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Theories of Marx and Spencer

The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast Karl Marx's Theory of Conflict to Herbert Spencer's Theory of Conflict. In this regard, the paper is divided into three broad sections. The first section presents a delineation and discussion of the views of Herbert Spencer while the second section presents the perspective of Karl Marx. The third and final section examines the similarities and differences between the two men's views.

Herbert Spencer's Theory of Conflict

Both Herbert Spencer and Karl Marx were concerned with what is known as "macrosociology". That is, their writings focused on society-wide social factors rather than on smaller units or subsets of society such as individuals or small groups.

A succinct overview of Spencer's macrosocial perspective has been provided by Smelser (1980). In particular, Smelser notes that the English philosopher, Herbert Spencer, was very much influenced by the theoretical paradigms used in the nineteenth century physical sciences. The use of a biological model can be seen in Smelser's delineation of the basic thrust of Spencerian thought on societal structure and function:

Spencer compared societies to biological organisms. Plants and animals are made up of a number of parts or organs that contribute to the operation of the whole . . . Like organisms, societies range from simple to complex and are made up of specialized parts such as the state, the educational system, and so on. These parts are independent and promote the survival of society as a whole (Smelser, 1980, pp. 9-10).

What can be noted in relation to Spencer's perspective is that there are differences in a given society at different points in time. For example, American society of 1950 is quite different than American society of 1990. To name just a few differences, modern society in America is vastly more technological, more tolerant of differences, more liberal in thought and has less institutionaliz...

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Theories of Marx and Spencer. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 15:12, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1684703.html