Emily Kistler - Purdue University



Emily Kistler

Soc 402

Spring 2002

Exam 1

Marx, Durkheim, and Weber all differed in their idea of what caused alienation. That is, the problem of the old system that isolated individuals from mankind. For Marx, it was the issue of class conflict. For Durkheim, it was a disorganized society trying to adapt. And Weber felt alienation was because of legal rationality (instrumentive rationality).

Marx’s key concept was class conflict, especially that between the capitalist and the working class. The working class was separated from their “species being” or natural self. The capitalists separated the working class from their species being by taking their labor and accumulating profit. What would have been natural would for everyone to work to provide for themselves and their families, not for the benefit of a few select. The working class is also isolated in the workplace from their coworkers. That occurs because capitalists encourage competition in order to achieve more output.

Durkheim felt that this class division was good because it created interdependence. Durkheim saw that problem as normlessness or anomie. Anomie occurs in societies that are disorganized or undergoing change. For example, in the past, religion and family created a structured environment in which everyone had their place in the community. But after a while, political and cultural changes began to occur. These changes were slow, leaving many feeling out of place (experiencing anomie). Results of anomie are increased deviance like suicide, crime, etc.

Weber focused on the problems created by politics. He felt the problem was due to legal rational authority. He says that bureaucracy (legal rational) is the most efficient form of authority, but that it would create an iron cage. He was afraid that people would lose those aspects, such as emotion and values, which caused them to challenge authority. When people find it value rational to mindlessly obey the rules (iron cage), then they fail to keep the system in check.

The similarities between these three theories are that they all mention man’s disconnectedness with society and with their natural state. Marx saw the separation between the classes (capitalists and working class) and between the workers and coworkers. Durkheim focused on the loss of connection to society and shared values (anomie). Weber demonstrated this in his name for the separation, the iron cage. In the iron cage, man simply moves through the motions, obeying the rules, never really connecting because people no longer focus on values, passions, emotions (natural self).

Aside from their differences mentioned previously, Marx, Durkheim, and Weber also differed in how they saw or hoped this alienation would be resolved. Marx saw overproduction resulting in a class-consciousness, which ultimately would cause the working class revolution. Durkheim felt that the system would take care of itself and eventually adapt to a suitable form. In his earlier years, he mentioned that modern society would develop so that diversity was viewed as a strength that would unite society. Later, he seems to lose this optimism and just focuses on people feeling as one. For Weber, he feared that Marx’s revolution would lead to an iron cage. Instead, he hoped that a charismatic leader would come along and issue in social change.

In summary, Marx, Durkheim, and Weber differed in some aspects of their alienation theory. They also differed in their idea for resolving alienation. But, they did hold similar views regarding man’s loss of connectedness to society and to his natural self.

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