Question

Why does the way our text describes and analyzes global stratification seem to be more of an economic system of stratification rather than a more generic social (e.g. age, population size, military strength, prestige etc.) system?

Answer 1

Social Stratification:

Social Stratification is a system by which society rank categories of people in a hierarchy.

Global Stratification:

Global Stratification is social stratification on a global scale

Global Stratification draws attention to inequality between entire countries

Global stratification refers to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals and groups in societies around the world.

Now Let's discuss why global stratification seem to be more an economic system of stratification rather than a more generic social(eg age,popution size, military strength, prestige etc.) system

There are some reasons for that

First is Colonialism, it exists when a powerful country defeats a weaker country in order to exploit its resources, thereby making it a colony. Those countries that were among the first to industrialize, such as Great Britain, were able to make colonies out of a number of foreign countries.

WORLD SYSTEM THEORY
World system theory posited that as societies industrialized, capitalism became the dominant economic system, leading to the globalization of capitalism. The globalization of capitalism refers to the adoption of capitalism by countries around the world.

NEOCOLONIALISM

Sociologist Michael Harrington used the term neocolonialism to describe the tendency of the most industrialized nations to exploit less-developed countries politically and economically. Powerful countries sell goods to less-developed countries, allowing them to run up enormous debts that take years to pay off. In so doing, the most developed nations gain a political and economic advantage over the countries that owe them money.

it is considered as a prime reason Global Stratification as an economic system of stratification

Michael Harrington asserts that the Most Industrialized Nations control the Least Industrialized Nations because they control markets, set prices, and so on.The Most Industrialized Nations sell weapons and manufactured goods to the Least Industrialized Nations on credit, turning these countries into eternal debtors. They use resources to pay off the debt, thereby preventing them from developing their own industrial capacity.

In a nutshell if we see above reasons today global stratification is done on country's economic position rather than individual factors.