have some impact on life chances, it is also possible for individuals to achieve higher class positions through hard work, determination, and talent. This suggests that class position is at least partly achieved rather than entirely determined by factors beyond the individual's control such as luck, looks, or affirmative action.

Question 17

What do sociologists call a large group of people who occupy a similar economic position in society?

Accepted Answer

Sociologists call a large group of people who occupy a similar economic position in society a "class". This can refer to social class, which includes both economic and cultural factors, or solely to economic class based on income and wealth. Workers and laborers may be part of a class, but these terms are more specific to occupations. Caste refers to a rigid social system in which membership is inherited and social mobility is limited.

Question 18

Which country has a caste system based on occupation groupings?

Accepted Answer

India is the country that has a caste system based on occupation groupings, where people are born into a particular caste and their occupation is determined by their caste status. The caste system is deeply ingrained in Indian society, and although laws have been passed to prohibit discrimination based on caste, the system still exists in practice. The United States and South Africa do not have a caste system based on occupation grouping.

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT true of systems of social stratification?

Accepted Answer

This statement is not true of systems of social stratification. In most stratified systems, once a person is classified into a certain social category, they remain in that category regardless of their personal identification or actions. For example, someone born into a lower social class will usually stay in that class throughout their life, even if they become very successful, as their opportunities and choices in life will still be limited by their initial social ranking.

Question 20

Caste systems require that individuals marry within their social group.This is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

The practice of requiring individuals to marry within their social group is known as endogamy. This is a common feature of caste systems, where one's social status is determined by birth and is highly structured and hierarchical. The caste system limits social mobility and reinforces the idea that one's place in society is fixed and determined by birth.

Quiz 7: Stratification, class, and Inequality