Final Study

Question 1

Social change model of all 3 thinkers

Answer 1

Durkheim: DOL, functionalism

Marx: Conflict between B & P, Capitalism, material dialectic

Weber: protestant ethic, non-teliological, individualism

Question 2

Positivism/Functionalism overview

Answer 2

What causes STABILITY in society? What is solidarity and what does it mean to be in solidarity?

Empirical, value-free knowledge.
The individual needs to be studied through social facts. Social facts are nomothetical processes that need to be developed.

Organism model, Social Solidarity, DOL.

Question 3

How does Durkheim see epistimology?

Answer 3

Positivism, value-free knowledge is real and we can all measure the same objects and come up with the same conclusions. This leads him to SUI GENERIS - that everything is empirical.

Question 4

Positivism

Answer 4

the belief that “i am seeing reality”, I am empirically testing everything and doing this through social facts. The individual can only be defined through social facts

Question 5

Functionalism

Answer 5

A theoretical perspective that sees society as an organism - the function of society.

Question 6

Organism model

Answer 6

SUI GENERIS is unique, objective. We are all cells within the bigger structure of society and we all have a function. Social institutions are the organs of the body.

Question 7

Social Solidarity:

Answer 7

religion is key for Durkheim, as well as sacred symbols found throughout society and social institutions/practices. In a hierarchal model of society, religion is on the top. Religion dictates the main source of meaning in society. Religion is a worshiping of self - collective effervescence. Dual conception of the individual being that we are socially constructed but we also have our individualism.

Question 8

DOL

Answer 8

increasing in complexity as society grows. Society becomes secular - moves from religious hierarchy to secular society. This is the transition from mechanical to organic society. Mechanical solidarity is based on sameness and class consciousness. Class consciousness is based on differentiation and our interdependence on each other when society moves from mechanical to organic - it does not go away completely.

Division of Labor key is to produce social solidarity and increase morality.

Question 9

Primal to complex movement for Durkheim

Answer 9

Society moving from religion as hierarchal top to it being dispersed among institutions.
Mechanical to organic.

Question 10

Conflict Ontology, Marx

Answer 10

Societal change happens through conflict. It is a conflicting power relationship that happens through the economic process/means.
B versus P - class struggle. Marx is teleological about Capitalism. He is an economically determined theorist.

Question 11

Species Being

Answer 11

The way in which humans interact with their environment is inherently creative. Marx is a materialist and uses material dialectic to explain how we interpret our society and structure through creative means.

Question 12

4 causes of alienation

Answer 12

Capitalism alienates us from:
1. ourselves
2. fellow human beings (competition model, everyone competes in Capitalism)
3. The products we create
4. The process of creation in and of itself (it becomes mechanized)

We are sacrificing something by increasing our productivity. Alienation stems from statics of Capitalism: B need to increase profits while P need to increase wages

Question 13

Superstructure, Marx

Answer 13

B and P are always in inherently contradictory relationships. The superstructure is the embodiments of the B interests (farmers having as many kids as possible because of free labor).
Things like racism for Marx is purely economic

Question 14

Competition Model

Answer 14

B versus P because B needs to make profit and P wants to make higher wages.
Also B versus B because they need to out compete each other.
Also P versus P because there is competition among themselves for wages/to get higher up in the pyramid but by doing so they ignore their real “enemy” which is their boss/B

Question 15

Weber epistimology/social change

Answer 15

Power versus elective affinity.

Power: charismatic authority is our only escape from legal rational authority. This causes social change from traditional to rational capitalism.
Elective Affinity: The non teliological conception of history. Multiple factors impact the individual, so the individual becomes unpredictable.

Epistimology: people’s value.

Question 16

Elective Affinity

Answer 16

Individualism. Non teliological. The individual has agency.

Question 17

Protestant ethic

Answer 17

how society moves from traditional to rational capitalism.
Wealth is a sign of God’s love in potestant religion, so wealth accumulation is the way in which Capitalism continues.

Question 18

Power/Ideal Types

Answer 18

Authorities:
1. traditional
2. legal rational authority
3. charismatic - potential change for the future, but we are locked in legal authority currently

Legal rational authority is so rational that it is the only authority that makes sense for society.

Interpretive label based on social conditioning and structure - masculine versus feminine.

Question 19

Power definition Weber

Answer 19

Getting your way despite someone trying to deter you/going against you

Question 20

Class, Status, Party

Answer 20

Class: economically determined power. Not only money though. Skills in the labor market play a role here.

Status: Honor in society. Externally defined from you. Needs to be applied to you from institutions (PhD)

Party: groups organized towards a common goal which can be defined by various class and/or status positions. Parties are geared towards some type of social power. They only come together to gain social power in some way.

All 3 play an important role in power.