Durkheim’s theory of anomie and Marx’s theory of alienation have had a very strong influence on the sociological understandings of modern life. Critically compare these two concepts.
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the two concepts of anomie and alienation and evaluate their merits. The analysis will cover various aspects of modern life under the two theories and seek to establish which provides a more convincing account. In order to critique the concepts against each other, it would be helpful to define them in terms of a common ground, that being labour, as well as looking at the concepts’ similarities, differences and origins. The present-day solutions in use such as trade unions, nihilism and religion also warrant exploration.
Both of these theories are put forward by the authors as the central problem of modernity which arose from the move to a capitalist state in Marx’s view and the move to an industrial state in Durkheim’s view. It is worth noting that these notions are fundamentally opposed when trying to address the same issue, which brings up the central argument of this paper – Which account of modern society, anomie or alienation, is the most convincing?
To elaborate on the similarity between the two theories, both arose when analysing the nature of labour in the 19th century – Marx formulated his based on the labour process and Durkheim wrote his with the division of labour in mind. From these topics, the authors set out to explain a variety of changes taking place in society.
Under Marx, the definition of alienation in the labour process entails four aspects, the first two being: alienation of the wage labourer from his own creation involving the transformation of this creation into a commodity and ensuing se ...