Comparison of Three Views of Sociology

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Each of the three main theorists, Marx, Durkheim, and Weber have significantly different aspects on how society is held together. Some things about their theories are related in few ways. Marx was quoted, “The origins of change are all materialistic, not based on ideas.” This aspect focuses on how material items are the basis of society. Durkheim focused on the dependence of others to make society work. Weber used the focus of religion affecting all aspects of life. This is known as social cohesion.

Marx’s theories became known as “Marxism.” Marxism is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “theories and practices of socialism including the labor theory… dialectical materialism, the class struggle, and the dictatorship of the proletariat until the establishment of a classless society.” The goal of Marx was to have an all equal society, or as we know it today Communism or Socialism. The labor theory incorporates the idea of alienation. Alienation is directly related to the working class. As the workers work, they begin to realize they gain no fruits of their own labor. Because the idea is not their own, they have no sense of creativity. Without this sense of creativity they are given the feeling of being alienated from the world, the workers are reduced from an active human being to a passive result or object. (AnthroBase.com)

I think that even though Marx saw alienation as a problem with the people that this is what kept the society going. The dependence on others kept the society in constant function. The capitalists need the workers to complete the job so that money could be made; they passed a bit of the money back down to the workers for making the goods made. To achieve a society without any struggles would be ideal for Marx....

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...y never got to see what it has become today. If they only knew how influential they were in this science.

Reference

Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary. Retrieved March 19, 2010 (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marxism).

AnthroBase. Retrieved March 19, 2010 (http://www.anthrobase.com/Dic/eng/pers/marx_karl.htm).

Ritzer, George 2008. “Karl Marx.” P 61 in Sociological Theory New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Bartle, Phil 2007. “Emile Durkheim.” Retrieved March 19, 2010 (http://www.scn.org/cmp/modules/soc-dur.htm).

Radford University. Retrieved March 19, 2010 (http://www.radford.edu/~junnever/law/onDurkheim.htm).

New World Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 20, 2010 (http://www.newworldencyclpedia.org/entry/Sociology_of_religion).

Ritzer, George 2008. “Max Weber.” P 119 in Sociological Theory New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

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