What is social stratification and what are its criteria?

Social stratification is the division of society into strata that differ in status. Its criteria are objective (the very differentiation of society into groups) and subjective (people’s assessment of a particular position in society).

There are four main objective criteria: economic status, education, prestige and power. They can roughly coincide in a particular person or group, or, conversely, reveal incompatibility.

For example, in the 90s of the XX century. scientists were in a very difficult situation: salaries were very low, prestige was falling, and education was at the highest level. And the “new Russians”, on the contrary, were distinguished by their lack of education, but received a large income.