Marxian Theory versus Weberian Theory Essay - 727 Words

Marxian Theory versus Weberian Theory Karl Marx and Max Weber both offer valid approaches to social class in modern capitalist society, though there are very different from each other. The capitalist society is a type of society in which the private ownership of the ‘means of production’ is the dominant form of providing the things needed to survive. What distinguishes capitalism from other types of society is the emphasis on the rights of property and the individual owner’s right to employ capital, as she or he thinks fit. Karl Marx’s approach was, at first, the most convincing theory of social class. However the Neo-Marxists (the later generation Marxists) have developed the same ideas but in different ways. So today there is no†¦show more content†¦This is known as the LABOUR THEORY OF VALUE. Marx has three contradictions: 1. Polarisation of social classes. This is where Marx thinks that the proletariat will fall further behind the bourgeoisie. Class divisions will become more polarised as ‘intermediate’ classes merge with either bourgeoisie or the proletariat. 2. Social Alienation. This is the ‘impoverishment of the human spirit’, which means that the workers have very little chance of leaving the working class. 3. Economic Crisis. This is when capitalist’s profits fall because it is an uncontrollable system. Marx believes that eventually the capitalist system will collapse. Max Weber also sees social class as an economic matter. However he did not seem to agree with the ‘two class model’. Weber chose to define class by position in the economic market. This market has various positions that all have a different amount of income, amount of occupational skill or educational qualifications required. Weber’s approach gives many more classes based on the position in the market. When Weber speaks of status he means the degree of honour which is in all social groups. Each group fights for the amount of ‘social esteem’ they have in society. Status has more to do with judging people based on consumption styles (how you spend your money). Party refers to the exercise of power by pressureShow MoreRelatedTheories of Organizational Behavior10512 Words   |  43 PagesRevisiting the Classical theories Introduction Organization indexes considerably more than the structures that lifts us out of ‘bare life’. Organization is also intimately, and utterly, connected to thought. While many, and by no means just those in the West, think of themselves as ‘free’ from enslavement by others, and even free from the organization of the state, who can argue that they are also free from the pervasive effects of language, culture and science? These are matters into which