2. Explaining modern industrial society:
the classical sociological accounts
• Marx, Weber and Durkheim all try to answer
key questions:
– How do societies of the past and present differ
from one another?
– How and why does a society change? What forces
divide a society? What forces hold it together?
– Are societies getting better or worse?
2
3. Explaining modern industrial societies:
Weber. Rationalisation & Disenchantment
• modes of thought have a powerful
effect on society
• a great difference between the
tradition of pre-industrial societies
and the rationality of modern,
industrial societies.
• bureaucratic organisations
representing rationality) would
crush human creativity.
• Weber’s books
– The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of
Capitalism
– The Sociology of World Religions
– Objectivity of Social Science and Social
Policy
4. Explaining modern industrial society:
Marx. Capitalism & Conflict
• Historical materialism:
– Class struggle has a powerful effect on society
– conflict between social classes (masters and slaves; nobles
and serfs; capitalists and proletariats).
• Industrial capitalism alienates workers from
– The act of working
– From the products of work
– From fellow workers
– From human potential
• Revolution: workers overthrow capitalists and the
industrial-capitalist system.
• Marx’s books:
– Das Kapital
– Economic and Philosophical Manuals of 1844
– Wage Labour and Capital
– Manifesto of the Communist Party
5. Marx & Weber on change
Marxist ideas
• Dynamic of development is
expansion of capitalist
economic mechanisms
• Class inequalities are basis
to modern societies
• Divisions of power come
from economic inequalities
• Capitalist societies are
transitional – socialism will
replace capitalism
• The spread of Western
influence is a result of
expansionist tendencies of
capitalist enterprise
Weberian ideas
• Dynamic is rationalization
of production
• Class is one type of
inequality among many
• Power is separable from
other sources
• Rationalization is bound to
progress further in the
future
• Global impact of the West
comes from its command
over industrial resources
and superior military
power
6. Self- study
• Revise the areas of the formative test which you found to
be difficult
• At least 2 hours reading and note-taking every week: follow
the course handbook
• Print the PowerPoints from the Moodle page and make
notes on them
• Make cards with key words on one side, and details on the
other side
• Active listening in lectures: make notes of the key words
and ideas
• Active listening and speaking in seminars: write down the
key words and ideas
• Meet with other students and test each other. Meet with
students who don’t speak your language; it will be good
practice for all of you.
