How important is social stratification to civilization Essay

How important is social stratification to civilization - Essay Example uss the importance of social stratification to civilization by using examples such as Egypt, Rome, China, Vietnam, Egypt and Greece to show how societies in these countries depended on social stratification. Without social classes, the whole system will collapse as social classes hold it together. The king may turn into a dictator and order the killing of those who are not in support of him, the workers and slaves may commit mutiny, the merchants would refuse to sell their goods and even the high priests would all fight in order to get the throne. This would create a very chaotic scenario. Social classes, therefore, define the position of an individual in society be they a slave or a worker in the Army.1 An instance can be shown such as in Africa, Egypt; the society was structured like a pyramid. At the top were the gods who were believed to control the universe and so they needed to be kept happy as they had the ability to make the Nile flow for instance or cause famine and death. They could elevate some humans to be gods, the pharaohs, for instance, who had absolute power over their subjects and had many responsibilities among them protection of the people. Individuals in Egypt abused their powers by the establishment of leaders amongst themselves and hierarchy that was based on the wealth and individual importance. This led to destructive forces for the fragile societies leading to the disappearance of lasting civilizations. In Rome, there were two distinct political classes, the rich and powerful and the merchants, farmers, soldiers, and artisans. The patricians expelled the king and instituted a whole new government and monopolized all political offices in Rome. Even though the patricians were confident in their wealth, they could not survive without the others who mainly served to provide food. There was the lack of autonomy and welfare, and so social stratification did not exist. This serves as a basic example of the effects of a collapse in the social