The function of sociology, as of every science, is to reveal that which is hidden. -Pierre Bourdieu
Society is the amalgamation of individual consciousness. Principally, human beings formed groups in order to survive. These groups were mobile relative to food sources. When agriculture was formed, however, ; relative to food resources. The possession of fertile land and the distribution of food, as a result, became the responsibility of relatively few individuals. As a consequence, social hierarchies were established. Individuals responsible for the collection and distribution of food were few in number and resided on the top of the hierarchy, while, those burdened with the cultivation of food were great in number and remained at the bottom of the hierarchy. This archetype of society remained until the Industrial Revolution. Subsequently, the modern world had had developed a need to bridge the gap between traditionalism and modernity. Karl Marx and Harriet Martineau were prominent figures in specifying, analyzing, and describing controversies resulting from the conflict experienced from the transition of traditionalism to modernity. On one hand, Marx suggested that private property is the result of wage labor. Even more, he proposed that estrangement is a consequence of private property. On the other hand, Martineau suggested that society consists of anomalies between morals and manners. Furthermore, she proposed that individuals should become educated in order to become unbound to material fetishizes. The consequence of the gap between economy and morality is poverty. Individuals that possess many resources whom reside at the top of the social hierarchy do not find the need to help individuals that are relatively less fortunate. They experience sans guilt and shame in their greediness because they do not believe giving charity is profitable. Thus, there is a division of classes in society; economically stable while morally unstable and economically unstable while morally stable. Interestingly, neither division of class experiences content or happiness.
Progress is a result of the technological advances in society. Technology, as a consequence, had had unforeseen negative environmental impacts. Therefore, progress can be viewed as moving forward in time and backward in consciousness. Marx believed that social class was divided into two categories: proletariat and bourgeois. On one hand, the bourgeoisie were few in number, possessed the means and forces of production, and resided at the top of the social hierarchy. On the other hand, the proletariat were great in number, sold their labor as a commodity, and resided at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Marx suggested that society will progress through revolution. In order for revolution to occur, firstly, the proletarians must organize themselves as a political force. Secondly, then, they must align themselves with the bourgeoisie to overturn the government. Thirdly, the proletarians must eliminate capital by abolishing private property. This can be accomplished by confiscating land from rebels and emigrants, establishing communal property by giving ownership to the State, and appropriating land passed down through inheritance for it to be used by the State. Interestingly, Marx suggested that the proletarians must align themselves with the bourgeoisie to overthrow the Government. Thus, What the bourgeoisie, therefore, produces, above all, is its own grave-diggers (Marx 1848:21).
Equality is a mode of altruism that is embedded in the laws of a state and dispersed through society by free moral agents. It can be truly attained only when individuals are able to compromise their needs for the requirements of their community. Indeed, Martineau believed that progress in a society can be measured by the degree of which all of its members are happy. What does it mean, then, to be happy? According to Martineau, happiness can be attained by, firstly, distributing material wealth equally to all members of society, secondly, practicing the concurrence of morals and manners, thirdly, observing other humans without prejudice and treating them with sympathy; i.e., impartiality, and lastly, allocating time for individual leisure. Thus, Leisure, some degree of it, is necessary to the health of every [persons] spirit. Not only intellectual production, but peace of mind cannot flourish without it. (Martineau 1837:60).
Mesopotamia was the first civilization to agree on a set of collective ideas, write them on stone, and regard them as law. Similar to the Code of Hammurabi, therefore, is the Declaration of Independence. Martineau would argue, then, that capitalism is not the cause of inequality. Rather, social inequality is the direct result of the dissent of manners from morals. Morals are the collective ideas in society. Manners are the patterns of action of the members in society. Preferably, individuals in society should adopt manners in accordance with their morals. As Martineau observed in America, however, there is an anomaly between morals and manners. For instance, the Declaration of Independence suggests that all humans are born equal. Martineau observed, nevertheless, that slaves and freemen were not treated as equals. How, then, can the morals of society declare liberty when, on the contrary, the manner in which slaves are treated is sans impartiality? Thus, to bridge the gap between the division of classes in society in a manner in which all members thereof are treated equally, we do not need to abolish capital, as Marx would suggest, rather, on the other hand, as Martineau believed, we need to align our manners as individuals with our morals hitherto agreed upon.
Happiness is a function of the perceived perception an individual has of their state of being relative to their material circumstances. Thus, it would be rational to presume that the degree of progress society had had achieved and the level of equality it had had established should be measured by the amount of happiness present hitherto amongst and between individuals. Marx suggested that in order for there to be peace in society, then, class relations must be changed; the division between proletarians and bourgeoisie. In order for revolution to occur, then, firstly, the proletarians must establish themselves as a political force, secondly, the proletarians must align themselves with the bourgeoisie to overthrow the government, thirdly, the proletarians must overthrow the bourgeoisie, fourthly, the proletarians must abolish capital by eliminating private property, fifthly, the proletarians must establish communal property governed by the state, sixthly, the state must appropriate property of rebels and emigrants, and lastly, the state must appropriate inheritance and abolish its rights. On the other hand, however, Martineau believed that in order for individuals in society to be truly happy, then, there must be an equal distribution of wealth. She believed that the consequence of the unequal distribution of wealth was that a relatively large portion of society was left with a burden of labor much greater than they could bear. As a result, these people had sans time for leisure. Thus, they could not take out time from their day to indulge in deeds that gave them peace of mind. Time was a luxury they could not afford. Therefore, if there was equal distribution of wealth in society, then, individuals would not have to focus on providing for their self or family. Rather, they could use their available time for leisure and on making themselves happy.
Capital is the accumulation of wealth, authority, respect, and influence. Capitalism, therefore, is the investment in capital by the appropriation of private property. Indeed, Martineau believed that the equal distribution of wealth amongst all members of society would eventually result in progress and equality. However, Marx suggested that society will only produce progress and equality when private property is turned into communal property wherein is governed by the state. Principally, communal property that is governed by the state is better than the equal distribution of wealth for three primary reasons. Firstly, the equal distribution of wealth would be fair and just and good for the first few generations. However, individuals who had had the least amount of expenditure would leave a greater amount of inheritance. Over a relatively large period of time, then, there would be a division of people amongst whom had accrued a small amount of inheritance and a large amount. The difference in the amount of inheritance received would result in the development of private property. As a consequence, a second division amongst people would transpire; those with a great amount of capital and those with a minute amount. Inevitably, the viscous cycle between proletariat and bourgeois would begin anew. Secondly, the equal distribution of wealth would result in decreased productivity in society. As people are given the means of expenditure without trying, then, they would spend more time in leisure. As a result, the levels of individual productivity will decrease. Consequently, therefore, society will become stagnant and cease to progress. Lastly, I believe Marx would assert, then, that a few people who know what is good for society should have access to resources rather than a great number of people who know neither what is good or bad for society. Albeit Marx suggested that democracy should be used to overthrow the bourgeoisie and abolish private property, it was communism that he believed, nevertheless, to be the best possible manner to govern society. To the the government of the soldier and the lover of honor, this again declining into democracy, and democracy into tyranny (Plato 381 BC: 7).
In conclusion, the perspectives of Marx and Martineau are essentially different sides of the same coin. On one hand, Marx believed that society will have progress and equality through revolution. On the other hand, however, Martineau suggested that individuals in society must be observed without prejudice and treated with sympathy for there to be progress and equality. Nonetheless, they both believed that individuals in society should be educated and that the community of women must be treated with respect. Marx was influenced by the industrial revolution. Martineau was influenced by her journey to America. Although they were influenced by , they came close to very similar solutions; do not let the few govern the many, do not treat people unequally, do not remain passive if you are oppressed, and do not lose faith in your circumstances or hope in humanity.
References
- Martineau, Harriet. 1837.Society in America. Class Handout. The Beginning of a Science of Society.
- Marx, Karl, and Frederick Engels. 1848.Manifesto of the Communist Party. Vol. 1. Moscow: Progress Publishers.
- Plato. 381 BC.The Republic.
Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply
Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?
Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.
Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?
- Plagiarism free papers
- Timely delivery
- Any deadline
- Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
- Subject-relevant academic writer
- Adherence to paper instructions
- Ability to tackle bulk assignments
- Reasonable prices
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Get superb grades consistently
Online Academic Help With Different Subjects
Literature
Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.
Finance
Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.
Computer science
Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!
Psychology
While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.
Engineering
Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.
Nursing
In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.
Sociology
Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.
Business
We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!
Statistics
We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.
Law
Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.
What discipline/subjects do you deal in?
We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.
Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?
Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.
What if I don’t like the paper?
There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.
Reasons being:
- When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
- We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.
In the event that you don’t like your paper:
- The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
- We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
- Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.
Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?
Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.
What if the paper is plagiarized?
We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.
When will I get my paper?
You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.
Will anyone find out that I used your services?
We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.
How our Assignment Help Service Works
1. Place an order
You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.
2. Pay for the order
Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.
3. Track the progress
You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.
4. Download the paper
The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.
PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!
