Introduction
Karl Marx (1818 - 1883) and Max Weber (1864 - 1920) are recognized as two of the most prominent theorists of the 19th century, they have distinctive perspectives upon social class in contemporary societies. In Karl Marx 's point of view, social class has a two-class framework though Max Weber argued that social class has three dimensions of stratification: class, status and gathering. In this paper, I will clarify and dissect why Weber did this hypothesis that these three dimensions are particular substances and can 't be settled under the single concept of class
Marx and class
A "class" is any group of persons occupying the same class status. Unlike like Marx 's two-class framework, Weber divided "class" into four
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He contended that public class activity will develop just if and when the "associations between the causes and the results of the 'class circumstance ' " get to be distinctly straightforward; Marx would have said when a class gets to be distinctly aware of its interests, that is, of its connection, as a class, to different classes. However Weber 's hypothesis of stratification contrasts from that of Marx in that he presented an extra structural class, that of "status …show more content…
Weber thought Marx had overlooked the relevance of such classification in view of his selective consideration regarding the productive sphere. Rather than classes, which could possibly be public groupings, status gatherings are typically groups, which are held together by ideas of appropriate ways of life and by the social regard and respect agreed to them by others. Connected with this are desires of limitations on social intercourse with those not having a place with the circle and accepted social separation toward inferiors. In this typology we again locate Weber 's sociological thought of a social classification as reliant on the definition that others provide for social connections. A status group can extent that others accord its members prestige or corrupting, which expels them from whatever is left of social on-screen characters and sets up the essential social separation amongst "them" and
The dominant classes in society accumulate wealth off of expropriating the labor of society. One German economist Karl Marx has said, “The ideas of the ruling class are, the class which is the ruling material force of society, is at the same time its ruling intellectual force. The class, which has the means of material production at its disposal, has control at the same time over the means of mental production, so that thereby, generally speaking, the ideas of those who lack the means of mental production are subject to it. The ruling ideas are nothing more than the ideal expression of the dominant material relationships, the dominant material relationships grasped as ideas.” Karl Marx shows that when you are considered a higher class, which means you produce the resources need by society, you control what happens to society.
In the article “ Class in America- 2003” Gregory Mantsios discusses the different types of social classes there are in the United States such as the poor, middle, and rich class. Mantsios describes four different myths about America and the people’s social class. These myths prove the social classes there are in America and where they stand. These myths are all lies and talk about what American people are like and what they face. Mantsios also, talks about the different types of realities Americans have with the different social classes which exist.
Communism during the Salem Witch Trials Karl Marx once said “The theory of Communism may be summed up in one sentence: Abolish all private property.” Although communism may sound like a good theory but once put into play falls apart. The theory of communism was created by Karl Marx around 1848. Communism is the theory that uses force in order to ensure that everyone is treated equally and there is no private property. “Communism doesn’t work because people like to own stuff” ("Why Communism Doesn't Work").
According to Marx society was divided into two classes that were in eternal conflict in the battle for resources, or as Marx coined; “the means of production”. The first class were the bourgeoisie, which Marx described as the sole owners of the means of production as well as the media. The bourgeoisie used their power and influence to exploit the second class, which Marx called the proletariat which consisted of all the workers of the world. Marx rejected the idea that the wealthy pulled themselves from their own bootstraps, which he called “false consciousness” and in return coined the term “class consciousness”, which referred to a persons awareness of their own social status, especially in terms of class conflict. Overall, Marx concluded that social order is created maintained by domination and power.
Discussion about Social class and poverty in America According to the textbook of Introduction to sociology, a social class is defined as a social ranking according to the economic position in which achieved characteristics can influence social mobility. Sociologist Daniel Rossides describes five social class: the upper class, the upper-middle class, the lower middle class, the working class and the lower class. Social class is decided by achieved and ascribed characteristics, and we can change our class by achieved work. Social class has powerful impacts on a person’s life.
Karl Marx who was an economist, during 19th century established an idea between wealthy and rich. According to “Three Great Economists”, Karl Marx believes that “the class struggle itself, expressed as the contest over wages and profits, would be the main force for changing capitalism and eventually undoing it” (33). Here Marx shows that there will always be difference between classes in capitalism and the only technique can be use to change this concept is to ruin a capitalism. This shows that income inequality is something we cannot fight with in capitalism, because no matter what we do we always will have this problem. People will always want more, and some will achieve it and other won’t.
Social class is in his definition mainly based on economical assets, where strata goes beyond economic wealth: it can be possession the religious insight, intellectuality or political engagement (Weber 1958). Political dedication is one of his main themes; Weber distinguishes between people living for politics or off politics. A person who is passionate about politics, lives for politics as a vocation, in Weber’s (1958, 5) terms: ‘Either he enjoys the naked possession of the power he exerts, or he nourishes his inner balance and self-feeling by the consciousness that his life has meaning in the service of a 'cause '’. The opposite of living for politics is living off politics. By this, Weber means a person, a person who seeks economical wealth of political engagement.
For Marx, he considered class in relation to the means to production. He saw a shift from a feudal society on agriculture, where the land owning classes are classified from the peasant class. Scribes, information dealers, intelligencia and civil servants, who did not contribute to the production in the economy, are considered of no use and ar classless. On the other hand, Weber saw class on several layers (Bartle, 2007). Such differences can be understood in a sociological perspective.
The class divides are a main part of capitalism, it is based around the idea that capitalists are usually higher class people. In the early twentieth century, higher class people thought lowly of lower class people. An example of this is how Eva Smith is treated by Mrs. Birling. Mrs. Birling refers to Eva Smith as a ‘girl of that sort’ (attributing that she is a prostitute because she is lower class-pregnant without being married). This also shows how the lower class were disrespected during this time.
In Weber’s social stratification theory, the class is not treated as a social form; rather it occupies an economic position. The party and the status are the only social forms in Weber’s proposition on social stratification. This perspective of Gane (2005) underpins the importance of Weber’s theory in elevating the social theory by extending the theory beyond the social structures to the privileges that exist in social relationship. This makes the social stratification theory to extend beyond national boundaries. Weber extends the theory of the social in relation to the economic and political order in the society.
Marx was a pioneer in his definition of the class system. Marx defines class as more of a social relationship compared to the classic view of it being a rank or position in society. In Marx’s view
Although they actually share some similarities, Weber’s analysis of class, change, capitalism and history differ radically from the views by Marx. Marx believed in capitalism and class conflict whereas Weber believed in rationalisation and bureaucracy. Both Marx and Weber agreed that there was many problems within modern society. Marx had an optimistic view about the future of society and he was confident that his theory would improve the lives of those in society. Weber however took more of a pessimistic view arguing that society is characterised by the process of rationalisation.
Social class contains a lot of significance in social sciences because it sets the basis for social stratification in which people are grouped into a set of hierarchical social categories. These categories further lead up to class conflicts and social problems which we see in society today. Since the main aim of social sciences is to explain the cause and effect of any social issue, sociologists tend to first explain the definition of class and their interpretation of the term followed by its effects in a society. Among these sociologists there were two very influential personalities who developed their work to explain the definition and the formation of the social class. Karl Marx, being an economist, believes that these social classes are a direct result of economic factors.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF LEADERSHIP: ORGANIZATIONAL CONTROL THEN AND NOW. Karl Emil Maximillian “Max” Weber was a German sociologist, philosopher and a political thinker. He was born in 1864, in the Erfurt province of the then Prussia. Educated at University of Heidelberg and University of Berlin, Weber was influenced quite early on in his life, by the marital tensions between his parents. Many of his writings are a testimony of this fact.
In the Communist manifesto, a well known quote of Marx, “the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.” This is introductory to the first part of the pamphlet and a conclusion to Marx’s theory about class struggle. Marx’s highly structured on how the class struggle emerges and affects the development of a society. The development of a society from the old and from the new is the result of the conflict of classes in the society.