英语翻译
Accordingtosociologists(社会学家),everymodernindustrialsocietyhassomeformofsocialstratification(阶层).Class,powerandstatusareimportantindecidingpeople’srankinsociety.
Classmeansaperson’seconomicpositioninsociety.Acommonlyusedclassificationislowerclass,middleclassandupperclass.Whilesociologistsdisagreeonhowthesetermsshouldbeexactlydefined,theydodescribesocietiesliketheUnitedStatesquitewell.Onestudyshowsthat53%ofAmericansbelongtothelowerclass,46%themiddleclass,and1%theupperclass.Interestingly,asurgeonearning$500,000ayearandabusdriverearning$50,000ayearbothregardthemselvesasthemiddleclass!
Powerreferstotheamountofcontrolapersonhasoverotherpeople.Obviously,peopleinpositionsofgreatpower(suchasgovernors)exercise(行使)bigpower,butpeoplewhotakeordersfromothershavelesspower.Powerandclassdonotalwaysgohandinhand,however.Forexample,thegovernorofastatehasgreatpower,butheorshemaynotbelongtoacorresponding(相应的)economicclass.Generally,however,thereisarelationshipbetweenpowerandclass.
Toourknowledge,therearen’ttoomanypeoplewhoaren’tmillionairesintheU.S.Senate!
Statusisthehonororrespectattachedtoaperson’spositioninsociety.Itcanalsobeaffectedbypowerandclass,butnotnecessarilyso.Forexample,auniversityprofessormayhaveahighstatusbutnotbelongtoahighsocialclassorhavealotofpoweroverothers.