Relevance: Sociology: paper I: Previous year question-answer.
Social mobility is the movement, usually of individuals or groups from one social position to another within the social stratification system in any society. The extent of social mobility in any society therefore depends greatly on the type of stratification system that exists, whether it is open or closed. Particularistic values tend to create closed stratification systems. While universal values create a more transient or open stratification system
Anthony Gidden defines vertical mobility as movement up and down on socio-economic scale.
Vertical mobility in general refers to the movement from one level on the social hierarchy to another. In other words, it is a change in social status. A change in any of the factors that influence social status has the potential to lead to vertical mobility.
A closed system of mobility is that where norms prescribe mobility. Thus the closed system emphasizes the associative character of the hierarchy. It justifies the inequality in the distribution of means of production status symbols and power positions and discourages any attempt to change them. Any attempt to bring about changes in such a system or to promote mobility is permanently suppressed. In such a system individuals are assigned their place in the social structure on the basis of ascriptive criteria like age, birth, sex.
However no system in reality is perfectly close. Even in the most rigid systems of stratification limited degree of mobility exists.
Traditional caste system in India is an example of closed system.
According to M.N Srinivas, Jaat’s and Yadav’s though low in caste are dominant in various regions of India, in his concept of Sanskritization he also explains how a person can move vertically upwards in strata by following the prescribed ways of living followed by upper castes.
Structural changes in closed system can be brought about even by,
- Acquiring political power, as Mauryan did in ancient India who were low castes and later proved to be greatest of kings.
- 2. Acquiring expertise and skills it has been found that
- Geographical movement-move from one region to another and change in attribute and behavior to claim upper strata
In modern times vertical mobility is due to emergence of new occupations, modern education system, democracy, welfare state technology etc and all these brings a substantive structural change even in closed social system.
The social consequences of mobility, particularly of the vertical type, are difficult to measure. Some believe that large-scale mobility, both upward and downward, breaks down class structure, rendering a culture more uniform. Others argue that those who attempt to rise or maintain a higher position actually strengthen the class system, for they are likely to be concerned with enforcing class differences. Thus, some sociologists have suggested that class distinctions might be reduced not by individual mobility but by the achievement of social and economic equality for all.