Sociology Exam: Question 2

Question 1

b. Describe Emile Durkheims ‘division of labour’… Based on mechanical solidarity /traditional society and modern society/organic solidarity

Answer 1

Durkheim wants to change the division of labour, the social order in society.

Question 2

a … Outline Marx’s theory of ‘alienation’

Answer 2

Alienation means either that humans are estranged from their own creative activity or other people.
Alienation is a process through which workers lose control over their labour .
3:forms of Alienation
1: nature
2: themselves
3: fellow human beings.
Marx argues capitalism alienates the worker from the product of their activity (alienation of things)
Marx thinks humans have lost their humanity in a capitalist society. Workers measured in terms of value for their labour….who can do best job in least time.

Question 3

b. Describe Emile Durkheims division of labour by discussing traditional society and modern society.

Answer 3

TS.Traditional pre-modern societies are characterised by mechanical solidarity. These societies are small-scale, rural agricultural units.
Solidarity between individuals is through social likeness.
If different occupations are similar, the solidarity is n
Mechanical.
The collective conscience of society means that they share common beliefs, values and norms.
Altruistic suicide is something such as a kamikaze pilot …the individuals life is insignificant in the face of the collective beliefs, values and norms.
MS.The labour was divided in large-scale, urban industrial societies in a complex way. Each individual performs highly specified task eg in institutionalised govts. or business corporations. This leads to interdependence amongst individuals which Durkheim calls organic.
Durkheim maintains the highly complex division of labour develops uniqueness and independent thinking.

Question 4

c. Max Weber identified ‘instrumental rationality’ and ‘substantive rationality’. Describe each kind ** part 1 of c only **

Answer 4

Substantive rationality: matter-of-value, incalculable, unpredictable, personal,non-systematic, concrete, particular
Subs rational is a matter of value. Refers to the worth of the ends or the results from an evaluative standpoint. The individual is guided by principals, beliefs, values and ideals.
Instrumental rationality: matter-of-fact, calculable,predictable, impersonal, systematic, abstract, general.
Instru rat. Implies the dismissal of everything which is incalculable. It is more formal.
Weber states maximisation of Calculability is the driving force behind modern western society.

Question 5

c. Discuss what he meant when he said instru ration has triumphed over substantive ration…..*** part 2 only .

Answer 5

Modern technology and science Weber attracts to progressive intellectualisation.
Weber does not consider private ownership of the means of production as maximising the capital accounting, he thought the separation of the worker from the production is a characteristic of all major institutions in modern society.
For example: The administrator in working in a government bureaucracy does not own the material means of administration ie the office, the scientist does not own the laboratory equipment, the soldier does not own the gun.
Also. The rational capital accounting system reaches maximum level efficiency with double-entry bookkeeping.