The correct answer is Option (3) → (C) and (D) only
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(A) It is based on natural differences. This is incorrect. While people have natural differences (e.g., age, sex, intelligence), social stratification is a socially constructed system that assigns importance and value to these differences. For example, the status of the elderly varies dramatically across different cultures and time periods, demonstrating that age is not a "natural" basis for inequality, but a socially defined one.
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(B) It is a function of individual differences. This is also incorrect. Social stratification is a property of a society as a whole, not a reflection of individual choices or differences. It is a system that exists before any individual is born and constrains their opportunities and life chances regardless of their personal characteristics or efforts.
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(C) It persists over generations. This is correct. Social stratification is a system of inequality that is passed down from one generation to the next. Children are born into the social position of their parents, inheriting their wealth, status, and opportunities. This is a defining feature of systems like the caste system and, to a lesser extent, the class system.
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(D) It is supported by patterns of belief/ideology. This is correct. Every system of social stratification is justified and maintained by a set of beliefs or an ideology. These beliefs explain why a certain group of people is superior or inferior and why the inequality is fair or just. For example, the belief in karma and reincarnation historically justified the caste system in India.
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