Analytical Essay

            
             Economic factors greatly determine societal classes since the basic activity of every man is for survival. Thus, this capability to achieve such function shape and define its lifestyle thereby setting clear demarcations among the members of a certain society. In the Philippines, labels such as upper, middle, lower class are commonly used to identify these boundaries. The labels though they may not be concretely used, have attached qualities, such as weak or poor purchasing power, insufficient or sufficient educational attainment, blue collar or white collar profession, a simple or lavish recreational activity, which differentiates one from another. This essay further scrutinizes these delineations and how different facets of lifestyle quantify each.
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             In the light of this discussion, it is impertinent to define social stratification. The condition in the Philippine society where, economically, people are divided into three categories, upper, middle, lower, is considered to be a form of social stratification though it is not as rigid as the caste system in India. Nonetheless, the fluid character of division in our society and the rigid, immobile stratification in India share a common denominator and that is inequality in the access to social rewards such as money, prestige, and influence which are all dictated by the characteristics of a class. It follows, then, that setting boundaries among the three economic classes in the Philippines would be much clearer if based on the degree of access to the mentioned social rewards.
             Beginning at the upper class members, they are considered to be at the top most spot in social hierarchy. If Philippine society would be illustrated graphically, for instance a triangular figure, the upper class citizens would occupy the apex of the figure where there is less area as compared to the base of the triangle. This has a direct correspondence to the population of upper class citizens in our society since Philippines is a third world country and majority of population is the masses, the workers, the farmers, etc.