STRUCTURALISM IN SOCIOLOGY

“the belief that phenomena of human life are not intelligible except through their interrelations. These relations constitute a

structure”

MARX’S STRUCTURAL THOUGHT

Theory of ManTheory of Society

THEORY OF MANman's value consists in his ability

to conceive of the ends of his action as purposeful ideas

distinct from any given step of realizing them: man is able to

objectify his intentional efforts in an idea of himself (the subject)

and an idea of the thing which he produces (the object).

THEORY OF MANAnimals, according to Marx, do

not objectify themselves or their products as ideas

because they engage in self-sustaining actions directly, without sustained future projection or conscious

intention.

THEORY OF MAN

Gattungswesen = Species-

Being

THEORY OF MANALIENATION

Alienation of the worker from the work he produces, from the product of his labor.

Alienation of the worker from working, from the act of producing itself.

Alienation of the worker from himself as a producer, from his or her "species being" or "essence as a species".

THEORY OF SOCIETYSOCIAL NATURE OF MAN’S

EXISTENCE

In the social production of their existence, men inevitably enter into definite relations, which are independent of their will, namely

relations of production appropriate to a given stage in

the development of their material forces of production.

THEORY OF SOCIETYSOCIAL DYNAMICS/PARTS OF

SOCIETY

The totality of these relations of production constitutes the

economic structure of society, the real foundation, on which arises a legal and political superstructure and to which correspond definite forms of social consciousness.

THEORY OF SOCIETYSOCIAL DYNAMICS/PARTS OF

SOCIETY

The mode of production of material life conditions the general process of social,

political and intellectual life.

THEORY OF SOCIETYTHEORY OF HISTORY

At a certain stage of development, the material

productive forces of society come into conflict with the existing

relations of production or – this merely expresses the same thing in legal terms – with the property relations within the framework of

which they have operated hitherto.

THEORY OF SOCIETYTHEORY OF HISTORY

From forms of development of the productive forces these

relations turn into their fetters. Then begins an era of social

revolution. The changes in the economic foundation lead sooner or later to the transformation of

the whole immense superstructure.

STRUCTURE OVER INDIVIDUAL

“IT IS NOT THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF MEN THAT DETERMINES THEIR BEING, IT IS THEIR BEING THAT DETERMINES THEIR

CONSCIOUSNESS.”