Social Classes

The Social Classes in USA and Korea Social stratification is entire groups of people who have similar fortunes, occupations or social position. Also it could be similar family background and their own values. There are two types of class stratification which are open stratification and closed stratification. There is social mobility can occur for open stratification. However, class stratification is not possible to do social mobility because it is based on ascribed status. Social mobility is a movement of social position changed by economically and socially.
Many Americans say that there is no class differences in the United State, yet it is not true. The United States’ social class can be divided into largely three parts which are upper-class, middle-class and lower-class. There are huge gaps between those classes. The population of
upper-class is less than middle-class and lower-class, however those upper-class leads the United States’ economic stable. The upper-class views the money differently because they have a lot of money. A small amount of money may seem like a lit to someone who is in the lower-class. For example, Bill Gates is a person who makes around $300 per second. Most of upper-classes are based on the families like The Kennedys, The Hiltons and The Rockefellers. Their lifestyle is completely different from the lower-class. Even though these days, people who are in the lower class can try to go upward in their social mobility by hard working, their chances are very limited. Many immigrants believe the ‘American Dream’, which is based on the people’s ability and effort they put in. The key point is money. Anyone can live in a pleasant house in a good area of town and send their children to a top university if they have enough money.
Korea’s social stratification is very similar to the United States’ social stratification. Before 1960’s, Korea’s class system was like The Caste in India which it closed stratification. If you were born in the farming family, you became a farmer. It was an ascribed status. The traditional Korea society was almost agricultural. Therefore, people exchanged their products. Since 1970’s, Korea became more industrial. People started selling goods and products.
This industrialization made people divided into different social class.
Furthermore, today’s society has been improved by different occupations and powers. Most of doctors, lawyers and politicians are in the upper-class. Office workers in high position and small business owners are middle-class. Korea developed as an open stratification and people can go to upper class level by putting their efforts. If you study hard, you will have a chance to be a doctor. Although Korea’s class system is based on achieved status, marriage is a little bit different. It is possible to marry with someone who is in the different class system, yet most of people get married with person who is similar social class.
I think Korea and the United States’ social stratifications are very similar. They are both an open stratification which is achieved status. In Korea, one man was born in the farmer family, and he became a remarkable Korean president. He understood both lower-class and upper-classes conflicts and tried to solve them. The key point of both class systems is how people come into possession of money and hoe that affect their
class.

사회계층이란 재산, 직업, 사회적 지위 등이 비슷하고, 비슷한 배경, 생활습관, 태도, 행동, 가치관을 가지고 있는 집단을 말한다. It is still in existence. Open class는 계급간의 수직적 사회이동에 대한 제한이 존재하지 않아 이동이 자유로우며, 비교적 폐쇄성을 찾아볼 수 없다. Close class는 계급간의 수직적 사회이동도가 극히 낮고, 법률 또는 종교의례 등에 의하여 계급간의 이동이 원칙적으로 금지된다. 사회이동을 평가하는 지위의 기준은 소득, 직업, 교육 등이다. Social mobility는 개인의 능력, 지역사회의 크기, 산업화의 정도, 교육의 기회, 개인적·사회적 요인과 깊은 관계를 가지고 있다. 현재는 위계가 높아질수록 부와 권력 및 존경의 면에서 점점 유리해지는 지위의 질서가 존재한다. 과거의 계급체제의 상황과는 달리 지위의 이동은 업적에 의해 달성될 수 있다. 간단히 말해 현대사회에서는 자기 노력에 따라 신분 상승이 가능하다.
많은 미국 사람들은 사회계층의 차이가 없다고 생각하지만 이것은 사실이 아니다. 미국의 사회계층은 크게 3가지, 상, 중, 하층 계층으로 나누어진다. 그리고 계층간의 차이는 존재한다. 과거에는 계층이동이 불가능했었다.
한국 역시 사회계층이 존재한다. 과거에는 신분제도로 인하여 상하관계의 신분이 존재하였고, 계층이동이 불가능했다. 현재 사회에서는 눈에 보이지 않는 사회계층이 존재한다. 돈과 권력으로 인한 사회계층이 존재하는 것이다. 하지만 한국에서도 자기노력에 따라 신분 상승이 가능하다. 여기에서 노력이란 열심히 돈을 모으거나 열심히 공부하여 성성공하는 것을 뜻한다.