Classical Theorists

Max Weber

Karl Marx

Emile Durkheim

Presented by:

Muhammad Faizan Jamil

Karl Hienrich MarxBorn in Trier-Germany (1818)

Main Intrests: Politics, economics, philosophy, sociology, labour, history and class struggle.

Notable Ideas: Surplus value, Alienation, chass struggle etc.

Influenced by Hegal’s philosophy.

The Dialectic approach:

Relationship between Explanation of Ideas in various things the Material world

Human potential and its components

• In capitalistic societies it is too hard to realize their potentials.

• According to Marx communism can provide better opportunities for people to express their potentials.

• The Idea of Power and need.

Capitalism vs Communism

• Objectification:Human produce objects that means, the actual potential is in the labor class that manufacture any product.

• Sociability:Participation of people and nature to express humaness and capabilities.

Alienation

Distortion of Human Nature caused by the Capitalist Structure.

A way to exploite labor class. Breakdown production process. People get separated from each other. An individual can not select any other productive activity

by their own Individual will. Labor has no practical value. Capitalists decide what to produce and how to produce. Labor is un aware of their contributions.

Capatalism - A two class structure

Bourgeois Proletariats

Surplus Value

The structures of Capitalist society

• Social Structures also support the will of Capitalists e.g Politics, Education, Religion etc..

o Commodities:– Labor make products not for their selves, but for

the capitalist class.o fetishism of commodities:

– Social relationships involved in production, not as relationships among people.

e.g. Name of the product matters.

Reification

• A type of falseness thinking, that:– Social form are natural, Universal and abslute.– They think, social structures are beyond their

control and un-changeable.

• The concept of private property in Capitalist system.• Drived from the labor of the workers.• To control labor class.

Division of Labor• Seperation of skilled force.• Separate Individuals from commodities.• Labor process is breaken down.• Small contributions to final product.• Workers lose control over

»Products»Market

Cultural aspects of Society

False consciences: Propagating and making the lower, marginalize class believe that, laws and policies were created to protect the rights of all, when in reality they are the very instrument of exploitation through which the poor are controlled.

E.g. Political speeches

Scientific sociology:

The study of social factsStudying social facts as thingsThe nature of societySelf-interest vs Collective-interestAn army of one

Societal transformation and social cohesion

1. Traditional society2. Modern society

Characteristics of traditional society:oSamenessoSocial ties and relationshipsoCollective conscienceoLittle individualismoMechanical solidarity

Characteristics of modern society:

o Diversityo Individualismo Specialized division of laboro Social interdependenceo The density of social interactiono Organic solidarity

Suicide:Suicide: A social fact

Types of suicides:

oAltruistic suicideoEgoistic suicideoAnomie suicide

Constraining forcesoFamily

Types of suicides:Altruistic suicide:

o Social expectationso Fail to meet those expectationso Collective conscience

Egoistic suicide:o Self-orientedo Loosely bound to individuals

Anomie suicide:o Societal upheavalo Rapid social change and crisis

Religious and the sacred:

Religion: a social fact or social phenomenon; concern with the sacred in society

Religion as institutionalizedSacred thingsCollective feeling of people are attached to

every sacred thing.Soccer in England and Brazil

Religion and science:

Science and religion have independent functions

Science provides knowledge

Religion provides action- the moral remaking

MAX WEBER

Sociology:

Verstehen

Historical and comparative research

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

(link between religion and economics)

The protestant-capitalism puzzle:

Difference between Catholic and Protestant Ethic

o The reformation: Martin Luther

The protestant Ethic:o Asceticismo Time is money– Benjamin Franklino Expression of virtueo Expansion of capitalism

Salvation and Predestination:

Calvinism: John Calvin:

PredestinationHow to prove one’s salvation?Does Protestantism created capitalism?Individualism

Social Action:

1. Value-Rational action2. Instrumental-Rational action3. Emotional action:4. Traditional action:

Power, authority and domination:

PowerLegal authorityTraditional authorityBureaucracyo Bureaucratic authorityo Charismatic authority

Social stratification

o Social statuso Status and classo Political powerThe value neutrality of science