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Stratification: An Entropic View of Society’s Structure

Author

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  • G.-Fivos Sargentis

    (Laboratory of Hydrology and Water Resources Development, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechneiou 9, 157 80 Zographou, Greece)

  • Theano Iliopoulou

    (Laboratory of Hydrology and Water Resources Development, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechneiou 9, 157 80 Zographou, Greece)

  • Panayiotis Dimitriadis

    (Laboratory of Hydrology and Water Resources Development, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechneiou 9, 157 80 Zographou, Greece)

  • Nikolaos Mamassis

    (Laboratory of Hydrology and Water Resources Development, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechneiou 9, 157 80 Zographou, Greece)

  • Demetris Koutsoyiannis

    (Laboratory of Hydrology and Water Resources Development, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechneiou 9, 157 80 Zographou, Greece)

Abstract

In human societies, we observe a wide range of types of stratification, i.e., in terms of financial class, political power, level of education, sanctity, and military force. In financial, political, and social sciences, stratification is one of the most important issues and tools as the Lorenz Curve and the Gini Coefficient have been developed to describe some of its aspects. Stratification is greatly dependent on the access of people to wealth. By “wealth”, we mean the quantified prosperity which increases the life expectancy of people. Prosperity is also connected to the water-food-energy nexus which is necessary for human survival. Analyzing proxies of the water-food-energy nexus, we suggest that the best proxy for prosperity is energy, which is closely related to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita and life expectancy. In order to describe the dynamics of social stratification, we formulate an entropic view of wealth in human societies. An entropic approach to income distribution, approximated as available energy in prehistoric societies, till present-day economies, shows that stratification can be viewed as a stochastic process subject to the principle of maximum entropy and occurring when limits to the wealth of society are set, either by the political and economic system and/or by the limits of available technology.

Suggested Citation

  • G.-Fivos Sargentis & Theano Iliopoulou & Panayiotis Dimitriadis & Nikolaos Mamassis & Demetris Koutsoyiannis, 2021. "Stratification: An Entropic View of Society’s Structure," World, MDPI, vol. 2(2), pages 1-22, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jworld:v:2:y:2021:i:2:p:11-174:d:526763
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Thomas Blanchet & Juliette Fournier & Thomas Piketty, 2022. "Generalized Pareto Curves: Theory and Applications," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 68(1), pages 263-288, March.
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    7. Ye Jiang & Qing Zhang & Jianming Niu & Jianguo Wu, 2019. "Pastoral Population Growth and Land Use Policy Has Significantly Impacted Livestock Structure in Inner Mongolia—A Case Study in the Xilinhot Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-17, December.
    8. Astrid Kander & Paul Warde, 2011. "Energy availability from livestock and agricultural productivity in Europe, 1815–1913: a new comparison," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 64(1), pages 1-29, February.
    9. G.-Fivos Sargentis & Theano Iliopoulou & Stavroula Sigourou & Panayiotis Dimitriadis & Demetris Koutsoyiannis, 2020. "Evolution of Clustering Quantified by a Stochastic Method—Case Studies on Natural and Human Social Structures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-22, September.
    10. Ryu, Hang Keun, 2013. "A bottom poor sensitive Gini coefficient and maximum entropy estimation of income distributions," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 118(2), pages 370-374.
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    Cited by:

    1. G.-Fivos Sargentis & Panos Defteraios & Nikos D. Lagaros & Nikοs Mamassis, 2022. "Values and Costs in History: A Case Study on Estimating the Cost of Hadrianic Aqueduct’s Construction," World, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-27, April.
    2. G.-Fivos Sargentis & Demetris Koutsoyiannis, 2023. "The Function of Money in Water–Energy–Food and Land Nexus," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, March.
    3. David Markantonis & G.-Fivos Sargentis & Panayiotis Dimitriadis & Theano Iliopoulou & Aimilia Siganou & Konstantina Moraiti & Maria Nikolinakou & Ilias Taygetos Meletopoulos & Nikos Mamassis & Demetri, 2023. "Stochastic Evaluation of the Investment Risk by the Scale of Water Infrastructures—Case Study: The Municipality of West Mani (Greece)," World, MDPI, vol. 4(1), pages 1-20, January.
    4. G.-Fivos Sargentis & Demetris Koutsoyiannis & Andreas Angelakis & John Christy & Anastasios A. Tsonis, 2022. "Environmental Determinism vs. Social Dynamics: Prehistorical and Historical Examples," World, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-32, June.
    5. Georgios Karakatsanis & Nikos Mamassis, 2023. "Energy and the Macrodynamics of Agrarian Societies," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-40, August.

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