1. Social Stratification and Social Mobility in the Caribbean
Planters (plantocracy)
Upper income groups
wealthy property owners
Upper stratum
Whites
book-keepers, overseers, agents
Artisans, merchants, middlemen
Upper Stratum
Professionals
Middle Stratum
Free coloureds &
Free blacks
Mulattoes
Artisans, pharmacists, shopkeepers
lawyers, merchants, small
entrepreneurs
Middle Stratum
Lower stratum
Lower Stratum
Blacks African
Slaves
Domestic slaves
Chattel/property of slave owner
blue collar/working class
Field slaves
Figure 1
Figure 3
- blacks
-coloureds
Indians, Chinese
Activity: Answer these questions in your note books or on the overleaf.
Planters (plantocracy)
Upper stratum
Whites book-keepers, overseers, agents
Artisans, merchants, middlemen
Free coloureds &
Free blacks
1.
2.
3.
Artisans, pharmacists, shopkeepers
lawyers, merchants, small entrepreneurs
Factor used to rank groups
Middle stratum
Lower Stratum
Open or closed
Blacks/African slaves
Domestic slaves
Field slaves
Type of status
4.
Chinese, Indians
Figure 2
What factor determined whether or not a slave was a filed slave or a domestic
slave?
What period of Caribbean history does figure two best represent?
Complete the following table.
Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3
Indentured Labourers
5.
6.
7.
8.
Identify the stratum in which a wealthy, light skinned educated, mulatto would
fall in figure two.
What factors are primarily responsible for emergence of the type of social
stratification evident in figure three?
Identify the intelligentsia and the underclass in figures 2 and 3.
Based on figure three, how important are race and colour in ranking groups.
Describe at least three differences between stratification in figure 3 and the
other two figures.