Marx vs. Weber on Social Class
The social relations and social phenomena of people has been an area of interest to thinkers throughout recent history. Social class refers to a group of people with similar levels of wealth, influence, and status. Sociologists Karl Marx and Max Weber had different theories on social class and what defines them. Marx theory defines social class is determined by society rather than individual, while Weber disagreed and concluded that it was the complete opposite.
Max Weber believes that it is the individual, not the society, which acts in the world. People are what make the world go around, by means of labor, production, and economy. Since all three start with individuals, he concludes that they are base of social class. He believes that without them society wouldn’t foster. He determined social class has three components: property, power and prestige. Individual are the ones who obtain power. This power is obtained from wealth and property. Once obtained, this power creates the ability to overcome the subjectivity of others and control them or what he states is prestige. The more complex society becomes, the more it is necessary to have people with power to provide authority over all individuals within that society. This provides proof that the statement- The more property or wealth you have the more power you have…The more power you have the more prestige you will have- is true.
On the other hand, Karl Marx believes that society is not held together by individuals, but by the society of which they live in. He believes that society creates the environment for which individuals do belong to. Marx believes that the nature of the individual is a representation of the nature that society is in at the time. Basically, this states one is a product of his or her environment or the society they come from or represent. Marx argues that, unlike Weber’s theory, individuals are dependent on...