A stratification system in which one group is treated as the legal property of another group.

A stratification system in which one group is treated as the legal property of another group.

• A. Slavery
• B. Caste
• C. Power
• D. Age

Answer: (A)

A system of inequality in which people are treated as property under the law. In slavery, one group is legally owned by another, individuals can be bought and sold, and the owner’s control extends across generations, denying personal liberty and basic rights. This makes slavery a stark, coercive form of stratification centered on ownership of people, not just a ranking. In contrast, caste is a hereditary social division that restricts certain social interactions but does not involve legal ownership of people. Power refers to who can influence and control others, which can exist within various systems of stratification but isn’t itself a system of owning people. Age-based stratification is about assigning roles or privileges by age, not about property or ownership.

A system of inequality in which people are treated as property under the law. In slavery, one group is legally owned by another, individuals can be bought and sold, and the owner’s control extends across generations, denying personal liberty and basic rights. This makes slavery a stark, coercive form of stratification centered on ownership of people, not just a ranking.

In contrast, caste is a hereditary social division that restricts certain social interactions but does not involve legal ownership of people. Power refers to who can influence and control others, which can exist within various systems of stratification but isn’t itself a system of owning people. Age-based stratification is about assigning roles or privileges by age, not about property or ownership.