State the explanations for (1) stratification and [2] stratification by gender according to the functionalist perspective and the conflict theory perspective.

Social stratification represents the structured inequality characterized by groups of people with differential access to the rewards of society because of their relative position in the social hierarchy. The inevitable result of stratification is a social hierarchy of ranked statuses in which people function. Some examples of stratification systems are

i)                    Caste systems which are characterized as rigid, closed systems based on ascribed characteristics such as skin color of family identity

ii)                   Estate systems which are closed systems based on inheritance

iii)                 Class systems which are open systems that permit meaningful social mobility…(short extract)