Subordination

Subordination is the acceptance of a hierarchical order in which one group of persons is dominated. It pertains to a classification of elements into lower subcategories or subclasses, such as occurs in a system of social stratification. Those on the higher level of social stratification, the superordinate, possess more power and have greater access to a variety of privileges and resources. The superordinate is a person or group that dominates another. The subordinate group is the group being dominated. Each group can only exist in conjunction with the other.

The dimensions of social stratification include economic status, wealth, power, and prestige. While the superordinate group has superior access to material resources, prestige, and power, the subordinate group has limited access. The elite, superordinate groups control a large portion of the means of production including land, herds, water, capital, and business enterprises, and thus exhibit a greater sense of power. The control of the means of production by superordinate groups is found both in developing and in industrialized nations.

Throughout history and in different cultures, subordinate roles are determined by such socioeconomic indicators as gender, age, race, ethnic background, economic status, or social and professional distinctions. These social structures create inequalities in the distribution of power between the superordinate and the subordinate groups. Those who are literate, have a particular religious affiliation or military status, or have a prominent place in a large bureaucracy maintain a dominant role and have the power to control the subordinates. For example, in many cultures those with a higher level of education may consider those with a lower level of education to be subordinate. They then exercise power over the uneducated. In other cultures, women are subordinate to men, children are subordinate to their parents, and various cultural groups may be subordinate to others within nations or states. In businesses, front-line staff and other nonskilled laborers are often considered subordinate to managers or supervisors.

In Western societies, an accepted act of dominance, or civilized oppression, is common. It is caused by distortions in human relationships and contributes to social ills such as crime, poverty, and unemployment. The people in these unfavorable situations have unequal access to power. Differing degrees of power and social status create subordination.

Superordination is a form of direct power that one person or actor has over another. Consequently, privileged people are empowered. They play a large yet unnoticed role in relationships that can lead to moral subordination; that is, where one person not only is submissive to another but feels his or her inferiority is justified. When this disproportionate power is accepted by a society, it can bring about inappropriate privileges for the oppressor, leaving little for the subordinate.

Submission may be attractive to some subordinates because they lack the personal characteristics to assume a position of power or authority. In these cases, subordination may be uncontested because it is a common or accepted practice. In other cases, subordinates may align themselves with one who has power to in the hope of sharing in the spoils. They then benefit from the dominant authority without taking responsibility for exercising it.

...