Durkheim

Durkiem's Ideas look at the social facts and the role that division labor plays in society. Two different groups are compared with simlar characteristics but in different perspectives. The first group are the non-material social facts or norm and values like mortality, collective conscience, and social culture. The second type can be classified as the real materials or "laws " human beings live by such as society itself. With all of these social facts taken into paly, Durkiem believes they influence how people in the world think, feel, and relates themselves to soceity. Overall, division of labor sways towards the idea that one's place of work determines how individuals with live thier lives.

I found it very interesting how Durkiem actually thought about these "social facts" and interacted them with how people actually live in society. Some of the points kind of make sense to me like how the norms and values shape people's lives. But on the other hand I believe that no matter the social norms, values or laws, people with make their own decisions based on their own personal feeling and not by outside influences. I think every person has their own ideas and shape who they are and what their life will be like by what they personally choose themseleves.

I onnly have one question though, I would like to see how Durkiem would feel today and see how Durkiem would apply these ideas to the society we all live in right this moment. I think maybe Durkiems would have a little different outlook on today's society with all the new technology and other enhancements.

Estranged Labor

In this passage, Marx divides the labor in society into two groups, the property owners and propertyless workers. He goes on to explain the idea of a political economy and the only way to achieve greatness is through the external work place throughout the world. Together many individuals will work together to become a powerful capitalistic society according to Marx. But Marx argues on one main point that the workers are just commodities that create the wealth and power for the property owners. Marx refers to the workers as "aliens", which are divided into four groups: 1) workers are alienated from the products they built 2) workers are alienated from the labor process 3) workers are alienated from their bodies ability and 4) workers are alienated from each other.

To me I find it very interesting that in today's world people can sort of see what Marx's is talking about, especially in the United States currently. For example in America today the main goal of society is to become successful and come out on top. To do so one is believed that college in the answer and it is the most important thing as a youth to becoming a successful human being in society. It is thought that by attending college students are expected to get great jobs with great pay right when they graduate. But today that's completely changed and some if not most students can't find a job that will pay enough to pay off there loans for the first couple of years. Some actually say that instead of college, students should look more in to the labor/trade field which is ever so expanding and have proved to be a great deal of success to many.

I just have one question though, to me it is like Marx automatically assumes that every worker hates their job and he/she is considered less important throughout society. But to me atleast, I feel the exact opposite. Workers are a key part in how the world runs and without the workers the economy would not exsist and all the products that make life great and joyful would be no more. So to me the workers are very if not more important that the actual bosses. Also I know many peopel that enjoy their jobs and would trade them for anything else.

In the Communist Manifesto it is apparent that class identity is the major issue. Through the preamble and sections one and two, the struggles between societies are explained. In particular two specific societies, the bourgeoisie which are the ruling class and the proletarians which are the lower middle class. The manifesto tries to explain communism and how to reach each goal to achieve a full communistic society. Marx begins to explain that classes are defined as means of production throughout history and the only powerful ones rule society. Marx then continues to explain that bourgeoisie use their power over the proletarians to produce their products and rule the market. While at the same time enriching themselves and the proletarians receive little if not nothing in return. Capitalism to Marx is not right and unfair, almost evil. So to achieve this main goal of communism which is everyone created equal, is to have the proletarians rise up and take over the capitalistic rulers so that a free communistic society can be achieved.

I found this passage very interesting in regards to how Marx truly saw the world. Although I do not agree with most if not any of what communism stands for, I do see after reading this understand why Marx felt the way he did. What was happening back in the 1800's and early 1900's is agian happening today in respect to Walmart, and other big corporate stores that come into small towns and take the customers of small businesses away from the small town, family owed stores. But then again I do beleieve in a free market and everyone has the right to make as much money as they can. People who work hard deserve it. But I also feel there should be minor regulations that would keep the small businesses from being taken over by much larger coporations.

What I do find hard to comprehend is with mondern society and communism the main point or goal is to have everyone at an equal state. Which would then lead to the government to take control leaving everyone meaning "us" to leave all of the decisions up to them. Not to mention with everyone being equal and not being able to excel past a certain limit, would then lead society to become worthless and have zero motivation to invent new ideas, things, medicine and so on because there would be nothing in it for a person to even want to try. And lets be honest, would you want someone meaning the government, running yoru own life telling you what you can and can not do?