Compare and Contrast Functionalist and Marxist Theories of Stratification.

Compare and Contrast Functionalist and Marxist Theories of Stratification Stratification is the separation of society into layers which are distinguished by unequal rewards and life chances and many systems of stratification have been based on slavery, caste and feudalism. Slavery, being the oldest and most extreme form of stratification, involves the enslavement or ownership of others. This ownership came about as a result of conquest, trade, kidnapping, hereditary status or the repayment of a debt. …

…increasingly difficult to define in modern times with the loss of a traditional "working class". Recent trends have seen an increase in size of the middle classes which none of the time-honoured social theorists could have predicted. Many alternative theories have attracted great interest, and though functionalist and Marxist theories of stratification are still exceptionally significant, as society changes and develops, they must take their place alongside a growing number of sociological theories. Word Count: 1,573