Definition:
Social stratification is the hierarchical organisation of society into layers or classes based on access to resources, power, status, and opportunity.
Usage Context:
Used in sociology, economics, political theory, and analyses of inequality and class structure.
Critical Note:
Stratification is often presented as natural or merit-based. This framing obscures how social layers are actively produced and maintained through policy, inheritance, institutional design, and unequal risk distribution across generations.
Related Terms:
Class Structure, Inequality, Resource Capture, Power Consolidation, Class Mobility