Which of the following specific types of stratification systems allows individuals to earn their positions through ability, effort, and choice?
options: a) ascribed b) achieved c) caste d) open
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: d) open
An open stratification system is a type of social structure that allows individuals to move up or down the social ladder based on their own achievements, skills, efforts, and choices. In this system, people are not permanently confined to the social class into which they were born. Instead, their position in society can change through education, career success, and personal decisions.
This system supports the idea of meritocracy. Meritocracy means that success is determined by a person’s talents, abilities, and hard work rather than by their family background or social connections. In societies with open stratification systems, people can improve their social standing through academic success, career advancement, or entrepreneurship. These opportunities make it possible for individuals to rise from lower-income backgrounds to higher social levels if they meet the conditions for success.
Open stratification is often associated with modern, industrialized societies where laws and values support equal opportunity. It emphasizes individual achievement and mobility. However, the actual level of openness can vary. While the system is supposed to reward merit, social factors such as discrimination, unequal access to education, or economic barriers may still limit real upward movement for some people.
In contrast, ascribed stratification systems assign social positions at birth based on characteristics such as race, gender, or family background. These systems are more rigid and offer limited chances for social mobility. The caste system, which is a specific form of ascribed stratification, is an example where mobility is restricted and individuals are expected to remain in their assigned roles throughout life.
Achieved status refers to positions people attain through their own actions, but it does not describe a whole stratification system like the open model does.
Therefore, the open stratification system is the one that specifically allows individuals to earn their positions through ability, effort, and choice.