Functionalism and Marxism Sociological Perspectives Essay

Sociological Concepts and Perspectives: Functionalism and Marxism In this essay I am going to compare and contrast Functionalism and Marxism. They are both sociological perspectives which have theories about society and the people that live within it. They attempt to explain how society influences people, and similarly how people influence society. However, the two perspectives are clearly different. Functionalism is a macro system theory which sees society as a mega structure of linked social institutions such as school, family and the legal system. Each different institution is functional to ensure the whole of society is maintained. For example primary socialisation takes place within the home where children are taught basic life†¦show more content†¦The proletariats work large amounts of hours for the bourgeoisie for minimal wages and are therefore the subject class. The conflict strain is due to the friction of the working class’s needs for more wages and the ruling class’s exploitation and deprivation of the working class’s rights. Functionalists agree that social classes exist but would argue that these are to create balance and create a social role for everyone. Both Functionalism and Marxism are structural perspectives and see crime as coming from the nature of society rather than from the individual. But where functionalists see crime as co ming from a breach of the shared values of society, Marxists see it as a breaking of the rules imposed by a ruling minority. For functionalists laws are created from shared values. For Marxists these laws are not created out of a consensus but by a minority to benefit that minority. Marxists argue that capitalist society actually generate crime because it encourages greed and crime is a response to the inequalities in wealth. Analogies can be used in both theories to explain the social structure. Functionalism uses the human body as an example which demonstrates how all the organs are vital and work together for survival. Marxism uses the building analogy to show how the economy is the base of all parts in society and how it develops accordingShow MoreRelatedSociological Accounts on Individuals Acquiring Their Identities591 Words   |  3 PagesSociological Accounts on Individuals Acquiring Their Identities The concept of identity has been defined as A sense of self that develops as the child differentiates from parents and family and takes a place in society (Jary and Jary, 1991.) Through the process of socialization, individuals acquire their identities, but this issue cause different understandings according to sociological accounts. Here, I will show these accounts, and make an analysis understood by Read MoreFeminism, Marxism And Marxism1320 Words   |  6 PagesMarxism Marxism definition - the political, economic, and social principles and policies advocated by Marx; especially : a theory and practice of socialism including the labour theory of value, dialectical materialism, the class struggle, and dictatorship of the proletariat until the establishment of a classless society(https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Marxism) Firstly, Marxism is a widely academically known and used theory and interpretation all over literature. However, this is differentRead MoreSociological Perspectives On Life Chances Essay1343 Words   |  6 PagesTask 1 This essay is based on two main sociological perspectives such as Functionalism and Marxism. It will evaluate the view that differences in the life chances between social groups which are dependent on various social factors affecting the society and individuals. Furthermore, it will compare and contrast these two sociological perspectives. Life chances can have a positive or negative effect on individual’s lifetime in terms of their education, health, employment, income and housing. TheyRead MoreCompare the Functionalist and Marxist Perspective on Society1104 Words   |  5 PagesCOMPARE THE FUNCTIONALIST AND MARXIST PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIETY INTRODUCTION â€Å"Lotto a ticket to your dreams† Vote Lucky Five and give yourself a chance fi step up inna life†. These slogans represent the societal belief of the Jamaican people that there are means by which one individual can move from one stratum of the Jamaican society to another. In some societies ones position in society is ascribed and fixed as in many Asian societies. These systems reinforce the idea of inequality and social changeRead MoreFunctionalism and Marxism. A Critical Evaluation Essay1135 Words   |  5 PagesFunctionalism and Marxism. A Critical Evaluation During the 18th and 19th centuries, political and industrial revolutions coupled with a philosophical movement which promoted a new scientific way of thinking (`The Enlightenment), heralded the advent of several new scientific disciplines. These social sciences attempted to explain the rapid and fundamental changes which were shattering traditional ways of life in Britain and Europe. Sociology emerged as one of these innovative areas and soughtRead MoreThe Sociological Perceptions Of Health And Illness1552 Words   |  7 Pagesthe sociological perceptions of health and illness. This essay also discusses about the various patterns of health inequality within society, and to evaluate the different perspective and views of health within our society. It will also provide a brief analysis of two different starts to the study of health and illness. This essay will then move on to examine different health pattern which are gender, ethnicity and class. Health has always been the dominant fa ctor of the society. Sociological investigationRead MoreMarxist vs Functionalist View of Ed815 Words   |  4 Pageswithin society and to prepare them for working life, also to integrate individuals and teach them the norms, values and roles within society. Functionalism and Marxism are the two main perspectives which will be studied; Marxism is a structural conflict sociological theory whereas functionalism is a structural consensus sociological theory. Functionalism sees society as a whole. It is often referred to as the consensus theory as it does not address the issue of conflict in society. It looks atRead MoreSociological Theories And Concepts Of Functionalism And Stratification1518 Words   |  7 Pagesinitiation of Social Order, which still concerns sociologists to this day. This essay will cover the sociological theories and concepts of: Functionalism and Stratification, Marxism and Social Order, and lastly Social Action and Socialisation, and it will show the relationship between an individual and the society in which they live. In 1959, sociologist C. Wright Mills published the ‘Sociological Imagination’; a book in which he asked three main questions: what is the structure of this particularRead MoreSociological Theories And Concepts Of Functionalism And Stratification1515 Words   |  7 Pagesinitiation of Social Order, which still concerns sociologists to this day. This essay will cover the sociological theories and concepts of: Functionalism and Stratification, Marxism and Social Order, and lastly Social Action and Socialisation, and it will show the relationship between an individual and the society in which they live. In 1959, sociologist C. Wright Mills published the ‘Sociological Imagination’; a book in which he asked three main questions: what is the structure of this particularRead MoreDiscuss Marxism and Functuionalism and Compare1133 Words   |  5 PagesCompare Marxist and Functionalist Perspectives Compare and Contrast Functionalist and Marxist Perspectives Sociology is a systematic way of studying the social world. It seeks to discover the causes and affects of intercommunication and interaction that arise in social relations. The science of society was developed as a discipline in the 19th Century by Auguste Compte, a French philosopher. For him, common sense and the obvious would not suffice; he wanted to build scientific theories based