Karl Marx & Emile Durkheim both have unique and brilliant philosophical works that are at the core of the sociology field. Social solidarity is a concept that they both have radically different opinions about. Durkheim believes social solidarity stems from a division of labour and strengthening social structure. Marx takes a different approach and believes abolishing private property and capitalism is the key to social solidarity for all citizens. Understanding the differences between these two theorists is essential to understanding how they shaped modern societies. It is important to understand the differences between Marx and Durkheim’s views on social solidarity in the modern world by first understanding the definition of the concept. Durkheim explains in Professor Simmon’s notes that social solidarity is about communities bonding together based upon the severity of each unit, and whether this is organic or a mechanical one. Durkheim explains that organic solidarity is a powerful force in modern society. This is because each individual follows a unique path through life and at work, yet relies on the other by dividing labor. For example, a doctor has two different beliefs and professions than a baker. Yet the baker goes to the clinic for health checks and relies on the expertise of the doctors. Durkheim shows how organic solidarity reduces collective consciousness. Collective consciousness is the belief that a group shares, but each individual holds their own beliefs, values, experiences and job in today’s society. One example of organic solidarité is the implementation of restitutive law, which allows all citizens to have equal rights but live different lives. This does not impact their lives and they do not feel impacted. Sigmon illustrates how Durkheim’s organic solidarity in the modern society is “… a lack of common morality. Most people don’t react emotionally when a law is broken. In organic societies, in place of harsh punishments for offenses against collective morality the offenders may be asked to restitution those harmed by them. As modern society is based on division of labour, the people who work in these fields are too busy to care about criminal acts that do not directly involve them. Durkheim explains that the division of work is responsible for the daily functioning of modern society. Marx on the other has a very negative view about how modern society works. Marx first focuses on historio-materialism, where he reveals a capitalist hierarchy in which one class dominates and controls another. The ruling bourgeoisie class controls all the resources of production including land, factories and cash. They then use this power to control modern society and exploit workers to maximize their own profits. Robert Tucker in The Marx- Engels Reader writes that “the bourgeoisie is finally, and since the founding of Modern Industry… has conquered exclusive political influence within the modern state representative”. The modern executive is a committee that manages the affairs of all the bourgeoisie. Marx, unlike Durkheim who believed in organic social solidarity and that people were happy to have a variety of jobs and feel united under a common system, explains how the ruling classes created an unethical system that benefited the wealthy at the expense of other social classes. Durkheim believes that social solidarity can’t exist in Marxism because capitalism prioritizes the capital (money invested) of the bourgeoisie to purchase resources at low prices and to exploit the workers to make more money. In contrast, the low-ranking proletariat class is limited to the work they can do due to the lack of social power. This means that the only way to survive for them is to work in unsafe and unsanitary conditions with little pay and long hours. Durkheim says the social system has been designed to help everyone by dividing labor. Marx says our capitalist societies was created to reward and feed bourgeois power, increasing the capital needed to have it. Marx believes Durkheim’s social solidarity is impossible unless private property and capitalist society are abolished. This will allow citizens to achieve equality and feel no alienation. It is this second difference that separates Durkheim from Marx. One theorist wants to destroy modern society’s social structure to achieve unity and the other theorist prefers to preserve the system in order to promote the peaceful relationship between citizens.
Durkheim’s view that the modern society should be overthrown is not shared by Marx for a number of reasons. Marx shows how the division and structure of our capitalist society prevents many people from working in high-paying occupations, which leads to them being segregated into lifeless jobs that are used only for profit and power. Durkheim disagrees with Marx because he says that it’s these unique occupations that create a social order in modern society that works together. He also expresses that modern societies have a collective conscience, although it is weaker and allows for individual differences. Durkheim argues that the division of work in modern society is necessary for maintaining order and promoting social solidarity. Marx views this as a negative idea in modern day society. The ruling class dominates, manipulates and exploits the system while leaving the lower class vulnerable.
Marx and Tucker also express a similar contrast in how they describe how the exploitation of laborers causes them to feel alienated from their work, their colleagues, and even their own desires. Tucker explains how, in order to emphasize this, the worker “does not affirm himself at work but denies it, feels unhappy but not content, and does not develop his mental and physical energy freely but instead mortifies his body”. The worker is only aware of himself when he is away from his work. He is also unaware of himself while at work. Tucker’s alienation quote highlights the way the bourgeoisie is going to complain about the working classes having a choice when they haven’t had the opportunity to do so from the start. The proletariat would not be imprisoned or forced to work in unethical jobs every day if they had the financial connections of the ruling class. The bourgeoisie exploits the poor to increase their business profits. When social conflict occurs, the proletariat revolts to create a society without class. Emile Durkheim’s novel The Division of Labor in Society explains how restitutive laws affect modern society. The aim is to, “express positive contributions, a collaboration arising primarily from division of labor”. Durkheim, while he never addresses Marx’s concern about alienation in the workplace, does stress how everyone lives in a fair society where each person’s unique profession and division work positively impacts on one another. Durkheim, not Marx, believes that Durkheim can achieve social solidarity by establishing Durkheims vision. Durkheim is not convinced that Marx’s idea of overthrowing capitalism with private property and bringing unity to the people will work.
Marx and Durkheim shaped our view of modernity and the sociology. It is clear that both theorists, while they hold different views on social solidarity, have greatly influenced our modern thinking and the way we interact with others. No matter if Durkheim is positive about social classes and Marx is negative about the divisions of labour, both theorists have influenced modern thinking.
