A Comparison of Marx and Durkheim's Theories of the Structure of Modern Society
Introductory Essay: Marx and DurkheimThere was once a time when the societies of the world were nothing more than a ruling class and a class that was ruled. In these feudal societies classes were set. There was little chance for a member of the ruling bourgeoisie class to cross over to the oppressed proletariat class or from the proletariat class to the bourgeoisie class. Every individual within each class had the routine for each day set out for him or her. There was little change in the lives of individuals of these societies. There was monotony in their work and their work did little more for them than keeping them alive. In those societies, in those times, there was scarce chance of bettering oneself. Then there came an era, a time of drastic change. The concept of industrialization and Capitalism was introduced to societies all over the world. Some societies accepted it while others condemned it. Those that accepted it became what was known as modern societies or simply put Capitalist societies. Capitalist or modern societies are very complex in structure. Many theorists have tried to explain or simplify the complexities of these societies, among the greatest of them Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim.
According to Marx competition between workers alienated them for each other. Karl Marx saw conflict in a society as a bad thing, something that caused dysfunction in a society. They were also alienated from the means of production because they had no say in it's running. In order to combat anomie Durkheim asserts that people turn to religion. This 'mechanical solidarity' was soon replaced by 'organic solidarity'. For Durkheim, the essential elements of modern society and the ills of it are contrasting to Marx's in some ways yet similar in others. Firstly, each theorist has a somewhat different view as to what the essential elements of modern society are. With Capitalism and modernity came industrialization and factories and in Capitalism this requires owners and workers. If the consequence of conflict was clearly made known to all, then solidarity between all who oppose conflict will be reinforced. The norms and values that a people hold collective are to keep them in solidarity with each other. The peoples' state of confusion according to Durkheim is termed anomie. Workers often remained in this state of oppression, a state in which happiness or even fulfillment was hard to find. Before this in the pre- modern societies, all workers did almost the same work in order to sustain themselves. In closing, both Marx and Durkheim were extraordinary thinkers and theorists.
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