The Most Important Features of Social Class in India Societies are listed below:
1. Mode of Feeling:
We observe three kinds of feelings among the members of various classes.
(i) There is feeling of equality in relation to members of one’s own class.
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(ii) There is feeling of inferiority in relation to higher class.
(iii) There is feeling of superiority in relation to those classes which have a lower status.
Such a feeling gives rise to class consciousness among the members of a particular class and leads to in class solidarity as well as the “We-They Feeling.”
2. Achieved Status:
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Class has an achieved status. Each class earns its status. Class system provides scope for improving one’s status.
3. It is Universal:
Class system is almost a universal phenomenon. It appears in all modern societies of the world.
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4. Element of Prestige:
Class system is associated with prestige. Status is associated with prestige. The status of the ruling class or rich class or a higher status class in every society is superior. The prestige which a class enjoys depends upon evaluations of the people of the society.
5. Open Group:
A class is an open group. Mobility from one class to another or up or down circulation or mobility is possible. There is little or no restriction on social mobility and change of status and class. This feature makes the class very different from caste.
6. Class Consciousness:
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This is the basic feature of a class. It is the sentiment that makes the realization of solidarity with other members of the same class.
7. Class is a stable group with a social status:
Class is a symbol of economic, social, or political status and it is also a relatively stable group with different modes of living associated with different classes.
Class system characterizes all modern industrial and urban societies. Like caste system, it also reveals a well defined hierarchical order between different classes. It is a system of stratification in which individual status depends on his achievements. Thus a class is an open basis of social stratification.
Class based stratification of society is based on the following principles:
(i) The class of an individual is determined by his occupation, power and wealth.
(ii) The class of an individual is based on his accomplishments. In other words, the amount of award that an individual gets for his social labour determines his class.
(iii) In the class system, there is no restriction on marriage outside one’s own class.