social hierarchy

The term **”social hierarchy”** refers to the structured ranking of individuals or groups within a society, where each level has varying degrees of power, privilege, and status. This concept helps explain how social order is maintained and how resources, opportunities, and influence are distributed among members of a community. Social hierarchies can be based on factors such as class, wealth, occupation, ethnicity, or other social categorizations. Understanding social hierarchies is essential for analyzing social dynamics, inequality, and human behavior across cultures and history.