Sociology Majors? Help Needed!

[*Narkissos*]

This is a group project question for my classical sociology course this semester.

Any input/knowledge appreciated!




"Provide a critical assessment of how Karl Marx/ Max Weber advanced the discipline of sociology beyond the early theorists of Montesquieu and Rosseau"


Thanks

~Nark

[Mesomorphyl]

I will get back and edit this as soon as I get time to think about it. Also try Tock, 3Vandoo, oh, and also AIZ (newbie but seemingly is educated).

[*Narkissos*]

Thanks Meso... you always come through

[Dave321]

I have 3 papers on MARX, WEBER, and ROSSEAU... let me see what I can get together for ya Nark...

[Bigen12]

"Provide a critical assessment of how Karl Marx/ Max Weber advanced the discipline of sociology beyond the early theorists of Montesquieu and Rosseau"


Thanks

~Nark

I know him...

He makes some kick ass grills.....

[decadbal]

awwwwww are the school boys doing their homework

[*Narkissos*]

Deca you B-Team Noob.

Bigen...Good to see you back.

Where were you hiding?

Thanks Justin...hit me up with the info

[Bigen12]

Deca you B-Team Noob.

Bigen...Good to see you back.

Where were you hiding?

Thanks Justin...hit me up with the info

Lurking in the shadows.......

[*Narkissos*]

Bump for Tock Meso And Vandoo...among others

Good to see you Bigen...indeed!

Hit me with a PM

[darmadoc]

Isn't the most common phrase uttered by a sociology major in the workplace "hey, you want fries with that, sir?" J.K.

[*Narkissos*]

What i've got so far

SY20A- Classical Social Theory

Course Work Question:

Provide a critical analysis of how Marx advanced the discipline of sociology beyond the early theorist of Montesquieu and Rousseau. This essay’s focus is on government. Mention should be made on the type of approach: i.e. conservative; reformists; or revolutionary.



Marx:

“Just as Darwin discovered the law of evolution in organic nature, so Marx discovered the law of evolution in human history; he discovered the simple fact...that mankind must first of all eat and drink, have shelter and clothing, before it can pursue politics, science, religion, art, etc., and that therefore the production of the immediate material means of subsistence and consequently the degree of economic development attained by a given people or during a given epoch, form the foundation upon which the state institutions, the legal conceptions, the art and even the religious ideas of the people concerned have been evolved, and in the light of which these things must therefore be explained.” (Engel’s Eulogy 1883)

The quotation above, and subsequently this essay, serves to illustrate, how Karl Marx went beyond the then traditional thought of socio-political theory, to develop a revolutionary social theory: a complete sociological theory. Marx’s hypotheses are viewed collectively as a ‘complete theory’ as they are applicable to all areas and aspects of society. It is interesting to note, that Marx did not seek to attempt to expand sociology consciously. Rather, he was attempting to expand the concept of ‘economics’. Marx took one premise: that of economic determinism, and applied it to the superstructure of society: to religion; government; etc.

This application proposed that all social institutions, government included, are dependent upon the economic base: That a thorough analysis of socio-cultural systems would always reveal this underlying economic arrangement. Marx believed that the state was a tool of coercion: maintaining the prevailing conditions that’d make possible a given class’s dominance. He said men and women were born into societies, in which their relation to the means of production has already been determined by birth. This relationship to the means of production gives rise to different class positions. By being born into a specific class, an individual’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors are all pre-"determined." In his preface to Capital Marx wrote: "Here individuals are dealt with only as fact as they are personifications of economic categories, embodiments of particular class-relations and class interests." He argued that the resulting social stratification was a mechanism by which some exploited others, rather than furthering the society’s collective goals. This relationship, between the means of production and class positions, was the basis of his ‘conflict theory’, where: “social organization and change is based upon conflicts built into society”.

Marx argued: the ruling class dominates the socio-cultural system. "The ideas of the ruling class are, in every age, the ruling ideas; the class which is the dominant material force in society is at the same time its dominant intellectual force". Marx goes on to say that "(t)he class which has the means of material production at its disposal has control at the same time over the means of mental production." This is not executed through conspiracy, but as a dominant and pervasive viewpoint. Because it controls the means of production, the ruling class is able to dominate non economic institutions as well. Through influence, and sometimes outright control, over key institutions such as the government, the viewpoint of the economic-elite becomes the widely accepted view of the society. This viewpoint, of course, emphasizes maintaining their status quo: disproportionate distribution of wealth… in their favor.

The oppressed class: those who do not control the means of production, normally internalize these elite ideologies. However, under certain conditions, the oppressed class can generate and widely internalize ideologies that undermine the power of the dominant class. Marx terms these conditions as "revolutionary".

According to Marx, every economic system produces counter forces that, over time, lead to a new economic form…and, by extension, a new governmental form. The process begins in the forces of production with technological development. Over time, these changes in technology become so great that they are able to harness new resources to satisfy human needs. As a consequence it sometimes happens that "the social relations of production are altered, transformed, with the change and development...of the forces of production."



Marx on Rousseau:

Marx both agrees with, and is very critical of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. They agree on the characteristics of the ‘ideal society’. They differed in that Rousseau thought that ideal state could not be reached in a competitive economy… where as, Marx argued that class conflict; the conflict of interests; societal complexity; and economic competitiveness, were necessary for the then present society to move towards the ‘ideal model’.

Marx’s views on government in communist society are similar to Rousseau’s in the sense that the government is not sovereign: It cannot dominate the people. Government employees are employees of the people… and like employees, can be replaced at any time: There are not above society. Marx goes beyond Rousseau by suggesting that the legislature is not separate from society: It is within society… simply a part of society, carrying out a necessary social function that serves society the way that any employee serves an employer.

[*Narkissos*]

I need help...someone...anyone?

[*Narkissos*]

SY20A- Classical Social Theory

Course Work Question:

Provide a critical analysis of how Marx advanced the discipline of sociology beyond the early theorist of Montesquieu and Rousseau. This essay’s focus is on government. Mention should be made on the type of approach: i.e. conservative; reformists; or revolutionary.



Marx:

“Just as Darwin discovered the law of evolution in organic nature, so Marx discovered the law of evolution in human history; he discovered the simple fact...that mankind must first of all eat and drink, have shelter and clothing, before it can pursue politics, science, religion, art, etc., and that therefore the production of the immediate material means of subsistence and consequently the degree of economic development attained by a given people or during a given epoch, form the foundation upon which the state institutions, the legal conceptions, the art and even the religious ideas of the people concerned have been evolved, and in the light of which these things must therefore be explained.” (Engel’s Eulogy 1883)



The quotation above, and subsequently this essay, serves to illustrate, how Karl Marx went beyond the then traditional thought of socio-political theory, to develop a revolutionary social theory: a complete sociological theory. Marx’s hypotheses are viewed collectively as a ‘complete theory’ as they are applicable to all areas and aspects of society. It is interesting to note, that Marx did not seek to attempt to expand sociology consciously. Rather, he was attempting to expand the concept of ‘economics’. For example, the premise of economic determinism: Marx applied it to the superstructure of society: to religion; government; etc. This application proposed that all social institutions, government included, are dependent upon the economic base: That a thorough analysis of socio-cultural systems would always reveal this underlying economic arrangement.



Marx’s theory of historical materialism contains this quote: that “It is not the consciousness of men which determines their existence; it is on the contrary their social existence which determines their consciousness.” Marx has applied his theory of historical materialism to capitalist society, again alluding to the economy, to define the structure of “social reality”:

• That underlying our society is (the) economic structure; and above the foundation of (the) economy rises “legal and political…forms of social consciousness” that relate back to the economic foundation of society.

Marx believed that the state was a tool of coercion: maintaining the prevailing conditions that’d make possible a given class’s dominance. He said men and women were born into societies, in which their relation to the means of production has already been determined by birth. This relationship to the means of production gives rise to different class positions. By being born into a specific class, an individual’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours are all pre-"determined." In his preface to Capital Marx wrote: "Here individuals are dealt with only as fact as they are personifications of economic categories, embodiments of particular class-relations and class interests." He argued that the resulting social stratification was a mechanism by which some exploited others, rather than furthering the society’s collective goals. This relationship, between the means of production and class positions, was the basis of his ‘conflict theory’, where: “social organization and change is based upon conflicts built into society”.



Marx argued: the ruling class: ‘The Bourgeoisie’, dominates the socio-cultural system. "The ideas of the ruling class are, in every age, the ruling ideas; the class which is the dominant material force in society is at the same time its dominant intellectual force". Marx goes on to say that "(t)he class which has the means of material production at its disposal has control at the same time over the means of mental production." This is not executed through conspiracy, but as a dominant and pervasive viewpoint. Because it controls the means of production, the ruling class is able to dominate non economic institutions as well. Through influence, and sometimes outright control, over key institutions such as the government, the viewpoint of the economic-elite becomes the widely accepted view of the society. This viewpoint, of course, emphasizes maintaining their status quo: disproportionate distribution of wealth… in their favour. Thus, this thinking of Marx echoes the work of Rousseau… and Rousseau’s infamous quote “Man is born free… everywhere he is in chains”. Marx further advanced and explained Rousseau’s path of analysis by stating that economic determinism is the main means by which ‘man is enchained’. This is because, as Rousseau stated, man is only sovereign when he casts his vote, likewise the elites are free as the control the means and modes of production unlike the oppressed.



‘The proletariat’: The oppressed class: those who do not control the means of production, normally internalize these elite ideologies. However, under certain conditions (re: Rousseau: “born free but yet in chains”), the oppressed class can generate and widely internalize ideologies that undermine the power of the dominant class. Marx terms these conditions as "revolutionary".



According to Marx, every economic system produces counter forces that, over time, lead to a new economic form…and, by extension, a new governmental form. The process begins in the forces of production with technological development. Over time, these changes in technology become so great that they are able to harness new resources to satisfy human needs. As a consequence it sometimes happens that "the social relations of production are altered, transformed, with the change and development...of the forces of production."



Marx on Rousseau:

Marx both agrees with, and is very critical of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. They agree on the characteristics of the ‘ideal society’. They differed in that Rousseau thought that ideal state could not be reached in a competitive economy… where as, Marx argued that class conflict; the conflict of interests; societal complexity; and economic competitiveness, were necessary for the then present society to move towards the ‘ideal model’.

Marx’s views on government in communist society are similar to Rousseau’s in the sense that the government is not sovereign: It cannot dominate the people. Government employees are employees of the people… and like employees, can be replaced at any time: There are not above society. Marx goes beyond Rousseau by suggesting that the legislature is not separate from society: It is within society… simply a part of society, carrying out a necessary social function that serves society the way that any employee serves an employer.



References:

Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, “Communist Manifesto”

Karl Marx, “Poverty of Philosophy”

Friedrich Engels, “Socialism -- Utopian and Scientific”

Thomas Sowell, “Marxism”

Ebenstein & Ebenstein, “Great Political Thinkers”

Sidney Hook, “Reason, Social Myths and Democracy”

Haralambos and Holborn, “Sociology, Themes and Perspectives”, 5th edition

Anthony Giddens, “Sociology”, 4th edition



Web References:

http://www.cyberessays.com/History/19.htm

http://www.faculty.rsu.edu/~felwell/Theorists/Marx/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_Determinism

http://www.econlib.org/library/Tracy/ddtMSL3.html

http://www.appstate.edu/~stanovskydj/marxfiles.html

http://www.worsleyschool.net/socialarts/marxengels/page.html



Glossary of terms:

Marx used the words 'bourgeois' and 'proletarian' to describe different classes in society.
The bourgeois referred to the class of capitalists ... owners of factories and employers of wage labourers.


The proletariat was the class of wage labourers who didn't produce things of their own, selling their labour in order to live.

The term 'socialism' refers to a theory of government where the state owns and administers all production and distribution of goods. There is no private property.


The term 'capitalism' refers to an economic system where there is private or corporate ownership of goods, and decisions about production and distribution are made by the owners, as determined by prices and demand set in a free market.

The term 'communism' has several meanings. According to Marxist theory, it is the final condition of a country when goods produced by the workers are distributed equally to all, and where 'the state' no longer exists. After socialism was adopted as official doctrine by various countries, notably the former Soviet Union, communism came to mean the political system of a country where a single authoritarian party controls all state-owned production.

[*Narkissos*]

bump!

[*Narkissos*]

[*Narkissos*]

The group has split the work three-way...so i'm working on Marx exclusively.

Any help appreciated