Marxian Theory versus Weberian Theory Essay

Weber claims that economic interest is at the forefront of class status as well as social power. Weber goes onto note that in past time periods, mainly the Middle Ages, economic interest was monopolized causing the gap between the rich and poor to be vast (p. 106). The organization of people around specific situations, or class struggles, in fact strengthens class structures, mainly because they reinforce the boundaries. However, he feels that this does not make a class a community since the assumption that people in similar class situations must share similar ideals and beliefs is over-simplifying a complex situation.

The Communist Manifesto discusses class and class struggle as a vital part of the capitalist system. Marx and Engels state that class is made up of people who are in the same position in relation to the ownership and control of the means of wealth production.(cite) For Marx and Engels the class struggle between the upper class, or bourgeoisie class and the working class, or the proletariat class is the epitome of modern social change. Marx identified three classes: wage for labor, profit for the capitalist and rent for the landowner (Knox, 1988: 160). Since capitalism succeeded in absorbing the landlord class, which left society with only two social classes: capitalists and workers. The Marxist theory of class is opposed by those people who explain class not in terms of ownership or lack of ownership, but in terms of prestige and

Theorists Karl Marx and Max Weber has based social conflict due to the inequality of class divisions. Karl Marx's interpretation of social class is defined by the relation to the means of productions. Marx's theory of social class simply consists of the proletariat and the bourgeoisie; those who work for the means of production and those who owns the means of production. In other words, the two classes are the middle class and the upper class. While Weber took Marx's broad definition of stratification, Weber argued that each individual's relationship by the means of productions only determines part of the person's social class. Weber also included the factors of wealth, prestige, and political power. Weber had two aspects of class or also known as economic standing: wealth and income. Wealth is determined by the assets of an individual. Income is the amount an individual makes per year. Weber's personal definition of prestige is social respect, admiration, and recognition. Weber argued that wealth and prestige were intertwined since society is more likely to hold rich people in higher regard rather than those of lower class. Power was also linked to social class, where an individual had the ability to compel groups to do that which they otherwise wouldn't do. Both theorists had their own personal

The research used Max Weber’s “Theory of Social Stratification” that tells how people discern each other when they belong to different classes especially the rich and the poor and those people who are on top because of money and fame. This shows how uneducated is ostracized by the rich as if the poor are not members of the society. This theory also shows class divisions that categorizes people into three classes: Upper Class, Middle Class, and Lower Class. It is Class the division that separates the rich or opulent from the poor or the weak. Marxism in the other outlook is not just about wealth but also of how the society sees their social ranks in life.

Weber argued that social class is determined by individual’s skills and qualifications obtained when competing for work in the job market, which determines their social prestige, life-style and life-chances of enjoying good standard of living Gormley

Weber defines the different classes though their economical relationships but unlike Marx, Weber believed that there are more then two important classes that need to be taken into account to understand the workings of society, some of these classes are broken down to other strata, which still have an important effect on social interaction. Within these class categories, class situations are further differentiated according to the type of property that is usable for production and what services it can provide for the market.[7]

Typically, people tend to respect the social status of a person with little regard to how it was acquired. During the time period of the Russian revolution and his exile from Germany, Karl Marx defined social class as an economic scale system where one group works materials while the other group benefits from their labors (Nederman 360). This economic scale system seems to most as a given, yet we do not question where it comes from.

The class difference was something that Marx believed to be a defining feature of any society. He stated that “the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.”(Lecture Marx 1/25/17 slide 8). He believed that class conflict is what drives progress/change. That because of class difference, and exploitation of the working class, Proletariat would eventually become aware of their situation and as a result would rebel and revolt against the capitalist system. Gaining social consciousness was fundamental to creating a social change.

Subsequent theories of class have been chiefly concerned with revising, refuting, or providing an alternative to Marxism . Early in the 20th century, German sociologist Max weber questioned the importance of social classes in the political development of

There are two major social groups according to Karl Marx: the ruling class and a subject class. The ruling class exerts its power and oppresses the subject class by means of ownership of production. This creates conflict interest between the two; however the two classes depend on each other as a basis of employment or source of income. For Marx, conflict takes place because the things of value to man is product of labor. However, the ruling class takes advantage of their workers manual labor. Max Weber later refined Karl Marx’s theory. He stated that a lot of conflict over property exists between owners and workers, instead of only one main struggle as Marx

his concept of class, class struggle. With Weber, I will also discuss his central question, his method of

Marx’s and Weber’s approach the study of power and inequality through class and economics. They agree that the wealthy does have some power advantage over the poor. But they differ in the power distribution. Marx only sees the bourgeoisie as the ultimate power house; while Weber believes that power is distributed among class, status, and party. Their opinion on social mobility is also different. Marx sees class as automatic and Weber sees it as a developing and changing idea. This is why Weber’s approach to the study of power and inequality resonates most with contemporary U.S. society.

Narrowing it down to Marx and Weber, Marx seems to be the most appropriate approach to defining classes. Marx’s theory is also the theory I understand the most because it is simple and at the base of everything in terms of class structure. This theory is different from the other three by focusing on wealth. He collects that labor is the major source of profit in the marketplace. Owners, the bourgeoisie, seek to increase their income by forcing workers to work faster, longer, and for lower wages (Guest 400). Marx points out that the proletariats’ labor is exploited for the bourgeoisie benefit. This is the most convincing theory in my opinion because, to my understanding this one has the most ability of social mobility for an individual. In society today, this is most likely because people normally start off as proletariats and work their way up to bourgeoisie; this would be my situation and I hope this is how it would work for myself. Even though today, bourgeoisie might mean something different than just owning the tools and machinery. Today, it would be more like an individual owning a business and producing their product by the means of the working

Karl Marx founded the Marxist perspective in which he argues that we live in a capitalist society, where society is divided between two main classes; the ruling class known as the bourgeoisie who own the means of production and the working class, the proletariat who own no capital so they are forced to sell their labour to live (Marx, 1859). Marx argues that these two classes are the main reason for why there is conflict within society. This is linked to one of Marx main ideas of the base and superstructure (Marx, 1859) i.e. all social institutions such as the criminal justice system, education and the workplace etc. serve for the ruling class as it does not benefit both classes but only the ruling class. However, some Marxist theorist argue that Marx two class division is too simplistic. Furthermore, other theorists considered different conflict approaches such as gender being the main root of conflict rather than just class. For these reasons, I will be examining Marx’ class theory and how class inequality affects these social institutions, whilst also looking at the advantages and disadvantages of Marxist theories.

According to the differences of Max Weber and Karl Marx, the notion of Marx, social class division and social stratification has basically been a low level of production. Weber's analysis suggested that economics no longer play an important role in today's society.