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Running head; KARL MARX AND EMILE DURKHEIM

KARL MARX AND EMILE DURKHEIM 7

Comparison between Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim

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Institutional Affiliation Comparison between Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim

Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim are famous sociologists and founding fathers of social sciences. The two put an emphasis on social nature of a man and effects on the society. The sociologists also posed alternatives to individualistic view of a man that dominated since the enlightenment if Calvinism. Karl and Emile lived in a time of mass industrialization which enabled them to witness mass social change. Karl Marx travelled to Europe to agitate and preach on revolution while Emile committed to study and made efforts to establish social science as an academic discipline. Marx dealt with the relationships that religious ideas had on capitalism (Karlsson, & Månson,2017). On the other hand, Durkheim sought to understand the relationships that exist between religion and social-physiological senses which affected individuals in a society. Both projected on the idea that religion is a projection of a man’s hope and desires. They were also atheists which make their religious perspectives be based on epistemological assumptions. Karl Marx and Durkheim theories are comparable in several ways based on sociological and functional perspectives.

Karl Marx

Karl Marx was born in the now dissolved kingdom of Prussia in the year 1818. He would grow to become a journalist in which his sociological writings expelled him from Germany and France (Karlsson, & Månson, 2017). In the year 1848, Karl Marx published the groundbreaking Communist Manifesto. Marx is famous due to his economic and sociological impact on history which sparked Communism in the 20th Century.

Emile Durkheim

Emile Durkheim was born in 1857 and was raised in a Jewish family in the country of France. He spent his early education in rabbinical school, and he is considered the father of modern sociology due to his work on division of labor.

Marx and Durkheim have contrasting definitions on religion. Marx defines religion as opium of the masses while Durkheim views religion as a unified system of beliefs and practices that are subject to sacred things. According to Durkheim, religion is beliefs and practices that unite people into one single moral community. Durkheim defined this as the church and its followers. Marx postulates that the primary function of religion is to maintain human life over the actual denial. Karl Marx also argues that it is the recognition of a man based on their essence and destiny (Pickering, 2009). On the contrary, Durkheim proposed that religion is a source of social cohesion that helps individuals maintain social solidarity. In addition, by also sharing their beliefs and enforcing religious norms that helps in sustaining social conformity while providing answers to life challenges.

The similarities that exists between their views is that their theories put more emphasis on social nature of a man. The defects of him justifying their study in the society as they tried to provide alternatives of individualistic view of a man (Karlsson, J. C., & Månson, P. , 2017). They also supported the idea that religion is a projection of a man’s hopes and desires and were both agnostics who make their epistemological assumptions look similar. Additionally, their views were concerned on human as opposed to the divine nature of religion. Both acknowledge the existence of religion in the society and the role it plays hence the functionalist view point and the objective approach in studying religion.

The two-view religion at different angles yet they both agree that religion impacts on the society and the lives of its members. Due to these perspectives the two discuss religion from a functionalism view point. Marx is of the idea that religion oppressed the people while Durkheim believes that religion unites people within a society (Kay, 2015). Additionally, Marx argues that religion like any social institutions depend on material and the common realities of a society, this means that religion results from what a man doe in a society. Durkheim believes that religion began from totems where the expression of people in the society are embraced and eulogized. He identifies that the division results to a sacred and profane which is determined by the society and transcended by a man himself. Marx identifies the capitals as source of power and control.

As Marx points out religion justifies and preserves the class system and ensures that the status quo of certain individuals is maintained. In contrary, Durkheim views religion as the protector of an ordinary man, he observes that through religion worshippers seek greater force and feelings which comfort and strengthens them on their paths of divinity (Kay, 2015). Marx condemned religion while Durkheim embraced and appreciated religion.

There are certain elements from their theories which are depicted within our society today. From the theories of Karl Marx societies exists due to class conflicts which increases cases of capitalism today. Employees are faced with oppression from the capitalists through Karl Marx statements that religion represents social stratification which maintains inequalities in the society. Religion is an extension of economic suffering. Additionally, people in the current society believe that the church is the solution to the problems they face which supports Durkheim opinion that religion is a force which helps bind members in the society.

Conclusion

Theories currently play a significant role in our society it is also a discipline which is embraced until today. Theories hold differing positions in their studies on religion. Marx is of the opinion that religion suppresses individuals in the society while Durkheim supports and embraces religion because it helps people in the society.

References

Karlsson, J. C., & Månson, P. (2017). Concepts of Work in Marx, Durkheim, and Weber.

Kay, A. (2015). The sociologies of law of Marx, Weber and Durk

Pickering, W. S. F. (2009). Durkheim's sociology of religion: Themes and theories. Casemate Publishers.