"For no continuity of social act is possible without a corresponding social status and the many different kinds of act required in an industrial state, with its high degree of specialization, make for corresponding classification of status"
- Kenneth Burke
About this Quote
This quote by Kenneth Burke is describing the concept that in a commercial state, with its high degree of specialization, there is a need for a corresponding category of social status. Burke is recommending that in order for social acts to be continuous, there should be a corresponding social status. This suggests that in order for a society to operate correctly, there need to be a system of social hierarchy that enables different roles and obligations to be satisfied. Burke is stressing the significance of having a system of social status in order for a society to be successful. He is likewise recommending that the many different kinds of acts required in a commercial state, with its high degree of specialization, demand a matching category of status. Simply put, the more specialized a society is, the more complex its social hierarchy must be in order to make sure that all roles and duties are fulfilled.