Week 5-6: structuralism and marxism

Question 1

Some of these key thinkers that kept the discipline alive include:

Answer 1

Max Weber and the Emile Durkheim

Question 2

the more classical and the undisputed champions of sociology:

Answer 2

Adam Smith and Karl Marx

Question 3

famous for his sociological works and most importantly, regarded as the proponent of structural-functionalism

Answer 3

Talcott Parsons

Question 4

the title of Talcott Parson’s doctoral dissertation with his main focus on the work of Werner Sombart and Max Weber

Answer 4

The Concept of Capitalism in the Recent German Literature

Question 5

understanding everything in relationship to a greater system

Answer 5

structuralism

Question 6

as drawn from Parsonian theory, is an elaboration and synergy of structuralism and functionalism

Answer 6

structuralism-functionalism

Question 7

the percentage of countries that has a capitalistic economy

Answer 7

80-90%

Question 8

the key thinker of the Marxist ideology and one of the best known sociologists and political philosophers of the 19th century.

Answer 8

Karl Marx

Question 9

In 1841, Marx completed his doctoral thesis entitled:

Answer 9

The Difference Between the Democritean and Epicurean Philosophy of Nature

Question 10

This major work was eventually published in 1848 and continues to be an important sociological work until today.

Answer 10

the communist manifesto

Question 11

the co-author of the very famous work The Communist Manifesto

Answer 11

Friedrich Engels

Question 12

the most important work for Marx

Answer 12

Das Kapital or Capital: Critique of Political Economy

Question 13

one’s stature in society, normally based on economic capabilities.

Answer 13

class or social class

Question 14

the two classes described by Marx:

Answer 14

proletariat and the bourgeoisie

Question 15

According to Peter Singer, Marx had developed two crucial insights from his negative stance against capitalism:

Answer 15

1) economics is the chief form of alienation and (2) the working class or the proletariat is the solution to the liberation of society from economics or capitalist domination.

Question 16

There are two classes:

Answer 16

the working class or proletariat and the ruling class or bourgeoisie

Question 17

Therefore, alienation for Marx can be found in the following levels:

Answer 17

1. Alienation of Worker from Products
2. Alienation of Worker from Labor Process
3. Alienation of Worker from Human Nature
4. Alienation of Worker from Other Workers

Question 18

The goal of an economic-centered and capitalist-inspired work place is the generation of more products. Once the worker is done with the product, he disowns it. In this situation, there is a need for more production and less possession. From a capitalist point-of-view: more production = more profit.

Answer 18

1.Alienation of Worker from Products

Question 19

The worker is involved in a setting where production is key. Thus it is result oriented and not process oriented. The worker is forced to abide by the same technique, the same default setting, when attempting to produce something from their labor. It takes away creativity from the worker, and results in a monotonous, robot-like mode of production.

Answer 19

2.Alienation of Worker from Labor Process

Question 20

Production is the only focus the worker should have. One’s personal issues and development, as well as experiences that could enhance human nature are neglected for more production.

Answer 20

3.Alienation of Worker from Human Nature

Question 21

Workers are forced to pay attention to the production only. Thus they will have no time to interact with fellow workers, whose main focus too is to do labor in exchange for salaries. Workers are alienated from this experience to make way for an undivided attention for the production of goods.

Answer 21

4.Alienation of Worker from Other Workers

Question 22

Communism was once the form of government of Russia under the banner of the _____

Answer 22

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

Question 23

Today, the following countries adhere to a communist form of government:

Answer 23

China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam.

Question 24

In the Philippines, Marxism is followed by the:

Answer 24

Communist Party of the Philippines.

Question 25

an economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.

Answer 25

capitalism

Question 26

is one’s stature in society, normally based on economic capabilities. These two classes are (1) the working class, or what Marx calls the proletariat, and (2) the bourgeoisie or the ones who own the modes of production in society or, in other words, the investors of profit.

Answer 26

class

Question 27

a way of organizing a society in which the government owns the things that are used to make and transport products (such as land, oil, factories, ships, etc.) and there is no privately owned property. (Merriam-Webster Definition)

Answer 27

communism

Question 28

a method for analyzing language, narratives, and cultural phenomena that uncovers basic elements that form structures (often binary oppositions).

Answer 28

structuralism

Question 29

an approach that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. It looks for a structure’s social function.

Answer 29

structuralism functionalism