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From the book of the Russian sociologist, founder of the Russian and American sociological schools P. A. Sorokin “Man. Civilization. Society".

If the economic status of the members of a certain society is not the same, if among them there are both haves and have-nots, then such a society is characterized by the presence of economic stratification, regardless of whether it is organized on communist or capitalist principles, whether it is constitutionally defined as a “society of equals” or not . No labels, signs, or oral statements can change or obscure the reality of economic inequality, which is expressed in the difference in income, standard of living, and in the existence of rich and poor segments of the population. If within a group there are hierarchically different ranks in terms of authority and prestige, titles and honors, if there are managers and governed, then regardless of the terms (monarchs, bureaucrats, masters, bosses) this means that such a group is politically differentiated, that whatever it proclaims in its constitution or declaration. If members of a society are divided into different groups according to their type of activity, occupation, and some professions are considered more prestigious than others, and if members of a particular professional group are divided into managers of various ranks and subordinates, then such a group professionally differentiated regardless of whether bosses are elected or appointed, whether their leadership positions are inherited or due to their personal qualities.

Questions and tasks for the document

1) What types of social stratification are mentioned in the document?

3) Is it possible, based on the document, to say that social inequality manifests itself in societies? different types?

4) What conclusion can be drawn from the text read to understand the structure of modern society?

1. Read an excerpt from a work by a Russian sociologist
P. Sorokina* and answer the questions at the end of the text:

“Social stratification is the differentiation of a certain set of people into classes in a hierarchical rank. It finds expression in the existence of higher and lower strata. Its basis and essence lies in the uneven distribution of rights and privileges, responsibilities and duties, the presence or absence of social values, power and influence among members of a particular community. Specific forms of social stratification are very diverse. If the economic status of the members of a certain society is not the same, if among them there are both haves and have-nots, then such a society is characterized by the presence of economic stratification, regardless of whether it is organized on communist or capitalist principles, whether it is constitutionally defined as a “society of equals” or not . No labels, signs, or oral statements can change or obscure the reality of economic inequality, which is expressed in the difference in income, standard of living, in the existence of rich and poor segments of the population. If within a group there are hierarchically different ranks in terms of authority and prestige and honor, if there are managers and ruled, then regardless of the terms (monarchs, bureaucrats, masters, bosses) this means that such a group is politically differentiated , whatever it proclaims in its constitution or declaration. If members of a society are divided into different groups according to the type of their activity, occupation, and some professions are considered more prestigious than others, and if members of a particular professional group are divided into managers of various ranks and subordinates, then such a group is professionally differentiated regardless of whether bosses are elected or appointed, whether their leadership positions are inherited or due to their personal qualities.

The specific hypostases of social stratification are numerous. However, all their diversity can be reduced to three main forms: economic, political and professional stratification. As a rule, they are all closely intertwined. People who belong to the highest stratum in one respect usually belong to the same stratum in other respects; and vice versa. Representatives of the highest economic strata simultaneously belong to the highest political and professional strata. The poor, as a rule, are deprived of civil rights and are in the lower strata of the professional hierarchy. That's how it is general rule, although there are many exceptions.<...>The real picture of the social stratification of any society is very complex and confusing. To facilitate the analysis process, only the basic, most important properties should be taken into account, for the sake of simplicity, omitting details that do not distort the overall picture.”

*Sorokin, P. Social stratification and mobility. // Pitirim Sorokin. "Human. Civilization. Society" (series "Thinkers of the 20th Century"). – M., 1992. –
pp. 302 – 373. (text adapted) // Internet materials, see: http://www.sociology.mephi.ru/docs/sociologia/html/sorokin_soc_strat_mobile.html

Questions:

1. What definition of social stratification does P. Sorokin offer?

2. Is social stratification an objective phenomenon? What arguments does the author of the text give in support of this statement?

3. What criteria of social stratification does P. Sorokin propose to use?

2. Read an excerpt from R. Merton’s work “Social Structure and Anomie” * and answer the questions at the end of the text:

“There is a marked and persistent tendency in sociological theory to attribute the unsatisfactory functioning of the social structure primarily to inherent in man imperative biological drives that are not sufficiently restrained by social control. From this point of view, social order is just a tool for “regulating impulsive actions”, “social processing” of tensions. It should be noted that these impulsive actions that break through social control are considered as manifestations of biologically determined drives. It is assumed that the desire to disobey is rooted in human nature itself. Submission is thus the result of either practical calculation or mechanical conditioning. This view, not to mention its other shortcomings, clearly does not answer one question. It does not provide a basis for identifying those non-biological conditions that stimulate deviations from the prescribed type of behavior. We start from the assumption that certain phases of social structure give rise to circumstances in which violation of the social code represents a “normal” response to an emerging situation.

<...>. We intend first of all to show how certain social structures exert certain pressures on individual members of society, pushing them towards the path of insubordination rather than to the path of behavior in accordance with generally accepted rules. Among the elements of social and cultural structure, two elements are of particular importance to us. Analytically they are separable, although in specific situations they are inseparably intertwined. The first element consists of the goals, intentions and interests determined by a given culture. They constitute the sphere of aspiration. These goals are more or less integrated and involve varying degrees of prestige and emotion. They form the main, but not the only component of what Linton aptly called the “scheme of group existence.” Some of these culturally determined aspirations relate to, but are not determined by, a person's primary drives. The second phase of social structure defines, regulates and controls acceptable ways of achieving these goals. Each social group necessarily combines its own scale of desired goals with moral or institutional regulation of acceptable and required ways to achieve these goals. These kinds of regulatory norms and moral imperatives are not necessarily the same as the norms that determine the technical feasibility or effectiveness of these methods.<...>The choice of appropriate means is limited by institutional norms.

When we say that these two elements, culturally determined goals and institutional norms, operate together, we do not mean that the relationship between alternative behaviors and goals is invariably constant. The significance of certain goals may vary independently of the significance of institutional means.”

*Merton, R. Social structure and anomie / translation from French by E.A. Samarskaya. Translation editor M.N. Gretsky // Sociology of crime (Modern bourgeois theories). – Moscow: Progress Publishing House, 1966. / Internet materials, see: http://scepsis.ru/library/id_632.html.

Questions:

1. What social mechanisms of control over an individual’s behavior are described in the quoted passage?

2. What is “social control”?

3. What, according to R. Merton, are the ways of achieving group goals within society (culture) limited?

3. Read an excerpt from R. Merton’s work “Social Structure and Anomie”* and answer the questions at the end of the text:

“In any society there is simultaneously individual and group mobility. Opportunities for upward mobility for groups or individuals are determined by the characteristics of the stratification system, i.e. the meaning attached to ascribed (prescribed) and achieved statuses. Ascribed (prescribed) status is associated primarily with inherited factors such as family background, age, gender, race, and place of birth. The heir to a large fortune and the Negro living in the urban ghetto have different ascribed statuses. Achieved status is determined by what a person has accomplished, such as receiving a doctorate from Harvard.

When a society's institutions place a premium on ascribed status, tendencies toward collective or group mobility emerge. One of best examples- caste system in India. Historically, in India, every person from the moment of birth belonged to a certain social caste and remained in it until the end of his life - the possibility of moving from one caste to another was very small. Every aspect of life was shaped by caste. The possibilities of marriage, choice of work, features of rituals and even funerals were predetermined from birth.

Although there was almost no individual mobility in this system, individual groups managed to change their social status and level of prestige. Collective mobility occurred when a larger caste split into subcastes. For example, the Khatikas (originally the butcher caste) that existed for a long time split into separate castes: pork traders, masons, rope makers and fruit traders. The new castes, who considered their work more prestigious than the meat trade, came up with new names for themselves and refused to marry members of the original caste.

The caste system in India has proven to be very stable. Even now, when opportunities for individual mobility have opened up under the influence of Western values ​​and social institutions, caste mobility persists in a slightly modified form.

In societies where achieved status is given more importance, the tendency towards individual mobility predominates. America is a typical example in this regard.”

*Smelser, N. Sociology. – M.: Phoenix, 1994. – 608 p. / (text from section II. “Social inequality”, chapter 9. “Inequality, stratification and class”) // Internet materials used, see: http://scepsis.ru/search/search.php?q=Smelzer N. , works&p=1

Questions:

1. What types of mobility does the sociologist name in this passage of text?

2. What types of social statuses are mentioned in the text?

3. How does the type of society, according to N. Smelser, influence the predominance of one or another type of social mobility?

4. What kind of mobility prevails in traditional societies (like Indian society)?

5. What type of mobility prevails in industrial (or post-industrial) societies?

6. What connection, according to N. Smelser, is observed between social status and social mobility?

CREATIVE TASK

Based on published data from the latest population census (2009) in the Republic of Belarus, compose a report on the social stratification of Belarusian society. Take the following criteria as a basis: gender, level of education, place of residence (city, village), age, nationality.

TOPICS OF ABSTRACTS AND REPORTS

1. Economic stratification of modern society in Belarus.

2. The theory of elites as one of the options for the stratification approach.

3. Middle class in society.

4. The place of youth in the social structure of society.

5. Mobility in modern society.

1. Belyaeva, L.A. Social strata of Russia: experience of cluster analysis / L.A. Belyaeva // Sociological research. – 2005. – No. 12. – P. 57 – 64.

2. Babosov, E.M. General sociology: textbook. manual for university students / E.M. Babosov. – 3rd ed. – Minsk: TetraSystems, 2006. – 640 p.

3. Anurin, V.F. Contours of the provincial middle class of Russia / V.F. Anurin // Sociological studies. – 2006. – No. 10. – P. 3 – 15.

4. Sapelkin, E.P. Socio-professional stratification and youth mobility in a transforming society / E.P. Sapelkin // Sociology. – 1999. – No. 4. – P. 87 – 90.

5. Skutneva, S.V. Strategies for life self-determination of youth in the labor sphere / S.V. Skutneva // Sociological studies. – 2006. – No. 10. – P. 88 – 94.

6. Nagaichuk, A.F. Conflict of interests in the field of social policy / A.F. Nagaychuk // Sociological studies. – 2006. – No. 3. – P. 48 – 53.

7. Shavel, S.A. Social differentiation and methods of its regulation / S.A. Shavel // Sociology. – 1998. – No. 4. – P. 32 – 39.

8. Tereshchenko, O.V. Social stratification and social mobility: basic concepts and approaches / O.V. Tereshchenko, S.V. Sivukha // Sociology. – 1998. – No. 4. – P. 75 – 79.

9. Babosov, E.M. Sociology of personality, stratification and management / E.M. Babosov – Minsk: Bel. Navuka, 2006. – 591 p.

10. Novikova, L.G. Social stratification in modern Belarus: main characteristics of living standards / L.G. Novikova, S.F. Sidorenko // Sociology. – 2003. – No. 4. – P. 41 – 52.

11. Zinovsky, V.I. On the main changes in the level of material well-being of the population of the Republic of Belarus for 1990 – 2002. / IN AND. Zinovsky // Sociology. – 2003. – No. 4. – P. 17 – 25.

12. Taranova, E.V. Economic inequality and social competition: analysis of the relationship / E.V. Taranova // Social knowledge and Belarusian society: materials of the International. scientific-practical conf.; Minsk, December 3-4, 2009 (To the 20th anniversary of the institutionalization of sociology in Belarus and the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus) / editorial board. I.V. Kotlyarov (chief editor) [and others]. – Minsk: Law and Economics, 2009. – P. 43 – 49.

13. Deniskina, A.N. Specifics of the formation of the middle class in Belarus / A.N Deniskina // Social knowledge and Belarusian society: materials of the International. scientific-practical conf.; Minsk, December 3-4, 2009 (To the 20th anniversary of the institutionalization of sociology in Belarus and the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus) / editorial board. I.V. Kotlyarov (chief editor)
[and etc.]. – Minsk: Law and Economics, 2009. – P. 154 – 156.

14. Pushkin, A.L. Technogenic and social risks in the development of Belarusian society / A.L. Pushkin // Social knowledge and Belarusian society: materials of the International. scientific-practical conf.; Minsk, December 3-4, 2009 (To the 20th anniversary of the institutionalization of sociology in Belarus and the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus) / editorial board. I.V. Kotlyarov (chief editor) [and others]. – Minsk: Law and Economics, 2009. – P. 237 – 240.

15. Sokolova, G.N. The role of social policy in the economic stratification of society / G.N. Sokolova // Department of Sociology of BSU – 20 years: 1989 – 2009: Collection scientific works/ Belarusian State University. – Minsk: Law and Economics, 2009. – P. 111 – 121.

working with the document. From the book of the Russian sociologist, founder of the Russian and American sociological schools P. A. Sorokin “Man. Civilization. Society". If the economic status of the members of a certain society is not the same, if among them there are both haves and have-nots, then such a society is characterized by the presence of economic stratification, regardless of whether it is organized on communist or capitalist principles, whether it is constitutionally defined as a “society of equals” or not . No labels, signs, or oral statements can change or obscure the reality of economic inequality, which is expressed in the difference in income, standard of living, and in the existence of rich and poor segments of the population. If within a group there are hierarchically different ranks in terms of authority and prestige, titles and honors, if there are managers and governed, then regardless of the terms (monarchs, bureaucrats, masters, bosses) this means that such a group is politically differentiated, that whatever it proclaims in its constitution or declaration. If members of a society are divided into different groups according to their type of activity, occupation, and some professions are considered more prestigious than others, and if members of a particular professional group are divided into managers of various ranks and subordinates, then such a group professionally differentiated regardless of whether bosses are elected or appointed, whether their leadership positions are inherited or due to their personal qualities. Questions and tasks for the document 1) What types of social stratification are mentioned in the document? 2) What, according to the author, indicates the economic, political and professional differentiation of society? 3) Is it possible, based on the document, to say that social inequality manifests itself in different types of societies? 4) What conclusion can be drawn from the text read to understand the structure of modern society?

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Annotation. The training session is devoted to the topic “Social structure and stratification. The middle class and its role in society. The essence of social inequality". The methodology of conducting a training session ensures the establishment of emotional contact with students, increasing their educational motivation, and the formation of solid knowledge. The use of interactive methods is aimed at developing creativity, imagination, communication skills, and developing an active life position in students.

Keywords: social structure and stratification, social lift, vertical and horizontal social mobility, historical forms of social stratification, open and closed society, middle class.

Lesson topic: social structure and stratification. The middle class and its role in society. The essence of social inequality .

Purpose of the lesson: to form knowledge about social structure, stratification, the middle class, its role in society, the essence of social inequality.

Progress of the lesson:

1. Organizing time , during which the topic of the lesson is announced, goals and objectives are set, and absences are noted.

2. Updating knowledge .

Students' knowledge is tested through the use of interactive method "Alphabet". The teacher names the method and explains the rules for its implementation: participants are asked to remember the terms and fill out the technological map: write in each line with a marker on whatman paper or chalk on the board a term starting with the corresponding letter of the alphabet. If necessary, the teacher can offer to reveal the essence of the term. Example of filling out a technological map:

	anthropogenesis, anomie		family, consciousness, socialization
	marriage, unconscious		creation
	interaction, time, virtuality		ufological
			philosophy
	deviation, movement
	natural population decline		values
	individual, institution
	Kant, Comte, collective
	personality, leader
	myth, microtheos, matter
	space
	revolution, reforms

3. Presentation of new material carried out in the form of a lecture using a presentation on the following issues:

1. The concept of social stratification. The essence of social inequality.
2. The concept of social mobility.
3. Historical forms of stratification.
4. The middle class and its role in society.

Slide 1.Presentation. Social structure and stratification

Slide 2. Social inequality is a form of social differentiation in which individuals, social groups, layers, classes are at different levels of the vertical social hierarchy and have unequal life chances and opportunities to meet their needs.

Is our society divided into layers? By what criteria this division is carried out, we learn from the primary source. We present to your attention a text by P. Sorokin.

Students read the text, then answer the questions.

Documentation

From the book of the American sociologist, founder of the Russian and American sociological schools P.A. Sorokin "Man. Civilization. Society".

If the economic status of the members of a certain society is not the same, if among them there are both haves and have-nots, then such a society is characterized by the presence of economic stratification, regardless of whether it is organized on communist or capitalist principles, whether it is constitutionally defined as a “society of equals” or not . No labels, signs, or oral statements can change or obscure the reality of economic inequality, which is expressed in the difference in income, standard of living, in the existence of rich and poor segments of the population. If within a group there are hierarchically different ranks in terms of authority and prestige, titles and honors, if there are managers and governed, then regardless of the terms (monarchs, bureaucrats, masters, bosses) this means that such a group is politically differentiated, that whatever it proclaims in its constitution or declaration. If members of a society are divided into different groups according to their type of activity, occupation, and some professions are considered more prestigious than others, and if members of a particular professional group are divided into managers of various ranks and subordinates, then such a group professionally differentiated regardless of whether bosses are elected or appointed, whether their leadership positions are inherited or due to their personal qualities.

Questions and tasks for the document

1. What types of social stratification are mentioned in the document?
2. What, according to the author, indicates the economic, political and professional differentiation of society?
3. Is it possible, based on the document, to say that social inequality manifests itself in different types of societies?
4. What conclusion can be drawn from the text read to understand the social structure of modern society?

Slide 3. Strata (Latin stratum – layer, layer) is a social layer, a group of people united by some social characteristic (property, professional, official, etc.).

Social stratification is the division of society into strata, distinguished by level of income, power, education, prestige.

Slide 4. Social mobility is the transition of people from one social group to another.

Slides 5–9. There are two main types of social mobility – vertical and horizontal. Vertical mobility implies moving from one stratum (estate, class) to another. Depending on the direction of movement, there is upward mobility (social ascent, upward movement) and downward mobility (social descent, downward movement). Promotion is an example of upward mobility, dismissal, demotion is an example of downward mobility. Horizontal mobility implies the transition of an individual from one social group to another, located at the same level. Examples include moving from an Orthodox to a Catholic religious group, from one citizenship to another, from one family (parental) to another (one’s own, newly formed), from one profession to another. Similar movements occur without noticeable change social status in the vertical direction.

A type of horizontal mobility is geographic mobility. It involves moving from one place to another while maintaining the same status. An example is international and interregional tourism, moving from city to village and back. If a change of location is added to a change of status, then geographic mobility turns into migration. If a villager came to the city to visit relatives, then this is geographical mobility. If he moved to the city for permanent residence and found work here, then this is already migration. He changed his profession.

Social mobility can be group, when an individual moves down or up the social ladder together with his group (estate, class), and individual, when he does this independently of others. The reasons for group mobility are factors such as social revolutions, foreign interventions, invasions, interstate wars, civil wars, military coups, changes in political regimes, replacement of the old constitution with a new one, etc. Among the factors of individual mobility, i.e., the reasons that allow one person to achieve greater success than another, scientists include the social status of the family, level of education, nationality, physical and mental abilities, external characteristics, education, place of residence, advantageous marriage.

Slide 10. Social elevator is a conventional name for a set of factors that have a decisive influence on vertical social mobility.

"Social elevators":

1) crisis society (revolutions, wars, conquests);

2) normal society (army, church, family, marriage, school, property).

Slide 11. The army functions as a channel for vertical mobility in war time. Large losses among the command staff lead to filling vacancies from lower ranks. Soldiers move up the social ladder through talent and courage. Having risen in rank, they use the resulting power as a channel for further advancement and accumulation of wealth. It is known that out of 92 Roman emperors, 36 achieved power starting from the lowest ranks. Of the 65 Byzantine emperors, 12 were promoted through military careers. Napoleon and his entourage, marshals, generals and the kings of Europe appointed by him came from commoners. Cromwell, Grant, Washington and thousands of other commanders rose to the highest positions through the army.

Slide 12. The church, as a channel of social mobility, has moved a large number of people from the bottom to the top of society. Gibbon, Archbishop of Reims, was a former slave. Pope Gregory VII is the son of a carpenter. Sociologist P. Sorokin studied the biography of 144 Roman Catholic popes and found that 28 came from the lower strata, and 27 from the middle strata. The institution of celibacy (celibacy), introduced in the 11th century. Pope Gregory VII, obliged the Catholic clergy not to have children. Thanks to this, after the death of church ministers, the vacant positions of officials were filled with new people. In addition to upward movement, the church was a channel for downward movement. Thousands of heretics, pagans, enemies of the church were put on trial, ruined and destroyed. Among them were many kings, dukes, princes, lords, aristocrats and nobles of high rank.

Slide 13. Schools, institutions of education and upbringing, no matter what specific form they take, have served in all centuries as a powerful channel of social circulation. Democratic countries are societies where schools are accessible to all members. High competition for admission to colleges and universities in many countries is explained by the fact that education is the fastest and most accessible channel of upward mobility. In such a society, the “social elevator” moves from the very bottom, passes through all floors and reaches the very top. An example is ancient China. During the era of Confucius, schools were open to all grades. Exams were held every three years. The best students, regardless of their family status, were selected and transferred to higher schools, and then to universities, from where they found high government positions.

Property manifests itself most clearly in the form of accumulated wealth and money. They are one of the simplest and effective ways social promotion. In the XV–XVIII centuries. European society began to be ruled by money. Only those who had money, not noble birth, achieved high positions. The last periods of the history of Ancient Greece and Rome were the same. P. Sorokin established that not all, but only some occupations and professions contribute to the accumulation of wealth. According to his calculations, in 29% of cases this allows the occupation of a manufacturer, in 21% - a banker and stockbroker, in 12% - a merchant. Professions of artists, artists, inventors, statesmen, miners and some others do not provide such opportunities.

Slide 14. Family and marriage become channels of vertical mobility if representatives of different social statuses enter into a union. In European society, the marriage of a poor but titled partner with a rich but humble one was common. As a result, both moved up the social ladder, getting what each wanted. We find an example of downward mobility in antiquity. According to Roman law, a free woman who married a slave became a slave herself and lost her status as a free citizen. The family has become the main mechanism of social selection, determination and inheritance of social status. Coming from a noble family does not automatically guarantee good heredity and a decent education. Parents cared about the best upbringing of their children; this became a mandatory norm for the aristocracy. In poor families, parents could not provide adequate education and upbringing. They could be given by noble families. The managerial elite was recruited from them. The family has become one of the institutions for distributing members of society into strata.

Slides 15–22. The slides illustrate the type of mobility that students identify after working through the text.

Exercise

Read the text and determine what type of mobility the individual performed.

1. Vysotsky Mikhail Stepanovich began labor activity in 1946 at the Minsk Automobile Plant as a fitter. Today we know him as the creator of the Belarusian school of design and research of trucks. Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Hero of Belarus. In 1997, the International Biographical Center in Cambridge, based on expert assessments, awarded him honorary title“Person of the Year 1997” with the presentation of the Medal of Honor for outstanding achievements. His name is included in the 25th edition of the Dictionary of International Biography as an outstanding figure in science. The American Biographical Institute included the name of academician M.S. Vysotsky to the list of 5,000 scientists who made a great contribution to the development of science in the 20th century.

2. Gia Marie Carangi is an American model, one of the first supermodels in the world. With the advent of her first significant earnings, Karangi became a regular at the most fashionable clubs in New York. Gradually, Gia began to take drugs. In the spring of 1983, Gia's modeling career was finally completed. While working on a photo shoot in North Africa, she Once again caught using drugs. Karanji was forced to pack his things and return home. After 3 years of an immoral lifestyle, the supermodel died.

3. Louis Barth Mayer was born into a Jewish family in Minsk. He emigrated with his family, fearing anti-Jewish pogroms. He spent his young years in poverty. Now known as one of the first film producers, the head and founder of the Hollywood film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which annually presents the main film award Oscar, also proposed by him.

4. Oscar Wilde was quite popular during his lifetime; his literary works sold well. In 1895, Wilde was sentenced to 2 years. The conclusion broke the unfortunate man. His friends turned away from him, his wife changed her and her sons' surname. After leaving prison, Wilde also changed his first and last name, leaving for France. The writer spent all the money left for pocket expenses after buying food and spending the night on drinking. Three years later, Wilde caught a cold and an ear infection after spending the night in bad weather on the street. He was not treated and died in a cheap hotel from meningitis. The doctor was called, but he had nothing to pay him.

5. The outstanding French actor Gerard Depardieu was born into a simple peasant family - his father did not even know how to read and write. The family's financial situation was not easy - in addition to Gerard, there were five more children. Due to poverty, lack of attention and communication, the boy began to have speech problems. Gerard stuttered and was unsociable, which later led to him dropping out of school and working for some time as a typesetter in a local printing house, and soon became seriously interested in boxing. As a minor, he got involved in criminal scams and was registered with the police. By chance, Depardieu took an acting course, where his talent was noticed.

6. Sergei Shevkunenko was born into a “cinema” family. His father worked as director of the Second Creative Association of the Mosfilm film studio, and his mother worked there. In 1973, Sergei starred in the film “Dirk”, in 1974 – in “The Bronze Bird”, in 1975 – in the film “The Lost Expedition”. However, already at the time of filming “Dirk”, 13-year-old Shevkunenko was registered in the children’s room of the police and had serious problems with alcohol. After finishing eighth grade high school Sergei did not want to continue his studies. In 1975, after another fight, he was sent to a special vocational school. In March 1976, he again takes part in a fight and this time is sentenced to a year in prison. Upon release, Shevkunenko went into business. IN short term put together a brigade that began to control a number of points in the Mosfilmovskaya Street area. The brigade became part of the Ossetian criminal group, which specialized in banditry, extortion and kidnapping. She is also known for her successful financial transactions. On February 11, 1995, Shevkunenko was killed in his apartment along with his mother.

7. Eminem lived in a trailer with his younger sister and mom. The family lived in Detroit, the main population of which was African-American, so there were frequent cases of beating the “white” Eminem. After one of these incidents, he could not recover for more than 10 days.

Slides 23–28. The forms of historical stratification are illustrated.

Exercise

Students independently, in groups of 5, consider forms of social stratification: slavery, castes, estates and classes. Then a representative from each group summarizes the work.

Historical forms of stratification

Three main systems of stratification can be distinguished: slavery, castes, estates and classes.

Historically, the first type of social stratification was slavery. It arose in ancient times in Egypt, Babylon, China, Greece, Rome. Slavery is a social, economic and legal form of enslavement of people. A slave-owning society is characterized by extreme inequality and complete lack of rights.

Two historical forms of slavery are patriarchal, in which the slave had all the rights of the youngest member of the family (lived with the owners, participated in public life, could marry free people and could even inherit the owner’s property). Killing such a slave was considered a crime; classical slavery, in which the slave was completely enslaved: he lived separately from the owner, did not participate in anything, did not have the right to marry or have a family. The owner could sell him as cattle or other property and even kill him.

Slavery is the only form of social stratification in history in which one person turns another into his property and deprives him of all rights and freedoms on a legal basis. This does not exist in castes, estates and classes.

Castes (from the Portuguese “pure”) are social groups or strata in which a person owes membership solely by his birth. Along with membership, a person receives both hereditary occupation and profession. The classical caste system is characteristic of Indian society.

Video "Slavery"

There were thousands of castes in India, but they were all grouped into four main ones: Brahmins, or priests (about 3% of the population), Kshatriyas, descendants of warriors and Vaishyas (merchants) (about 7% of the population), Shudras, or peasants and artisans (70% population) and the Harijans, or untouchables (cleaners, scavengers, tanners, swineherds), who made up 20% of the population.

Each caste has its own drachma - a set of regulations and prohibitions that determine norms of behavior, regulate actions and even feelings. According to the drachma, a girl can only become the wife of a member of her own caste, since the bride and groom were raised in the same drachma.

The caste system divides Indian society into horizontal layers, isolated from each other for centuries by a system of prohibitions on mutual communication, changes in profession, and mutual marriages. Members of high castes should not associate with members of low castes - neither eat together, nor drink from their hands, nor look at their women, nor allow their children to play with their children. Even the type of clothing indicates that a person belongs to a particular caste. Housing, food, even the utensils for its preparation are strictly determined by the laws of the drachma of each caste.

Attempts to impersonate a member of another caste are immediately exposed in such conditions. They are punished by exclusion from caste. The outcasts (Harijans) are deprived of all rights to use the well, the village pond, the temple, the house, even the dung of their cattle. Castes, binding people with hundreds of indissoluble bonds, turned into a closed social organism that changed little over the centuries.

The power of age-old traditions is so great that even the abolition of caste in 1950 could not eliminate the caste system completely and it continues to be part of Everyday life India.

Video "Caste"

The next type of social stratification is the class division of society. Estates are a social group that has rights and responsibilities enshrined in customs or law and inherited. Class division existed in feudal societies from the 4th to the 14th centuries. Like castes, there was a hierarchy in them, expressed in the inequality of position and privileges of people.

Europe at the turn of the 14th–15th centuries was a classic example of class organization. Society was divided into two upper classes (nobility and clergy) and a lower third class (artisans, merchants, peasants). In the 10th–13th centuries, the third estate was the peasantry. The division into classes was based on land ownership.

Legal laws defined the rights and responsibilities of each class. Only movement within classes was possible. Each estate included many strata, ranks, levels, professions, and ranks. On public service Only nobles could apply. The aristocracy was considered the military class (knighthood).

The Industrial Revolution of the 18th–19th centuries, the processes of industrialization and urbanization destroyed the feudal estate and clan system and led to the formation of a class system. The concept of “class” appeared only in the 18th century.

A class is a large social group of people who own or do not own the means of production, depending on this, occupying a certain place in the system of social division of labor and characterized by a specific way of generating income.

Unlike caste and class systems, the class system is much more open, since it is based on an economic basis - on money and material property. Although an individual’s belonging to a class, his social status is also determined at birth and inherited from his parents, however, throughout the individual’s life it can change depending on what he managed to achieve in life.

In contrast to castes and estates, classes always leave the possibility of a completely free transition of individuals from one class to another. The class system of social stratification is characterized by the relative flexibility of its boundaries, which creates opportunities and conditions for social mobility, that is, for the movement of individuals along the social ladder.

Students fill out the table

Slide 29. IN modern science There are three classes - higher, middle and lower.

William Lloyd Warner(1898–1970). Position in the social structure (status) depends on the level of education, occupation, wealth and income.

Higher	Upper layer upper class are rich aristocrats
	The lower stratum of the upper class are first-generation millionaires, who are often associated with the underworld, flaunt their wealth, have a strong character and phenomenal entrepreneurship.
Average	The upper middle class consists of highly educated intellectuals (doctors, lawyers) and business people (owners of capital). These intellectuals were able to implement an outstanding invention and make a large profit from its sale.
	The lower layer of the middle class consists of clerical workers, secretaries, cashiers, ordinary doctors, and school teachers.
Lower	The upper layer of the lower class are skilled workers. These include qualified electricians, instrument and automation repairmen, welders, turners, car drivers, etc.
	The lowest stratum of the lower class are homeless vagabonds, beggars, criminals and the unemployed.

Exercise

1. The US National Democratic Institute published a methodological guide “How to Win Elections?” It recommends that you begin your campaign planning by examining the social structure of your constituency. What do you think caused this practical advice? How might the received data on the situation of various social groups in District?

Aristotle in his work “Politics” recorded the presence of three layers in the ancient city-state, believing that only then the state will develop harmoniously when people of average income prevail in it. This predominance, according to Aristotle, makes it possible to moderate, on the one hand, the immense greed of the rich, and on the other, the aggressiveness of the poor.

Do you agree with Aristotle, why?

Slide 30. The middle class is a social group of people with stable incomes sufficient to satisfy a wide range of material and social needs. The resources available to the middle class are sufficient to ensure a “decent” quality of life. Because of this, the middle class is characterized by higher social stability.

The functions of the middle class are traditionally considered to be the stabilization of society and the reproduction of a qualified labor force.

Slide 31. In modern sociology, it is customary to distinguish the following approaches to defining the middle class: objective (the approach based on the level of material well-being and the resource approach), subjective (based on people’s self-identification as the middle class) and their combination.

Slide 32. Wealth Approach

This approach is associated with the idea of ​​the middle class as a mass social entity, which is characterized by a relatively high standard of living and level of consumption.

Slide 33. When discussing the specifics of the “emerging” Belarusian social structure of a transitional society, one should take into account its following fundamental features:

• instability, i.e. susceptibility to decay into several independent dimensions, when there is no connection between various stratification criteria;
• multi-structure, in which old layers and classes of Soviet society coexist with new ones;
• mosaic, when autonomous systems of social stratification are observed in different sectors of the economy.

Slide 34. Belarusian sociologists stratify modern Belarusian society with the following indicators: rich (1.5%), wealthy (5–6%), wealthy (7%), moderately wealthy (14%), low-income (17%), poor (44%), beggars (7%).

4. Determining the correct perception of new material

To determine the correctness of perception of new material, after the presentation of the material, a discussion is held using interactive method “Making a story”.

5. Reflection . Objectives: determine the degree of satisfaction with the occupation, joint activity; find out whether there is interest in studying the program, prospects for joint activities.

"Reflexive target"

1. On interactive whiteboard shows a target that is divided into four sectors
2. Parameters are recorded in each sector.
3. Each participant uses a marker to “shoot” at the target four times, making a mark that corresponds to his assessment of the interaction that took place. If a participant rates the results low, then he puts a mark in the “milk” or in the zero field, if higher, in the “5” field. If the results are rated very highly, then a mark is placed in the “bullseye”.
4. After each participant in the interaction has “shot,” the teacher invites several participants to analyze the situation.

6. Message homework . As homework, you are asked to study the materials from the notes compiled in class. Additionally: 1. A. N. Elsukov, A. N. Danilov, “Fundamentals of sociology and political science,” p. 114 – 121; 2. Essay in the first person. Imagine that you are a representative of one of the types of historical stratification: caste, stratum, slavery, class (optional). Describe the structure of your society, the difficulties you have to face.

Bartkevich, T.O. Methodological development lesson in the discipline “Fundamentals of Social Sciences and Humanities” // Mastery online [Electronic resource]. – 2015. – 3(4).
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Access date: January 24, 2020

Detailed solution Paragraph § 13 in social studies for 11th grade students, authors L.N. Bogolyubov, N.I. Gorodetskaya, L.F. Ivanova 2014

Question 1. Are the highest rungs of the social ladder accessible to every person? What determines a person’s position in society?

The concept of the social ladder is relative. For officials - one thing, for businessmen - another, for artists - a third, etc. There is no single social ladder.

A person’s position in society depends on education, property, power, income, etc.

A person can change his social position with the help of social elevators - the army, the church, the school.

Additional social elevators are the media, party and social activities, accumulation of wealth, marriage with representatives of the upper class.

Position in society and social status have always occupied an important place in the life of every person. So, what does the position in society depend on:

1. Kinship - status may depend on family lines; children of rich and influential parents undoubtedly have higher status than children born to less influential parents.

2. Personal qualities are one of the most important points on which one’s status in society depends. A person with a strong-willed character, who has the qualities of a leader, will certainly achieve more in life and achieve a higher position in society than a person with the opposite character.

3. Connections - the more friends, the more acquaintances who can really help you get somewhere, the greater the chances of achieving your goal, and therefore gaining a higher social status.

Questions and tasks for the document

Question 1. What types of social stratification is the author talking about?

Economic, political, professional differentiation of society.

If the economic status of the members of a certain society is not the same, if among them there are both haves and have-nots, then such a society is characterized by the presence of economic stratification, regardless of whether it is organized on communist or capitalist principles, whether it is constitutionally defined as a “society of equals” or not . No labels, signs, or oral statements can change or obscure the reality of economic inequality, which is expressed in the difference in income, standard of living, and in the existence of rich and poor segments of the population. If within a group there are hierarchically different ranks in terms of authority and prestige, titles and honors, if there are managers and governed, then regardless of the terms (monarchs, bureaucrats, masters, bosses) this means that such a group is politically differentiated, that whatever it proclaims in its constitution or declaration. If members of a society are divided into different groups according to their type of activity, occupation, and some professions are considered more prestigious than others, and if members of a particular professional group are divided into managers of various ranks and subordinates, then such a group is professionally differentiated regardless of whether bosses are elected or appointed, whether their leadership positions are inherited or due to their personal qualities.

Question 3. Based on the source, can it be argued that social inequality manifests itself in different types of societies?

Yes, you can. Since the phrase “regardless of whether bosses are elected or appointed, whether they get their leadership positions by inheritance or thanks to their personal qualities” indicates that, under a monarchical structure, such a situation could also arise.

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS

Question 1. What causes the existence of social groups in society?

Sociologists explain the emergence and existence of social groups primarily by the social division of labor and the specialization of people's activities. Sociologists believe that even today the division of human activity into main types determines the diversity and size of social groups and their position in society. Thus, the existence of layers of the population that differ in income levels is associated with economic activity, and with political activity - the existence in society of leaders and masses, managers and governed.

The existence of various social groups is also due to the historical diversity of living conditions, culture, social norms and values. This, in particular, explains the presence of ethnic and religious groups in modern society.

Question 2. What social groups exist in modern Russian society? What is the objective basis for their emergence and existence?

The structure of Russian society

Class A. Rich. They are mainly engaged in selling raw materials, accumulating personal capital and exporting it abroad. 5-10% of the population.

Class B1+B2. Middle class. 10-15% of the population. Engaged in class A services in all areas of economic activity (financial, legal, information technology, side-production, necessary for pumping out raw materials).

Subclass B1. Most in their Class. Salaried employees, office workers, on a good salary.

Subclass B2. Minority in its Class. Owners of their own medium-sized businesses and small private capital.

Class C. Small owners. As such, it is practically absent in Russia.

Class D. The rest of the people, workers, peasants, state employees, military, students, pensioners, the electorate, “men”, “Russians”, cattle, the crowd. 75-80% of the population.

National Subclass D1. Russian and essentially Russified peoples.

National Subclass D2. Tolerant nationalities.

Class E. Human resources of the CIS countries + China.

They arose in connection with the formation of capitalism, with the emergence of private property in Russia and with the stratification of society.

Question 3. How do the variety of forms of ownership and market relations affect the social structure of society?

The presence of private property divides society into owners of the means of production and workers. Accordingly, whoever owns the means of production receives profit from their use, and workers receive their usual wages. Hence the social structure of the rich and ordinary workers.

Market relations divide society into producer and consumer. There is also a lot of competition between manufacturers. Which also divides society. There are goods that only certain groups of society can purchase; they are not available to the lower strata of the population.

Question 4. Who, in your opinion, forms the Russian middle class?

According to the World Bank, the Russian middle class is defined as households whose level of consumption is one and a half times higher than the level of the national poverty scale (income below the subsistence level), but below the minimum level of consumption of the so-called “world-class middle class”, and amounted to 55.6% in 2008. However, according to calculations by the same World Bank, the average monthly income of a representative of the world-class middle class starts at $3,500 and only no more than 8% of the entire world population can be attributed to this class.

In 2009, the World Bank estimated that Russia's world-class middle class had shrunk by a quarter from its pre-crisis peak of 12.6% to 9.5%.

A very large part of the Russian middle class (approximately 40%) is the “old middle” class, that is, owner-entrepreneurs. As for intellectuals, they are largely relegated to a lower stratum.

Question 5. What points of view exist on the possibility of achieving equality and justice in a society where there is social differentiation?

In modern society, social equality is increasingly understood as equality before the law, as well as equality of rights and opportunities. The path to achieving such equality is through respect for the rights and human dignity of representatives of all social groups. In a society that proclaims social equality, equal opportunities are created for all people, regardless of gender, race, nationality, class, origin, place of residence in receiving education, medical services, engaging in economic and political activities, etc. Thus, representatives of all social groups have equal opportunities when enrolling in higher education institutions, finding a job, promotion, nomination as a candidate for elections to central or local authorities. At the same time, ensuring equal opportunities does not necessarily imply obtaining the same results (for example, equal salary).

Modern UN documents set the task of ensuring equal opportunities for well-being for people belonging to both current and future generations. This means that meeting the needs of present generations should not compromise the ability left as a legacy for future generations to meet their needs.

Question 6. What does the concept of “social mobility” mean? What are its types?

Modern society has become open. There are no prohibitions on engaging in a particular profession, or on marriage between representatives of different social, ethnic or religious groups. As a result, social movements of people have intensified (between city and countryside, between different sectors of the economy, between professions, between different regions of the country) and, consequently, the possibilities for individual choice of profession, place of residence, lifestyle, spouse have expanded significantly.

The transition of people from one social group to another is called social mobility.

Sociologists distinguish between horizontal and vertical mobility. Horizontal mobility refers to the processes of moving from group to group without changing social status. For example, moving from one state-owned enterprise to another, from one family to another, from one citizenship to another.

Processes of vertical mobility are associated with moving up or down the steps of the social ladder. There are upward (upward) and downward (downward) social mobility. Ascending vertical mobility includes a person's promotion to a position, transition to a managerial job, mastering a more prestigious profession, etc. Downward vertical mobility includes, for example, the process of ruining an average entrepreneur and turning him into a hired worker.

The paths along which people move from one social group to another are called channels of social mobility or social elevators. These include military service, obtaining an education, mastering a profession, getting married, acquiring property, etc.

Social mobility is often facilitated by turning points in the development of society: revolutions, wars, political upheavals, structural changes in the economy.

Question 7. Give examples of social mobility from various periods of world and domestic history.

Menshikov - from a seller of pies to a “semi-sovereign ruler” of Russia under Peter I.

M. M. Speransky - from a peasant turned into right hand emperor, then became governor.

Question 8. Name the channels of social mobility known to you. Which ones do you think play a particularly important role in modern society?

Those methods are considered as channels of social mobility - they are conventionally called “steps of the ladder”, “elevators” - using which people can move up and down in the social hierarchy. For the most part, such channels at different times were: organs political power and socio-political organizations, economic structures and professional labor organizations ( labor collectives, firms with a built-in system of industrial property, corporate institutions, etc.), as well as the army, church, school, family-clan ties.

These are channels for an individual’s transition from one social position to another within a social stratum. (marriage, career, education, family, etc.)

The choice of elevator (channel) for social mobility has great importance when choosing a profession and recruiting personnel:

Religious organizations.

School and scientific organizations.

Political elevator, that is, government groups and parties.

Art.

Press, television, radio.

Economic organizations.

Family and marriage.

Question 9. Expand to specific examples social interests of various groups in society. How do these groups act to protect their interests?

Each social group is characterized by common interests for all its members. People's interests are based on their needs. However, interests are directed not so much at the subject of needs, but at those social conditions that make this subject available. First of all, this concerns material and spiritual benefits that ensure the satisfaction of needs.

Social interests are embodied in activity - its direction, character, results. So, from your history course you know about the interest of peasants and farmers in the results of their labor. This interest forces them to improve production and grow higher yields. IN multinational states various nations are interested in preserving their language and their traditions. These interests contribute to the opening of national schools and classes, the publication of books by national authors, and the emergence of cultural-national societies that organize a variety of activities for children and adults. By competing with each other, various groups of entrepreneurs defend their economic interests. Representatives of certain professions periodically declare their professional needs.

A social group is capable of realizing its interests and consciously acting in their defense.

The pursuit of social interests may lead a group to influence policy. Using a variety of means, a social group can influence the adoption by power structures of decisions that suit it. Such means may be letters and personal appeals from group representatives to authorities, appearances in the media, demonstrations, marches, rallies, picketing and other social protests. In every country there are laws that allow certain targeted actions of social groups in defense of their interests.

In an effort to satisfy their interests, various social forces often strive to gain power or gain the opportunity to participate in its implementation. Evidence of the struggle and compromise of various social interests is the activity of parliamentary groups when adopting the country's laws and other decisions.

Question 10. What is the practical significance of knowledge about the social structure of society?

The practical significance of knowledge about the social structure of society makes it possible to identify group diversity and determine the vertical sequence of the position of social layers, strata in society, and their hierarchy.

TASKS

Question 1. The US National Democratic Institute has published a methodological manual “How to Win Elections?” It recommends that you begin planning your election campaign by studying the social structure of your constituency. What do you think is the reason for this practical advice? How can the obtained data on the situation of various social groups in the district affect the election campaign?

Any campaign elected to a particular post through voting must first of all represent the interests of citizens. What interests should be represented? What worries, or conversely, pleases the population now, and what do they want in the future? Studying your target audience helps answer these questions. It will be easier to win elections because people will hear what they want to hear, but it will be fairer if they also see it in practice.

Question 2. A former worker started his own business and became an entrepreneur. What social phenomenon does this example illustrate?

This example illustrates the phenomenon of social mobility, i.e. the possibility of changing the social layer, in this case - from a lower to a higher one.