‘Describe the ways in which Sociologists have conceptualised the social world with specific reference to both the consensus and conflict perspectives’
...o studied sociology at the time put the individual at the centre of social analysis, (micro perspective). Hegel says that to understand individuals we need to understand the totality within which we exist, (the macro perspective.) 2. An emphasis on historicism…Nothing in the world is motionless. Everything is either coming to be or passing away. The same applies to society. 3. The dialectic…Means that one we should look for internal tensions and contradictions when analysing a society. This is how things change. Struggles between opposites allow the realisation of the potential that lies in the present, X01748. which will be the future. Each new form of society incorporates within itself the achievements of the present and then moves on towards some higher state, towards an end point of human history, of self-realisation. Marx has complete opposite opinions and views to Durkheim, (Functionalists), he believed that society was made up of two classes, the proletariat (the working class) and the bourgeois (the upper class). Marx thought that there would be a revolution within the proletariat to overthrow the bourgeois. He believes in true communism, all wealth should be shared. No classes, no-one with more power than anyone else. No government, no royals, and no inequality. The way in which we live presently, the rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer, by now, Marx would have expected that revolution, and thought that the gap would have closed and we would all be equal. Marx believed that modern society was based entirely on exploitation. The rich exploiting the poor to increase the gap within the classes and society, pushing the lower classes further away from power. He believed class was determined by ownership, or non-ownership, the rich being the owners and the poor being owned. Marx and Engles wrote together in 19th Century. They wrote a theory of historical change and how society works. They also provided an analysis of contradictions within the theory of capitalism. Marx also said that he believes that a capitalist society is wrong for human beings, so he developed a vision of a new, alternative society. It was based on what he believed society would be like after the conflict between the Bourgeois and the Proletariat. X01748. Max Weber (1864 – 1920) was another founding father of modern sociology. He was a German sociologist and economist. He emphasised political and cultural factors as key influences on economic development and individual behaviour. Weber argued for a scientific approach to sociological research but highlighted the importance of understanding social action. His ideas still provoke thought in organisations, religion and law. It is believed that Weber thought of Social action as a complex science. His main theoretical focus is that humans attach to their actions with one another in specific social contexts. Weber distinguishes between four major types of social action: 1. Zweckrational. This can be roughly translated into ‘technocratic thinking’. ‘ It can be defined as action in which the means to attain a particular goal are rationally chosen.’ (http://www.hewett.norfolk.sch.uk/curric/soc/weber/action.htm). 2. Wertrational. (Value orientated rationality), is the way in which we strive for a goal, which itself may not be rational, but it is strived for with rational means. 3. Affective Action. This is based in the emotional state of the individual, rather than the means and ends. 4. Traditional Action. This is based upon the habits of thought, on what Weber referred to as ‘The Eternal Yesterday.’ This classification of types of action provides a base for Weber to further delve into the historical development of society. Weber thought that modern Western society had become obsessed with goal orientated rationality. He thought that the majority of our behaviour was becoming more X01748. Zweckrational and less traditional and emotional. All of Weber’s work attempts to explain why this has happened, the rationalisation of the West. Weber doesn’t only focus on the individual, (micro) throughout his works. He also looked at the macro perspective, (the larger picture). He believed that in Modern Society, the use of means, to get to ends has become replaced by other means of social action. A characteristic shift in motivation is what he thought defined modern society, but that the shift was based on structural and historical forces. Weber agreed with Marx in the sense that the modern society is alienating to man, society is predicted by the Government, and its ownership of economy. Weber thought that socialism would be even more rationalised, and even more bureaucratic than Capitalism, therefore...