Social Stratification
Social Stratification
Social Stratification
MARCH, 2023
Introduction
No society is classless or without strata. Stratification is part and parcel of social life. Every
society defines a means of categorising each person into a particular social group. The
placement of each individual in turn determines his value, as defined by the larger society;
hence, the greater role of society in defining every person’s value. Differences in values and
statuses of individual engender stratification in the society. If social stratification affected
only such matters as who gets elected as President or who becomes the Chief Executive
Officer, separate chapter might not be dedicated to its discussion. But social stratification
does much more: It results in some members of society benefiting greatly and others
suffering.
"Community" may refer to large group affiliations such as national communities,
international communities, and virtual communities. Human communities may have intent,
belief, resources, preferences, needs, and risks in common, affecting the identity of the
participants and their degree of solidarity.
Social stratification
social stratification is a sociological term that applies to the ranking or grading of individuals
and groups into hierarchical layers such that inequality exist in the allocation of rewards,
privileges and resources. According to Giddens (2001), social stratification simply refers to
as structured inequalities between or among different social groupings. It is to be noted that
these inequalities are engendered not by mere categorisation of individuals according to their
attitudes but by an established system of classifying groups; a complex of social institutions
that generate observed inequalities which unequally distribute societal resources (such as
income and power) with the most privileged individuals and families enjoying a
disproportionate share.
1. Slave system: The oldest and most closed stratification system is slavery. Slave system
refers to the ownership of people, as against the class system’s ownership of people’s labour
(Ennals, 2007). It involves a situation in which one group or individuals (often known as
masters) claim ownership of another group or individuals (called slaves), such that the
privileged group or individuals take upon themselves the power to use, command, abuse and
possess the fruits of the underprivileged group’s or individual’s labour (Livesey & Lawson,
2010). In slave system therefore, the slaves are the properties of their masters.
2. Caste systems: The Hindu caste arrangement, particularly as it operated in India prior to
1900, serves as an example of a caste system. Caste consists of family members who bear
common name, who share common descent especially from a mystical ancestor, who profess
to follow same hereditary calling and who are regarded by those that are competent to give an
opinion as forming a single homogenous community (Cooley, 1956; Risley, 1892). Simply
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put, a strictly hereditary class is referred to as caste. Caste system has majorly existed in India
for about 3000 years, where Hindu religion had a very strong influence (Kerbo, 2006;
Livesey & Lawson, 2010). Under the traditional Hindu system, castes determined social
order as people were ascribed their social status at birth (according to parental caste position)
and the possibility of changing such social status in the course of their lives was not there.
Stratification in my Community
Ebira community is situated in Northern part of Nigeria, Kogi State. They are characterised
by farming, hunting and trading, aside the Ebira Tao that settled in Kogi central, there are
other Ebira speaking communities that are found in some state in Nigeria. The Ebira Koto
and Ebira Tao are the ones in Kogi state to be precise.
The stratification system that exist in Ebir Tao community are mainly base on power,
Religion and slavery.
1. The Royality: The royality of Ebira land is divided into Ohinoyi, Ohi and Taru. The
Ohinoyi rule over the other two and the entire ebira community. Ohi's are segmental leaders
while the Taru are the grass root leaders that take care of the affairs of his immediate village.
This category hold some certain power in ebira land and are the most influencial.
2. Farmers: They are characterised by many wives and many children, their role in providing
food for the community is well respected. Before a big time farmer were well respected even
more than politician but this has gradually change to the opposite which has set a new
stratification in the new day ebira land where politician are rate above the farmers.
3. Merchant: They are the one that trade the produce of the farmers, though they may have
more money than the farmers but they did not get the respect accorded to farmers.
1. Orihi (slave): This are captives of war in ebira land, they live in the land with many
limitation especially in terms of marriage.
2. Blacksmith's: The are the produce of hoe and cutlass use in farming, since they are not
originally from ebira land, they are not regulated on most activities in ebira community.
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C. Base Religion
1. Traditionalist: Christianity and Islam has up till date not be able to stop the traditionalist
from celebrating their gods in different festivals. They are very much active in Ebira land
having a recognize king that is governing their affairs. During their period of worship or
celebration, other religion make way for them, if otherwise sometimes may result to conflict
because they do not want any form oppression from the new religions (Christianity and
islam).
Conclusion
The possibility of individual movement up and down, or in and out, of a given social status
largely depend on the system of stratification in operation. Today, capitalist system
(engendering class system of stratification) has dominated global scene and is affecting all
facets of lives even in the most remote areas of the world, thereby creating different
dimensions of social stratification. Current happenings in the world are simply
demonstrations of what we may likely expect in the future.
Reference