Compare And Contrast Marx And Weber - 1877 Words

Marx and Weber both provide a critical analysis of capitalism, studying the origins of capitalism and the general characteristic of today’s capitalistic society. This essay will be discussing the similarities and differences between both sociologist’s in their writings of capitalism. To begin with, Marx’s work and contributions will be considered, particularly focusing on his main book, Capital, and how this book is a very clear demonstration of the emergence of capitalism in the nineteenth century. His concept of alienation will be looked at, as will his idea of commodity fetishism and how he placed paramount importance on the idea of exchange value in developing a capitalist society. This essay will then be moving on to a comparison†¦show more content†¦Marx made the assertion that this transition occurred with the increasing conflict between the economy of the city and the rural economy, which ultimately led to a division between production and commer ce. Between 1475 and 1850, an economic change took place in property relations, which resulted in feudal land being transformed into private property. As the seizure of property became increasingly common, serf labourers were unable to meet even the most basic of economic needs. Due to this, the labourers were placed at the hands of those who owned the new forces of production, which caused them to become the ‘detached classless’ who began searching for way to earn their livelihoods by selling their labour in the new industrial centres that were quickly emerging. Upon recognising these historical conditions, Marx went on to define Capitalism as a system of social relations which became set in motion during historical periods during the transformation from feudal to industrial economies. Marx took the argument that neither labour, money nor commodities were enough to solely define capitalism. Upon making this statement, Marx held the view that for a society to be capitalistic, both money and basic commodities needed to be conveyed into a social relation system. Corresponding to Morrison (2010, p. 84) Marx argued that a commodity was ‘a thing whose qualities can satisfy human needs’. Such examples of these commodities that Marx identified were bread, clothes andShow MoreRelatedCompare and Contrast the Marxist and Weberian Theories of Social Class. Why Do You Think Marx Emphasises Relations of Production in the Formation of Classes Whilst Weber Suggests the Market and Consumption Are the Important Factors?1750 Words   |  7 PagesCompare and contrast the Marxist and Weberian theories of social class. Why do you think Marx emphasises relations of production in the formation of classes whilst Weber suggests the market and consumption are the important factors? 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