Social Inequality: Marx, Weber's Sociological Theory

From a sociological perspective, social inequality has been defined in many ways by influential theorists such as Marx, Weber and Durkheim. All theories of social inequality are founded on the basic conceptualisation of inequality as unequal distribution of resources, although each theorists describes various reasons for this. Karl Marx is one of sociology’s most influential theorists and his theory of class conflict has been pivotal in understanding social inequality. Marx believed that the economic base of a society, that is the mode of production which a society uses to produce its wealth, will impact how a society’s non-economic aspects are shaped (Van Krieken, et al, 2016). Exploitative behaviours occur when a society begins to produce surplus wealth, more than is needed for their survival. Marx states that the five modes of production are slavery, feudalism, …show more content…
He believed that these three areas were interrelated and could influence one another. Weber’s ideas on social closure, that is the idea that a social group will limit the resources available to another member, have been used to further understand sources of privilege and disadvantage (Van Krieken, et al, 2016). Emilie Durkheim, a functionalist sociologist, focused was on the moral order of a society and how that effects social functioning. He believed that social solidarity was the result of the shared values and norms within a society. Durkheim’s theory opposes the theories of class conflict as his focus was on the harmony and solidarity that was required for a functioning society rather Marx or Weber’s focus on how power and wealth create discrepancies within a collective. All three theories of social inequality have significantly influenced how research on inequality is focused and how inequality is understood in a sociological