Sociology I · 10 marks · 150 words

Write a short note on each of the following in not more than 150 words. (a) According to Marx, "labour is the source of wealth and prime basic condition for human existence". Comment.

Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024

Karl Marx

Syllabus: Sociological Thinkers: (a) Karl Marx- Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle. (b) Emile Durkheim- Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society. (c) Max Weber- Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. (d) Talcolt Parsons- Social system, pattern variables. (e) Robert K. Merton- Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups. (f) Mead - Self and identity.

How toppers approached it

From all 3 answers · about 170 words · 33% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening3 of 3

Body

  • Points and prose1 of 3
  • Points1 of 3
  • Continuous prose1 of 3

Close

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The toppers’ answers

Aayushi BansalAIR 7 · CSE 2024 · 166 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

Marx believed in supremacy of labour over capital influenced by economists like Adam Smith & Ricardo.

Body · continuous prose

As per Marx, capital & commodities have no separate value of own. Only after labour transforms nature, things become usable. What exists in imagination is objectified by labour.

Labour is part of one's 'being', is creative & inherent to human nature. However, labour is commoditised in capitalism.

Value of labour generates surplus which is appropriated by capitalist as profit by paying less wages than labour's worth.

Labour is also necessary for human existence not just because it creates commodities of use value for sustenance but also because it shows the real part of self. One realizes & transforms oneself in process of labour.

However, this is perverted as 'alienation' when labour is reduced to means to earn wages.

This idea is critiqued due to importance of technology & capital as well in generating wealth apart from labour.

Close · a summary

Marx's idea of 'being & labour' added a human agent to his theory.

More on Karl Marx

Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation and class struggle.

All Sociology I questions on Karl Marx