Marx, Weber, And Charlotte Chang: An Analysis

1854 Words4 Pages

Introduction The impact of modernity on society has changed the way that people view themselves, others, and the world as a whole. Through simple advances culminating one after the other advanced, rationalised, industrialised, urbanised, and secularised societies have emerged. This essay looks specifically at the effect that urbanised bureaucracy and rational industrialism has had on one person’s life, Charlotte Chang. Theories from Marx, Weber, and Durkheim on both topics are also analysed and compared to the findings of an interview with Charlotte. Through this analysis it is found that while Charlotte’s experiences largely agree with previous sociological perspectives they also suggest that changes in society do not necessarily mean changes …show more content…

After all, the countries with the longest life span and richest average income are rational industrialised societies (Rosling, Hillman & Baron 2015). However, if these three characteristics of modern society alienate people from their potential, work, and the products they produce by perpetuating a desire for more profit like Karl Marx (Van Krieken 2006 p. 181) claims, then does it make life happier or just prolonging the misery? Max Weber believe that it was slowly wearing away the ties of tradition and kinship, thus isolating those surrounded by increased industrialisation (Macionis & Plummer p. 141). Marx thought capitalism idolised profit and money so much that individuals would become increasingly selfish and cease to care about their fellow man (Macionis & Plummer p. 141). Another view was uncovered during an interview at my apartment with a young woman named Charlotte …show more content…

Specifically bureaucratic corruption has played a large role in the way she sees strangers and government officials. She does not feel that they represent safety and protection. Instead they are merely people who can be bribed with a few dollars just like a child could with a candy bar. She is not as innocent as someone who would be that has not been touched by a bureaucratic urban society. The influence of industrialisation and rationalisation, while present in her professional life, has not swayed her views of tradition and family as most sociological thinkers believe it should have. She suggests that this is a much more subjective characteristic of modernity that varies from individual to individual instead of society to society, implying that the individual could have more power over his or her outlook on life than he or she

Open Document