Compare and contrast the concepts of ‘alienation’ and ‘anomie’ Essay

Karl Marx first outlined his conjecture of delirium in The Economic and philosophic Manuscripts (1844) and refers to a define set of companionable relationships that were first formed in feudal societies which then became disrupted by modern industrial social club. Marx himself utter when discussing the topic of frenzy The worker becomes poorer the much wealth he produces and the more(prenominal) his produceion tops in power and extent. The worker becomes an ever cheaper commodity the more goods he bring outs. The devaluation of the human world increases in direct relation to the increase in value of the world of things. Labour does non single create goods it withal produces itself and the worker as a commodity, and indeed in the aforesaid(prenominal) proportion as it produces goods. anomy further, is defined by Emile Durkheim as a dislodge in normalness and a breakd profess of social regulations.Durkheim became interested in the social condition characterised by a breakd sustain of norms governing social interactions. The state of anomy is impossible w here(predicate)ver organs solidly cerebrate up to one another are in sufficient contact, and in sufficiently lengthy contact. Indeed, cosmos adjacent to one another, they are easily alerted in every situation to the need for one another and consequently they fix a keen, continuous lifeing of their mutual dependence. (Durkheim, E 1893). Durkheim went on to excogitate his interest of anomie further when he began his look into into felo-de-se, where he suggested that when a psyches norms and rules that regu lately their lifestyle become week, this fuel lead to a form of felo-de-se which he called Anomic Suicide.Marx believed that in that location were four degrees of alienation that break down the fundamental link that human beings have to their self defining qualities. Firstly there is product alienation which Marx believed was estrange to the worker because the products that th ey produce do not polish their creative energies and are merely objects produced by the command of the employer (Ransome, P 2010). Which he argues was present in industrialised society provided not in feudal societies as a result of capitalism and its economic gain fuelled society. (Morrison, K 2006). Secondly, Marx said that alienation could come from act of production.This, correspond to Marx is linked to product alienation as the product of labour is alienating thenso is the act of production. So in capitalist societies stack have no choice but to work and feel lost to meet their basic needs. Marxs work stated that The worker feels himself only when he is not working when he is working he does not feel himself his labour is therefore not voluntary but laboured (Marx, K 1844). Thirdly, Marx suggested that there was alienation due to common purpose. He outlined that this happened when a workers social relationships become degraded and they are taken from a cooperative socia l dimension, for ensample on factory lines and in open offices. Finally the fourth alienation lawsuit that Marx wrote some was alienation from unselfishness. Marx believed that this happened when a somebody worked long hour days -as Marx wrote in the Victorian society this was extremely common- and together with the threesome other forms of alienation a person lost their sense of humanity and became alienated from their own inner self (Ransome, P 2010).That influenced felo-de-se (Giddens, A 2009). He argued that there were four emblems of suicide Altruistic, Anomic, Egoistic and fatalistic (Pope, W 1976). Altruistic suicide being too much social integration, for example suicide bombers give up their life for the needs of their social separate (Giddens, A 2009). Egoistic suicide, in Durkheims hurt was due to deficient regulation. This underside be seen in societies such as religious groups Durkheim prove that suicide was higher in the Protestant religion than it was in Catholic religious groups. He believed that this was due to the Catholic religion having a more strict regulations, so therefore people believed that it was against god to commit suicide and also with the Catholic society being great regulated, he believed that this closer connected society made the people have a greater sense of community and moral values so did not feel the need to commit suicide (Ransome, P 2010).Durkheim yoked the low suicide grade during World War 1 to this as he believed the baptismal font of an external enemy brought about social integration (Giddens, A 2009). Fatalistic suicide for Durkheim was due to excess regulation. This can be seen in coeval society in prisons as people feel that they have no sense of future or self worth. However Durkheim felt that this type of suicide was of little importance in modern society but it was of specific historical interest. Historically, this is evident in theslave communities in the States during the civil war (Mo rrison, K 2006). Durkheim argued that Anomic suicide occurs when rules and norms that govern a persons lifestyle become unstable and break down. He looked at this subject of suicide by researching the suicide rates of industrial society during periods of economic crisis created by financial recession and periods of economic change.between 1845 and 1869 in Europe, Durkheim identified that there was a rapid rise in suicide rates, which he linked to the economic state at the judgment of conviction as there was repeated economic crisis, which resulted in a prominent decline in the business cycle and severe bankruptcies. He also acknowledged that there was a specific pattern of the suicide rates during this time across Europe he found that there was a rise in the rates of suicide as the state of the thriftiness decreased, and when the crisis deteriorated the rates fell. However as the economy worsened again, the suicides increased (Morrison, K 2006).When taking into scotch Durkheims t heory of Anomic Suicide and Marxs four types of alienation, it could be argued that there are several equivalentities between the twain social theories. Alienation in basic terms defines the relationship that a worker -mainly- has with their productive role and their self being within society. Anomie can be suggested to relate to this similarly as it seems that it defines a persons self being within society and themselves. However, critiques have suggested that the theory of anomie for Durkheim was not in fact in relation to a person but it refers to society, although there are definite implications of a persons state of mind in his works (Robinson, J pincer P and Wrightsman, L 1991).When referring to the subject of anomie, social thoughts of other sociologists must be taken into account. Robert Mereton extended Durkheims thoughts on anomie and emphasised that an singular intensifies their anomie when they chose to discard their norms to acquire to their intricate desires and t hus anomie and abnormal behaviour draw from a disjunction between a culturally prescribed aspiration of a society and socially constructed avenues for creating those aspirations (Giddens, A 2009). Durkheims theory of anomie can be seen as similar to both Meretons interpretation of anomie and Marxs theory of alienation in terms of isolation and disorientation.However clearly it can be seen that there is asignificant difference in review to money being the source of the proletarians lifestyle and the theory that it keeps the ruling family unit on top and the rest of the population down in terms of Marxs thought of alienation, where as Durkheim dealt with the themes of attitudes and expectations of the society within his theory of anomie and people resisting and having the choice of their lifestyle rather than being forced into lifestyles similarly in alienation (Perry, R 2007).Looking for examples of OUR work?Click here to see our Essay Writing Examples Want to know more about ou r services?Take a look at our Writing & leveling Service Index Although Marx and Durkheims definitions are clearly the classical concepts of these theories, it has been suggested that coeval society has obscured these definitions. It can be said that Alienation for Marx and Anomie for Durkheim were metaphors for a radical attack on the dominant institutions and values of industrial society. From this they take on similar issues, but in distinct perspectives Marx took on the conception of the relationship between man and society and the value of exemption from constraint through the interest of power and change. Durkheim however, was interested in the secret value and moral constraint through problems with maintenance of order. When taking into account Marx and Durkheims research however there are critiques that need to be considered.Many people argued that Durkheims research on anomie and suicide could not be one hundred percent accurate this was because it was homely that Durk heim used other peoples research and did not lease his own. Durkheim used suicide statistics in Germany, however these statistics were taken by Durkheim at face value and not critiqued. Also it could be argued that Durkheims mutuality theory may not have been altogether free from his own background assumptions and laden judgement. The main article that needs to be considered when analyse suicide is How do some deaths get categorised as suicides? accord to Atkinson, J (1978). When taking into account this question it makes one consider whether the initial research andalso Durkheims assumptions were one hundred percent because the research was conducted across Germany, with statistics from many different medical examiners, who each would arguably have had their own laden judgement as to what constitutes as suicide.So it is argued that Durkheim was taking what the coroner constituted as suicide so therefore the suicide categories are not objective facts but interpretations and me anings given to a particular event. because to have done his research more accurately and to allow no criticisms Durkheim should have conducted his own research. He could have arguably done this by talking to people that have themselves attempted to commit and families of those who have, to find the different reasons behind the attempted or actual suicide (Atkinson, J 1978). wholeness could initially argue that Capitalism is the main cause of both alienation and anomie. In anomie, Durkheim saw a number of indications relating to anomie in the late nineteenth century such as industrial conflict and matrimonial breakup which he believed was related to the industrial society and the growth of capitalism (Durkheim, E 1893). However, Marx believed that alienation was aided by capitalism. He believed this as there was a fiercely competitive nature of capitalism that forced industries such as factories to step up their means of production and productivity, to gain economic status and pow er (Marx, K 1844).In conclusion, Alienation in retrospect means people becoming isolated from society as a result from industry and Anomie in retrospect is a change in normalness of their social status. It is clear from this that one could argue that alienation and anomie could both mean isolation to a person but however in different forms. So therefore it could be argued that alienation is isolation of a person from their economic status quo, and anomie is isolation of a human being from their social status quo and personal norms.However from the knowledge throughout the essay it can also be suggested that the differences between alienation an anomie comes from the status of the concepts, as alienation is said to be relate and revolve to a person singularly, where as anomie is said to imbibe a social group rather than one person alone. To conclude, it can be argued that there alienation and anomie have both similar and unique concepts. This is evident from thesources used through out the essay, however it cannot be regarded completely as research or information that is