Social Class Ladder

The social class ladder is a conceptual framework that is commonly used in sociology. This represents the social class ranking between individuals and groups. It illustrates how wealth, social status, cultural capital and political influence individuals' social class. Looking at the history of social class ladder, this concept has developed from rigid and ascribed hierarchies such as feudal and caste system to a more affluent and complex system which evolute along with the industrialization and capitalist economies. This concept is shaped by three major influential theorists. One of the major theorists is Karl Marx, he reveals that economic relationships and class conflict have been underlined as crucial in motivating social change. On the other hand, Max Weber provided a multidimensional perspective on economic criteria, power and social status. While Emile Durkheim made valuable contributions to social norms and institutions perpetuate class divisions

In many of the western countries, it is often viewed as a reflection of the opportunity for upward mobility that is contingent upon personal achievement. In contract, more rigid structured systems like South Asian caste system, it highlights structural barriers. Although this class ladder has been criticized as oversampling the social dynamics and completely Ignored the complexity of intersectionality, this ladder has remained an important tool for analyzing inequality and social mobility.

Historical Context

Origins

The concept of social class ladder has its roots in the enduring hierarchical systems that have organized human societies from ancient times to the medieval period. Early social class structures always falsify or maintain by the tradition, law and religion which doesn’t leave any chance for mobility. In many ancient civilizations, such as Mesopotamia and dynastic China, social class ladder was linked to hereditary lineage, professional guilds, or religious castes. Upper class such as priestly orders, warrior aristocracies, or landed nobility own the highest tier of the social power. Similar occasions appeared throughout much of the premodern world including medieval Europe’s feudal system. Under the system of feudal, aristocrats and clergy have the priority to access in land, power and education. However, people like peasants and serfs must take part in agricultural labor as they don’t have any other pathways to rise their social class. While caste system in South Asia established another model of social stratification, which not only limits social status and the career options from birth, but also restrict cross-caste interaction and marriage.

Along with the sociological thought appeared in 19th century, the knowledge based with better systematic and understanding emeged. This attributed to three inlflenced theorists Karl Marx, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim. Karl Marx put class conflict in the first place of historical development while responding to the ravages of the Industrial Revolution. He revealed the society is divided into two classes under capitalism. The two classes are bourgeoisie-who owned power of production; and proletariat-who sold their labor in order to survive. According to Karl Marx, the social order is reshape due to the fundamental tensions produced by the economic relationship. While Karl Marx focus on material conditions, Max Weber introducted a new approach with more dimensions to stratification. He merged economic class with social status and political influence. He recognized that class is not only a single category but an aspect of a wider hierarchy which this hierarchy included social prestige and the ability to take control of the power in political and organizational means.

Evolution

Along with the industrialization and the emergence of capitalist economies, the transition from earlier, more rigid hierarchies to modern stratified systems started to accelerate. Some longstanding social barriers began to loosen as the production mode is conceded to factories, wage labor and the whole market. The rapid growth of cities including the rising of the degree of eduation, economic and professional occupations create opportunities for upward mobility which this mobility is less affected by birth or traditions. However, this new system did not eliminate inequality, this created a new class that is between bourgeoisie and proletariat. The class ladder became more complex. Over the years, sociologists have developed detailed indicator for social class, this measure not only include wealth but mainstream education degree, income, culture value as the measure of social class.

Between late 20th century and 21st century, the measure of social class expanded to account the rise of post-industrial labor markets, services and the information economy and consided in a macro perspective about globalization’s impact on employment security and salary structure.