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  • Essay / The Social Theory of Karl Marx and Émile Durkheim

    Society, in simple terms, is defined as a group of people sharing a defined territory and culture. In sociology, we take this definition a step further by asserting that society is also the social structure and interactions of that group of people. Social structure refers to the relatively enduring patterns of behavior and relationships within a society, not only among its members, but also with social institutions. According to these definitions, society seems to be a fairly concrete concept to understand. However, there are sociologists who have their own theories about society in the aspects of relations between social classes and class conflicts. The German philosopher, economist and theorist Karl Marx had a fragmented and rather inconsolable view of society; while the French functionalist and theorist Emile Durkheim views society in a more scientific and healthy way. Despite these profound differences in vision, Marx and Durkheim were both central concerns of the emergence of modern capitalism, and in particular the rise of the modern system of division. ...