Answer to Question #97896 in Sociology for Afeisha Gulston

Question

To what extent do you agree with the view that class, rather than race/ethnicity or gender provides the best explanation for the system of social stratification in the modern Caribbean?

Answer 1

The social stratification process has undergone a lot of transformation in the Caribbean. The history of slavery and manual work in the region defined the social status of individuals in the past. The slaves were the lowest cadre of persons, while the slave owners were on the high end of the social spectrum. The slave owners also happened to be light skinned, as compared to their dark-skinned slaves. With the abolition of slavery, social status is now determined by education levels and economic ability. The richer and more educated an individual is, the higher the rating socially. The issue of skin color has not completely gone away though. Black people of higher status try to marry partners with lighter skins to uplift their social status and that of the children they will beget.