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Stratification economics: Historical Origins and Theoretical Foundations

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  • Davis, John B.

Abstract

Stratification economics (SE) investigates how economies are organized around group inequalities, especially by race and gender but also by ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, etc. Its historical origins and theoretical foundations have both a structural strand that addresses how and a social behavioral strand. SE's structural strand goes back to Ricardo and Marx regarding the relationship between growth and distribution, and then draws on recent economic theory of noncompeting groups and dual economy models of labor market segmentation. SE's structural strand produces an inequality-based understanding of economics' standard goods taxonomy. The social behavioral strand builds on Du Bois's psychological wage concept, Veblen's social ladders theory of emulation, Blumer's theory of prejudice and stereotyping, and current social identity theory. SE's social behavioral strand makes it possible to explain how discrimination selectively stigmatizes people's social identities in order to reinforce existing intergroup inequalities.

Suggested Citation

  • Davis, John B., 2024. "Stratification economics: Historical Origins and Theoretical Foundations," Working Papers and Research 2024-02, Marquette University, Center for Global and Economic Studies and Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:mrq:wpaper:2024-02
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    File URL: https://epublications.marquette.edu/econ_workingpapers/96
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    Keywords

    stratification economics; intergroup inequality; caste; social groups; Ricardo; Marx; Lewis; Du Bois; Veblen; Blumer; social identity theory; goods taxonomy; stigmatization; intersectionality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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