Social stratification is the division of society into social classes that have unequal amounts of wealth, power, and prestige. Karl Marx studied social in the nineteenth century and focused on the distribution of economic resources. Marx believed that wealth was the key to power,k but another social theorist, Max Weber, believed that information and fame were other bases for . A third power base is prestige - recognition, respect, and that is granted by others. It is often attached to a person's occupation.