ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the discussion of the parallels and affinities between the theoretical problems and alternatives in the analysis of the stratification of country level societies and that of the capitalist world system (CWS). The strongest competitor of neo-Marxian class theory is neo-Weberian class theory. Importantly, Weber's own analysis of labour market classes is incomplete. The chapter argues that Long waves theory is a still an underused resource in WS analysis and demonstrates how it can be applied to account for anomalous findings of the empirical research. Kondratieff waves do change the class structure of the WS, multiplying the number of structural positions and mega-class divisions in the CWS. Vertical lines stand for structure of the CWS at specific time points, horizontal lines, for transitions from one Kondratieff wave to another, inclined lines-for sedimentation of the history in the newly emerging ranks or layers of the CWS structure.
