(For G12)

Schools Division of Parañaque City

Humanities and Social Sciences
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Second Quarter

Week 9
Social and Political Stratification

Learning Competencies (Essential Competencies)

• Examine the concept, characteristics and forms of stratification systems
using sociological perspectives.

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
• Differentiate social from political stratification,
• Explain the meaning and characteristics of social desirables,
• Identify features of the systems of stratification, and
• Examine stratification in the functionalist and conflict perspective.

Your financially-challenged friend is a service crew at a well-known fast food

chain. The management considers him as the best member in the area. One time, the
owner came to visit the store. Your friend was assigned to assist, but instead of
successfully aiding the owner, he made numerous mistakes and failures throughout
the site visit.
• In your perspective, what made your friend fail at such simple task?
• Is there a difference in terms of power between the service crew and the
owner?

Find out the answers in this lesson!

Learn about it!

Society is divided into several groups or classes that are different from each other in
terms of socioeconomic capability. In the previous example, it was clear that there was a
difference in social class between the worker and the owner, thus making interaction varied
and complicated.
This difference can be accounted by social desirables, a sociological concept that
exists in all societies.

1
Social and Political Stratification
The dictionary defines stratification as 'something that has been arranged into
categories.'
Social stratification refers to the kind and degree of distribution of resources within
a social system.
Examples: wealth, status, prestige, and privilege
Political stratification is best explained as the extent to which such inequalities are
enclosed in, or influenced by, political structures and processes.
Examples: involving influence, authority, or power

The Meaning and Characteristics of Social Desirables

Social desirables are factors that affect social stratification. A social hierarchy exists
because of the unequal distribution of social desirables—property, power, and prestige—in a
society where the larger population of financially-challenged individuals have less social
desirables than the smaller group of rich people.

The following describes each social desirable:

• property: income-producing assets that people own (e.g. real estate) that increase
financial wealth
• power: the capacity to influence individuals or activities to achieve wealth and
prestige
• prestige: an individual’s status among his peers in society

These three factors dictate one’s place in society. Ideally, the greater social desirable
a person has denotes a higher position in society. Because social desirables come hand in
hand, more top class people become well-known and influential in society and, as such, are
treated with greater care and professionalism.
Examples:
• Service quality in high-end restaurants significantly differ from casual dining venues.
• In significant societal functions, good seats are usually reserved for high-ranking
individuals.
• People quickly follow trends set by powerful and influential people.

The Role of Social Desirables in a Functionalist Perspective

• In a functionalist society, all social elements are seen as contributing factors in
reaching social equilibrium and balance.
• Social desirables serve as rewards for fulfilling certain social goals.
• Inequality is seen as universal and, therefore, allows unequal distribution of power,
prestige, and property without disrupting the social structure.
• The most important positions in society are rewarded the most.

The Role of Social Desirables in a Conflict Perspective

• A conflict perspective views the attainment of social desirables as a constant
competition for scarce resources.
• Inequality greatly exists in a society that drives people to compete for resources,
resulting to social change and continuous conflict.
• People with social desirables are given more importance and priority than ordinary
workers and individuals.
• Social desirables dictate how one should be treated in a society of inequality.

2
Explore!

Nowadays, people who have power, prestige, and property are not limited to
politicians or businesspeople. They extend to local and international celebrities who were
found to be hugely influential especially among young populations.

Being part of the youth yourself, how do think these celebrities influence your peers? Do
they affect you positively or negatively?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Try it!

List down ten people you know. These may be celebrities, relatives, friends, or anyone you
know. On a sheet of paper, create three columns and label them "Higher", "Middle", and
"Lower" respectively. Try to categorize the names you have identified into one of the
categories you have made. Note that a person may only fall under one category. Once you
have already categorized all names, identify the reasons why you placed them in your
chosen category.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

What do you think?

Can all social desirables be passed on from one generation to another? Why? Why not?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Tips

• Social class may change depending on social desirables. For instance, if a poor person
won big in the lottery and managed to develop successful businesses from his winnings,
then he is most likely to belong to a higher class than he did before.

• Power, prestige, and property do not necessarily need to be at high levels at the same
time. A person, for example, may have power or influence at societal issues but do not
necessarily have properties at par with businesspeople, yet he remains to be at a high
social position.

3
Key points

• Social stratification refers to the kind and degree of distribution of resources within a
social system while political stratification is best understood as the extent to which
such inequalities are encapsulated in, or influenced by, political structures and
processes.

• Social desirables are factors that influence social stratification.

• A social hierarchy exists because of the unequal distribution of social desirables in a

society where the larger population of financially-challenged individuals have less social
desirables than the smaller group of rich people.

• In a functionalist society, all social elements are seen as contributing factors in

reaching social equilibrium and balance.

• A conflict perspective views the attainment of social desirables as a constant

competition for scarce resources.

Let’s Try (Evaluation)

Directions: Read the questions and choose your answer from the given
choices. Write your answer on your answer sheet.

1. What refers to the kind and degree of distribution of resources within a social system?
A. social belief C. social stratification
B. social institution D. social system

2. What views the attainment of social desirables as a constant competition for scarce
resources?
A. competency perspective C. functionalist perspective
B. conflict perspective D. fundamental perspective

3. What perspective sees all social elements as contributing factors to society?

A. competency C. functionalist
B. conflict D. fundamentalist

4. Which scenarios does not describe a society in conflict?

A. The rich are favored over the poor.
B. Poor people fight over limited resources.
C. The middle-class is in harmony with the elites.
D. Richer people have more resources than poorer people.

5. How are global resources distributed?

A. The wealthy 1% owns half of it.
B. The government owns half of it.
C. The lower class owns a quarter of it.
D. The middle class owns a quarter of it.

4
6. Who utilizes the social desirable of prestige?
A. Danny, who owns twenty properties in the metro alone
B. Luna, who invests in many real estate properties abroad
C. Andrew, who is invited to every VIP party around the country
D. Jean, who has a say in the economic decisions of the government

7. Which social desirable is primarily needed if one wishes to increase his socioeconomic
status?
A. influence C. prestige
B. power D. property

8. Which choices is true about social desirables?

1. They are most evident in the upper class.
2. They exist dependently with each other.

A. Statement 1 is true. Statement 2 is false.

B. Statement 1 is false. Statement 2 is true.
C. Both statements 1 and 2 are true.
D. Both statements 1 and 2 are false.

9. How is a functionalist society viewed in terms of social desirables?

1. Social desirables serve as rewards for the accomplishment of social goals.
2. Social desirables are competed upon in society.

A. statement 1
B. statement 2
C. both statements 1 and 2
D. neither statement 1 nor 2

10. How can social desirables help address conflict in society?

1. by prioritizing the upper class
2. by radical movements like wars

A. statement 1
B. statement 2
C. both statements 1 and 2
D. neither statement 1 nor 2

Sources:
Quipper Philippines (2020). The Understanding of Culture, Society, and Politics. Retrieved
from https://link.quipper.com/

5
Let’s Create

FOUR PANEL COMIC STRIP

To create a four panel comic strip demonstrating aspects of

Goal
social stratification in your community

Role As a comic illustrator

Audience Students, teachers, parents

Show how social hierarchy exists because of the unequal

Situation
distribution of social desirables in a society

Product A four panel comic strip

Standard Rubric will be used for grading the comic strip

PROCEDURES ON CREATING A FOUR-PANEL COMIC STRIP

• Prepare drawing materials or use any drawing computer program/application
• Create a four-panel comic strip demonstrating aspects social stratification (see
example below)

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/49602934644417 https://miro.medium.com/max/700/1*2f5trDmB
9153/ Z1e1I-t9UFiSWg.jpeg
• Be creative
• Submit the comic strip to your teacher through email or Facebook Messenger

RUBRIC FOR COMIC STRIP

CRITERIA 10 points 9 points 8 points

Creativity The pictures and captions All but 1 of the pictures All but 2 of the pictures
reflect exceptional degree and captions reflect and captions reflect an
of creativity. There is great exceptional degree of exceptional degree of
attention to detail. creativity. creativity.
Theme All 4 panels relate to each 3 panels relate to each 2 panels relate to each
other. other. other.