Compare and Contrast and Two Sociological Theories This essay will compare and contrast and contrast two leading sociological theories: Marxism and Functionalism. Marxists predominantly believe that within society inequality and prejudice are rife, whereas Functionalists live under the impression that society operates in a state of social equilibrium wherein class and social status are necessities which we allow to transpire. This essay will explore the different viewpoints each theories take on subjects such as religion, community, family and education. Marxism is a conflict theory founded by German Philosopher and Sociologist Karl Marx in the 19th Century. It brings forth the idea that society is imbalanced and biased. …show more content…
Both Sociological theories take very different viewpoints on most general societal subjects such as family for instance. At its most basic platform Marxists see the stereotypical nuclear family as a tool for the ruling class. Early on Marx realized the ability to pass down property through generations was a brilliantly useful mechanism for controlling wealth and capital. Marxists see the family as a potential assembly line of workers: the head of the household being the proprietor and ‘CEO’ whilst the children are being prepared to receive their inheritance and maintain their family’s wealth and capital status. Functionalists, however, take a much more harmonious approach. They believe: ‘The family performs important tasks that contribute to society’s basic needs and helps perpetuate social order.’ (Anthony Giddens 2006 - Page 238) Functionalists believe a family’s paramount purpose is to raise and support their children within society. ‘According to the American sociologist Talcott Parsons, the family’s two main functions are primary socialization and personality stabilization. Primary socialization is the process by which children lean the cultural norms of the society into which they are born. Because this happens during the early years of childhood, the family is the most important arena for the development of the human personality. Personality stabilization refers to
Sociology is the study of society. Through the centuries, sociologists have tried to provide an explanation as to why and how humans interact with each other on a social basis. Sociologists have divided sociology into two levels, microsociology and macrosociology (Sociology). The level of microsociology studies is on a smaller perspective, as macrosociology is the study of society on a larger analysis. Today, sociology has three major theories: symbolic interactionism, functionalism and conflict.
Talcott Parsons (1965) was a functionalist sociologist who attempted to trace the historical development of the family and explain why the nuclear family had become so dominant. Parsons argued that there are two basic irreducible functions of the family. These are Primary socialisation and the stabilisation of the adult personalities, Primary socialisation is the process through which the children are taught and learn to accept the norms and values of society. Primary socialisation is important as it teaches us how to relate to others, language and customs and it is the foundation upon which all later learning rests. Secondly, the stabilisation of the adult personalities is all about the family giving the adult offspring emotional support necessary
Marxism (1895–1900) is the economic and political theory and practice originated by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels that holds that actions and human institutions are economically determined, that the class struggle is the basic agency of historical change, and that capitalism will ultimately be superseded by communism. They include the notion of economic determinism that political and social structures are determined by the economic conditions of people. Marxism calls for a classless society where all means of production are commonly owned, a system to be reached as an inevitable result
Marxism is the theory of Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels, it’s based on the economical and social system. Marxism emphasizes on the importance of class struggle in society. They thought that economic processes and class struggles laid the groundwork for every important era and movement in history, and would lead to the downfall of the upper class and the rise of an egalitarian communist society. Under capitalism, the working class or “the people,” own only their capacity to work; they have the ability only to sell their own labor. According to Marx a class is defined by the relations of its members to the means of production. The worker is alienated because he has no control over the labor or product which he produces. The
Marxism is a theory based on “a materialist interpretation of historical development and a dialectical view of social transformation” (Wikipedia, 2017) by philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Marxism focuses on social contradictions and the struggle between socioeconomic classes, which are proletariat, who are the poor people and the working class; and bourgeoisie, the rich people that control the means of production. Marxist theory states that the only way to eliminate the differences between both classes is a violent revolution that will lead to a communist society.
Marxist theory focuses on ideology, class, economic systems, and power (Martin, 2017). This theory portrays those who are empowered versus those who are disempowered; the empowered have more money and material possessions than the disempowered (Sellnow, 2010). The selfish Capitol holds hegemony, or the influence and control over a group of people, and this is the central conflict. The dominant class legitimizes ideas and beliefs (Martin, 2017).
Marxism is a theory that analyses social hierarchy and class struggle though the proletariats (lower class) and the
Functionalism relies on social stratification. Kingsley Davis, an American Sociologist and Demographer said "As a functioning mechanism society must distribute its members in social positions and induce them to perform the duties of these positions". Without this casting of society’s members, the institutions would be unbalanced and equilibrium could not be reached. Functionalism sees this as a positive and inevitable aspect of society. In Marxism, the lower classes are exploited because they can be. Social change in Functionalism occurs when one of the institutions alters in some way. These changes only come about when society requests it. These changes in institutions cause society to behave, inevitably different.
There are two sociological theories that are known to share and differentiate on certain perspectives. Conflict and functionalist are those following theories. Conflict theory also known as the Marxist theory consist of social inequality, dominant or elite groups, bourgeoisie, and subordinate groups. Conflict is also a perception towards sociology that accentuate the social, political, and disparity of a group. Functionalism contracts with social order functions, dysfunctions, social institutions, shared values, norms and social disorganization.
the proletariat until the establishment of a classless society. The author of the novel William
Marxism is a political idea that was presented by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848 in their book, Communist Manifesto. This book influenced the communist movement that many Russians agreed with.
Marxism was introduced by Karl Marx (1818 – 1883). Marx believed that society was divided into two classes, the Bourgeoisie which is the ruling class and the Proletariats which is the lower and working class (Burton, 2013). He believed that the bourgeoisie exploited and abused the proletariat. The main difference between these two groups is the ownership and control of production. This then causes conflict between the two classes.
Marxism is a macro/structural approach to society, meaning that it looks at the large-scale societal structure for answers about how society works and operates and explores crime and deviance in relation to classes within a capitalist society. Marxists claim that laws do not reflect a value consensus, instead laws and law enforcement benefits the rich (protection of private property), and discriminate the poor which brings about social class reproduction, the working class are criminalised for their crimes but the criminal just system are more lenient towards the crimes of the wealth such as white collar crime or
Marx theories were in the time of the industrial revolution, where dramatic changes were happening such as the government passing enclosure acts in 1700’s and 1800’s, meaning that ordinary people no longer had the rights to live on some lands as the rich could now afford to buy them. This forced a growth in population in cities and towns and resulted in poorer families not being able to grow their own food but wold now must purchase it. Forcing men to go out and look for work. Few people owned factories, shops and businesses, and the employees would have no choice but to work very hard for minimal pay, something Marx was very much against. He believed that the industrial revolution promoted capitalist’s way of thinking and was a good way of keeping the rich rich, and the poor poor. Marx did also believe that one day the proletariat would rise and realise that they had the power to change this and overthrow those who treated them unfairly. Vladimer Lenin in The three sources and three component parts of Marxism (1913) also believed this was a possibility and hoped for this outcome. Engels in The origins of the family, private property and the state (1884), criticized Marx and said that the shift to private ownership had a huge effect on the status of the woman. Something Marx had not acknowledged. he states that because of the separation in class, women were now more controlled by men of the ruling class, giving a divide and gender oppression between the sexes as well as between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The men would be paid to go out to work but yet the women had to do domestic labour that was unpaid. The working man is also not treated fairly as his whole value is based upon his labour, Marx and Weber both agree on this, as In both theories man is never valued on his self-worth only on
The Marxist theory is the political and economic theories originated by German theorists: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Marx was born in Germany in 1818 and studied philosophy and law. He was among many the most important authors of sociology and was best known as the “father of Marxism” (McIntyre, 21). Along with Friedrich Engels, he wrote and published The Communist Manifesto. This document helped shape the revolutions that reconstructed much of the world with over the course of the next century.