Social stratification is concerned with the ranking of individuals into groups depending on socio-economic variables such as racial background, education, wealth, income level, or gender. It is the key sphere of sociology with shifts in social stratification study showcasing trends in the whole discipline. The categorization of individuals is an inevitable process, given the disparate nature of individuals in society. Theorists have tried to explain the basis of such categorizations. The two main theorists who have made considerable contributions to the topic include Karl Marx and Max Weber. Both theorists view class in terms of the economic situation. However, the two theorists disagree on various concepts related to class. Marx’s theory differs from Weber’s since it identifies two class divisions, has one stratification hierarchy factor, and accepts polarization of classes while the latter identifies four class divisions, has three stratification hierarchy factors, and rejects polarization of classes.
Differences
A key difference is the number of class groupings identified by both theorists. Marx argues that there are two primary class divisions, while Weber mentions that there are four main class groups. Marx mentions that there are two classes: the ruling group and the subject group (Doob, 2015) . The ruling class incorporates the group which owns and controls production means, for instance, managers. On the contrary, the subject group incorporates the individuals controlled by the ruling group. In this respect, the ruling group controls production resources such as property, labor, and capital to exploit subject class individuals, such as laborers. The basic interest conflict is only between the two groups. This view is disputed by Weber, who adopts a complex view by mentioning that there are four class divisions, namely the upper class, white-collar laborers, manual working class, in addition to the petty bourgeoisie. The upper class includes those with the highest society status, for instance, the wealthy, while the white-collar laborers incorporate those with a moderate society status (Lenski, 2013) . The petty bourgeoisie incorporates the individuals who can purchase others' labor and may include small enterprise owners. The manual working class incorporates those individuals performing technical jobs. Essentially, Marx's view was more simplistic than Weber's theory when taking into account class nature.
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Another difference is concerning the factors that determine the stratification hierarchy. Marx views class as the main independent variable that determines the hierarchy of individuals in society. He points out that class is determined by the ownership of production means including equipment, labor, and capital to produce wealth. The production of wealth enables the ruling group to exploit laborers. The ruling group pays the subjects sufficient remuneration for food and shelter. The ruling group's ideology prevails and is driven by both political and non-political groups, arts, and culture. On the other hand, Weber indicates that three independent variables determine the hierarchy of individuals in society. They entail power, class, and status. According to the theorist, an individual's prestige, honor, or popularity can provide political power. In this sense, the source of power is not solely capital value. Weber also believes that power, which is the individual's capacity to realize their outcomes despite the resistance of other individuals, is also a key determinant of the individual’s place in society (Lenski, 2013) . For instance, an individual in a government position can implement a policy despite other individuals' resistance. Notably, such an individual may have no property but holds significant social power. In this respect, Weber’s theory presents a more complex view concerning stratification hierarchy determinants than Marx’s theory.
The two theorists also differ in terms of the presence of polarization and its effects on class divisions. Marx’s arguments emphasize the presence of polarization between the two classes. The ruling and subject classes tend to promote their conflicting interests. Within a capitalistic society, there is an increasing consciousness of such distinctions between the two classes, and eventually, there is a clear boundary between them. The polarization also impacts individuals in the intermediate class since they are forced to choose a side. In most cases, they tend to move towards the ruling class side, given the status benefits enjoyed by them. Weber's theory dispels the idea of polarization. Weber indicates that there is little-to-no polarization given the diversity in the class divisions. The lack of polarization has a considerable impact on the intermediate class size, that is, the middle class. In the capitalistic society, the evolution results in an increase in the size of the white-collar middle-class individuals (Tittenbrun, 2018) . The enlargement of such a class contributes to diversification.
Conclusion
Overall, Max Weber and Karl Marx provide valuable contributions to the concept of social stratification. Both theorists attribute the distinctions in class divisions to the economy. However, Marx's theory indicates that there are two major class divisions. It also emphasizes that class is the only dimension of stratification and that class divisions' polarization is prevalent. On the contrary, Weber's theory indicates that there are four major class divisions. The theorist indicates that there are three dimensions of social stratification. He also points out that the polarization of class divisions is inexistent.
References
Doob, C. (2015). Social inequality and social stratification in US society . Routledge.
Lenski, G. E. (2013). Power and privilege: A theory of social stratification . UNC Press Books.
Tittenbrun, J. (2018). From Marx to Warner: Class and stratification under scrutiny . Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
