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A form of social stratification based on both social and economic status. This system is fluid, allowing for movement between the classes based on achievements, education, and income. Prominent in Western societies.

A form of social stratification where people are born into a rigid hierarchy that dictates their occupation, social interactions, and marriage prospects. Common in South Asian cultures, particularly in India, where it's extensively codified in Hindu tradition.

A social structure prevalent in medieval Europe where the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were tenants of the nobles, while the peasants were obligated to live on the lord's land and give him labor, and homage.

A social order that rests on the exploitation of enslaved individuals who are owned, controlled, and compelled to provide labor or services. Historically evident in ancient Greece, Rome, and in pre-Civil War United States.

A policy or system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race which was used in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. It literally means 'apartness' in Afrikaans.

A social hierarchy system in pre-revolutionary France which divided society into three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners. Movement between estates was very limited.

A social system in which men hold primary power, with dominance in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property.

A society or system where power is concentrated among the wealthy, or where governance is conducted by the rich for their own benefit, often disregarding the needs of the poor and middle class.

A social system in which advancement in society is based on individual talent, achievement, and merit rather than on class privilege or wealth. It is an ideal that influences many modern institutions, like education systems.

A social organizational form where power and social control reside with females, typically with mothers heading families, exerting moral authority, and managing property.

A combined total measure of an individual's or family's economic and social position in relation to others, based on income, education, and occupation. It's a common way to classify different strata in modern societies.

A power structure where a small group of people hold all the power and control the country or organization. These people could be distinguished by nobility, wealth, family ties, corporate, or military control.

A form of social organization that typically is associated with rural, non-industrial societies and is structured around family ties with a common culture, language, and territory.

A form of social organization in which the elderly have authority and hold power because of their age. This is seen in certain traditional societies.

A form of government or social system in which priests rule in the name of God or a god. The state's legal system is based on religious law. Iran is a contemporary example with its Islamic theocracy.

A historically propagated social system that ranks different races in a hierarchy of status and power, often seen in colonial contexts and based on pseudoscientific beliefs about biological differences.

Social stratification systems that resemble caste systems, where there is limited social mobility and statuses are hereditary, but without the religious or historical basis observed in true caste systems, emerging in various parts of the world.

The ability to move up or down the social hierarchy, which can be influenced by factors such as education, income, and relationships. High social mobility indicates a less rigid social structure.

A society structured in hierarchical layers, where there is an unequitable distribution of resources, opportunities, and rights among different social groups. Societal layers often include upper, middle, and lower classes.