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Example research essay topic: Regarding Durkheim And Marx Sociological Theory - 990 words

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Regarding Durkheim and Marx (Sociological Theory) The names of Emile Durkheim and Karl Marx we associate today with the rise of sociology as science, besides purely political significance of their division of labor and labor-wage theories. Although, both thinkers recognized the division of labor, as the most important factor that enabled humankind to progress, their analysis of this phenomenon has led them to different conclusions about the nature of social processes. Durkheim's sociology is based on empirical observations. According to him, the division of functions is a category, which can be attributed to all living things.

The biological complexity of every species comes as a result of functional complexity. Durkheim implies the principle of geometrical progression to prove his point. He concludes that the division of labor is natural, therefore highly moral. Unlike Marks, he extensively uses the notion of morality in public sphere, although it has nothing to do with morality in the classical sense of this word. Natural inequality between men is what allows society to function normally; this is the main reason that accounts for the division of labor, which is crucial for further progress of our civilization.

The soldier seeks military glory, the priest moral authority, the statesman power, the businessman riches, the scholar scientific renown. Each of them can attain his end without preventing the others from obtaining theirs (Durkheim, p. 360). According to Durkheim, the high degree of specialization within society, accounts for its vitality and competitiveness. He recognizes that there is a conflict between labor and capital in modern industrial society, but he explains it by artificial factors. For example, Durkheim says that if laws that regulate economical relations within society were natural, itd automatically result in establishing the natural social hierarchy, which would guarantee further progress of specialization. The strongest point of Durkheim's sociology, comparing to Marks, is that its highly organic.

It deals with existence of social stratification as the consequence of peoples biological inequality. It recognizes the fact that the society, as integrated being, is driven by the subconscious desire towards sensual pleasures. Yet, this principle loses its essence when pleasure becomes continued and uninterrupted. Thats why Communism can never work, as it suggests that fulfilling peoples physical needs is all that it takes for the establishing universal happiness on Earth. Durkheim operates with notion of collective consciousness, yet he doesnt oppose it to individual one, like Marx does. He describes it as understanding that all members of society are dependent on each other, because of labor division.

This causes collective interest to become more individually focused, thus creating balance between personal and social agendas. Durkheim promotes cooperation between representatives of different social classes, which has to be based on certain moral imperatives. This, of course, can be only accomplished in homogenize society Marxist sociological method is based on denial as main ontological principle. Marx believed the social structure within every capitalist society is defined by the constant struggle between bourgeoisie and proletariat and that no reconciliation could ever be found between these antagonist classes: Thus capital presupposes wage-labor and wage-labor presupposes capital. They mutually condition one another; they mutually bring each other into existence and they also strive to dominate over each other... An increase of capital is, therefore, an increase of the proletariat, i.

e. of the working class (Marx, p. 567). According to Marx, classical relation between labor and capital becomes an obstacle, as division of labor gets more complex and it can only be eliminated with the mean of revolution. Such revolution will go as far as eliminating the basic foundations that peoples societies are based upon, such as institution of family. The main principle of Marx's sociological theory is class struggle. The social processes are defined by this struggle alone.

Marx denies the existence of any other factors that play role in shaping up social relations. Peoples inequality is artificially created and maintained. The notions of common good, morality and solidarity are nothing but chimeras. Just as Freud, who idealized human sexuality, Marx idealizes the economy and suggests that we can only think of anything else from consequential point of view. He says that peoples actions are always motivated by their class affiliations, even though that they often dont even realize this fact. Therefore, workers from Germany and Papua-New Guinea, for example, will be much more likely to find and understanding between each other than with representatives of their own ruling class.

Marx's sociology does not attach any significance to the role of individual; its only concerned with its social status. This can only be thought of as one-dimensional approach to complicated matters, on his part. Marx promoted the idea of dictatorship of proletariat, which was to insure that other social classes would gradually cease to exist. As history shows, very often Marxist revolutionaries werent patient enough to wait until it happens naturally, so theyd use mass executions to speed up the process.

Marx anticipated the time when there would be no national states. His vision of future resembles anarchist utopia, from certain prospective. Yet, he also theorized that masses cannot effectively rule themselves, thats why he suggested that the ruling elite should be created out of idealist promoters of workers cause, such as himself The history has long ago proven the cheer absurdity of many Marx's statements. His theory of class struggle, besides being conceptually wrong, is also inhumane.

The only time in history when Marx's communist principles were applied in the way they were originally intended to, was in Cambodia under regime of Pol Pot, which resulted in deaths of 7 million of people Bibliography: Durkheim, Emile Ethics and the Sociology of Morals Translated by Robert T. Hall. Buffalo. Prometheus Books. New York. 1993 Durkheim, Emile The Division of Labor in Society.

Translated by W. D. Halls. The Free Press. New York. 1984 Marx, Karl Capital.

A Critique of Political Economy trans. by Samuel Moore and Edward Aveling. Random House. New York. 1995


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Research essay sample on Regarding Durkheim And Marx Sociological Theory

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