In the XIX century, such views were common in the social structure of society, according to which the main criterion for determining the social differentiation was related to the means of production.In particular, this view was Marxism.However, it stands out not only theoretical classes and strata within each class (for example, small, medium and big bourgeoisie), thus emphasizing that inequality and exclusion are characteristic of all groups of people.However, they believed that they should be overcome, and a class, the proletariat, played in the history of this particular mission.
In contrast, the class theory has developed the concept, which is based also lay social differentiation.The author of this theory of stratification was Pitirim Sorokin.He developed a whole system of signs and criteria of social stratification, forming the structure of the social organism.Sorokin distinguished univariate and multivariate stratification, that is, the division of society into groups such as "strata" of one feature and a whole set of them.He shared these strata of characteristic features such as employment, income, living conditions, education, psychological traits, religious beliefs, behavioral style, and many others.Many contemporary sociologists believe stratum base and "final" element of the social structure.
Scientists are also interested in how the fate of the individual and social differentiation of society are determined by the division into strata.They calculated the possibility of a transition from one group to the other (horizontal mobility) and within classes (vertical), for one, two or more generations, selecting among them legitimate and random mobility.In studying the problem of stratification played a major role theory of Max Weber.He believed that the difference between groups of people, not only due to the access to public wealth, power and law, but also the social indicators - the status and prestige.According to Weber, each group is inherent in a certain style of life - habits, patterns, values.
study of rules governing the behavior of people in the public system, as well as how social differentiation affects their status, engaged philosophers and sociologists such as Lyndon and Mead.These components of the social role and prestige as a stereotype, make people appropriately shared by their group, to assess any person or event (for example, a brand of clothes to buy, whether to send their children to university Yelky, be sure you have a Rolls-Royce or Mercedes).If a person wants to get rid of the imposed roles, as a rule, it is considered that it has lost prestige, and it can be applied social sanctions.
Social differentiation in such cases turns into a reaction group, and even the whole society, the behavior of an individual who "evaded" the fulfillment of expectations, compliance with the generally accepted norms and values.Such sanctions may be provided by law, and sometimes they are based on customs, morals or religion.This is especially characteristic of traditional society, when they go in the course of even physical actions - beating, the death penalty, or lynch lynching, imprisonment.In other cases, apply economic sanctions such as fines or confiscation of property.But in most modern countries is mainly limited to characters of showing disrespect.
interaction between social roles, status, sanctions, prestige and other similar mechanisms, studying a discipline, interactionism.Each of these groups, scientists say, creates its own "world" where painted "life script" certain things, certain clothes.There is even a social differentiation of language generated by the differences between large groups of people in a professional or corporate field.But these worlds are unstable.Those or other public events, especially large-scale, force people to rethink their roles and do sometimes unexpected action.So there is a change habitual world in which the role of the newly distributed.
