Final answer:
Max Weber claimed that social stratification is based on economic class, social status or prestige, and power. These components reflect the ways individuals and groups are ranked and their access to resources within a society.
Step-by-step explanation:
Max Weber theorized that social stratification is a system that divides society's members into categories ranking from high to low based on various factors. According to Weber's theory, these factors include economy, society, and political power. Specifically, he identified economic class, social status or prestige, and power as the overlapping systems through which individuals could gain authority and access to resources within a society. This means that social stratification is informed by individuals' wealth (economic class), the respect and admiration they command (prestige), and their ability to influence others (power).
Furthermore, Weber saw the economic class as determined by one's relationship to the means of production, where society was split between owners and laborers. Social status was related to non-economic factors such as kinship, education, or religious affiliations. This stratification not only affected people's material resources but also their social standing and influence over ideas. Interestingly, Weber recognized that status and class both played a role in determining individual power, differing from Marx’s more singular focus on economic factors as the base of society.