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StudentName:***StudentNO.：Professor:DianeDate:2013-5-1SocialStratification--explanationofChinesesocialphenomenonsonthebasisofclasstheoryAbstract:1.Classexistsineverysocietyandiscloselyrelatedtoeveryindividual;2.Whatisthedefinationofclass?Isthesocialstratificationonlyconsistofclass?3.Howtousetheconceptofclasstoexplainthecurrentsocialphenomenonssuchasshowingoffwealth,disguistingasrichpeopletocheatmoney,andetc.?Socialstratificationexistsineverysociety.Wecansenseitinourdailylifeandnoonecanescapefromit.Itisnotuncommontohearthemediabroadcasttheproliferationofthemiddle-classinChina.Andpeoplealsolabelthemselvesasmiddle-classoruppermiddleclass.Itseemsthateveryoneisstrugglingtofindawaytoclimbuptheclassladder,forChinesepeopleallhaveacrazetogetasmucheducationastheycaninordertogetawell-paid,ratherthansuitablejob.Nowadayswealthismorecommonlyregardedasthesolesignofsuccessthananyotherages.Peoplefirmlybelievethatwealthisthefundationandensuranceforthemtohavevoiceandgainrespectinthesociety.Isthatreasonableforthemtothinkso?Orwilltheireffortenablethemtoclimbuptheclassladder?Toanswerthesequestions,firstwehavetodefineclass.Classisalarge-scalegroupingofpeoplewhosharcommoneconomicresources,whichstronglyinfluencethetyleoflifestyletheyareabletolead.Ownershipofwealthandoccupationarethechiefbasesofclassdifferences.Thecharacteristicsofclasscanbelistedasfollowing:first,classsystemsarefluid,whichmeanstheboundariesbetweenclassesareneverclear-cut;second,classpositionsareinsomepartachieved,whichindicatesthatthroughhardworkmovementupwardintheclassstructureispossible;third,classiseconomicallybased,showingthatclassesdependoninequalitiesinthepossessionofmaterialbetweengroupsofindividuals.Thus,people’sworshipofwealthisunderstandableinthisrespect.MaxWeber,however,sawotherresourcesbesidesofeconomicfactorsasimportantinclass-formation,includeespeciallytheskillsandcredentials,orqualificationswhichmakeanindividualmoremarketablethanothersandaffectthetypesofworkpeopleareabletoobtain.ThisperspectiveprovidestheoraticalbasistoChinesepeople’scrazeformoreeducation.Itactuallypointsoutaeasy-accessedwayforpeopletoimprovetheirclasspositionbytheireffort.ItisuniversalpracticenowforChinesecollegestudentstogetasmuchcredentialsastheycan,rangingfromcomputer-levelcredentialtodrivinglisence.Althoughweallrecognizethatcredentials,underChinesetestingsystemwhichlargelyemphasizesthebookknowledgeandmemorizing,don’tnecessarilyprovethemasteroftheskills,westillfinditmildlyastounishedwhena23-year-oldgirlpostedapictureofher10certificatesincludingCFA,whichareallhighmarketablecertificatesinthelabormarket.Thegirlisworshipedbymanyyoungpeopleastheirmodel.Butthealarmingquestionisthatisn’titgonetofar?Isithealthyforthesocietytoemphasissomuchoncertificatesthatdrivecollegestudentstobendonallkindsoftestsatthecostoftimeandeffortthatcanbedevotedtosocialactivites,physicalexerciseandintership?People’sfearofbeinginthelessprivilegedgoupstimulatesthemtoholdtightlyontoeverymeanstheycanapproach.Todevelopahealthyviewtowardscertificate,weshouldknowthatsocialstratificationinnotsimplyamatterofclass,accordingtoWeber,butisshapedbytwofurtheraspects:statusandparty.Statusreferstodifferencesbetweensocialgroupsinthesocialhonororprestigetheyareaccordedbyothers.Itcomestobeexpressedthroughpeople’sstylesoflife.Markersandsymbolsofstatus–suchashousing,dress,mannerofspeechandoccupation–allhelptoshapeanindividual’ssocialstandingintheeyesofothers.Forexample,anupstatewillnotenjoyequalrespectinthesocietyasawell-educatedmillionaire,forhistasteofartandmannerofspeechwon’tbeimprovedinashorttime.Despiteoflimitedproperty,authorsandscholarshavehighsocialstatusbecausetheiroccupationisbelievedtofacilitatesocialdevelopment.Weber’swritingsonstratificationareofgreatsignificant,becausetheyshowthatotherdimensionsofstratificationbesidesclassstronglyinfluencepeople’slives.Andifpeoplerealizeit,theywon’tbetooanxioustoaccumulatewealthattheexpenseofthequalityoftheirlife.Youngpeoplewillhavevariousgoaltopursuit,suchasimprovingtheirmanneranddevelopingahealthylifestyle,ratherthanjustaimingatgettingcertificates.NowadaysinChina,thereareendlessnewsaboutmillionaire’sluxuriouslife,stimulatingyounsterstoworkhardoruseextrememethodtoobtainwealth.Socialphenomenonslikeshowingoffwealth,disguistingasrichpeopletocheatmoney,andmakingoccupationchoicebasedonthesalarynotinterestallindicatethatthemajorityofpeoplebelievewealththesoleindicatorofclass.Worsestill,massmediastrengthensthisbeliefbypublicisingextravagantlifestyle.Soiseconomiccapticaltheonlyindicatorofclass?Whatotherfactorsareimportantinclasslocation?TheFrenchsociologistPierreBourdieubelievesthatlifestylechoicesareanimportantindicatorofclass.Hearguedthattherewerefourindicatorsofclass:first,economiccapital,whichconsistsofmaterialgoodssuchasproperty,wealthandincome;second,culturalcapital,whichincludeseducation,appreciationofthearts,consumptionandleisurepursuits;third,socialcapital,referingtoone’snetworksoffriendsandcontacts;fourth,symboliccapital,whichincludespossessionofagoodreputation.Amongthefourcapitals,