Understanding Marx: Sociology of the Workplace (SOC318)

Understanding Marx
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Understanding Marx
Marx developed a theory to explain conflict that arises from the capitalist system. He believed that the capitalist system involves the ruling class controlling and further exploiting workers whom he refers to as the proletariat causing inequality, which is the main source of conflict between the two ( Shantz et al., 2014). Alienated labor is one of the fundamental concepts of Marx theory as it provides analysis of what people perceive as features of a capitalist system of production and how they relate to humans. Understanding the concept of alienated labor helps us to relate to our work experience and see the normative approach of how labor needs to be characterized. This essay will discuss the Marx theory of alienation referring to specific articles and relating some of the experiences of alienation. The essay also explains how Marx theory of alienation is applicable in work settings.
Marx Theory of Alienated Labor
Marx theory of alienation refers to the separation of things that are considered to belong together naturally or putting rivalry in between things, which exist in harmony. This concept is applicable in explaining social alienation of individual from their human nature. According to Marx, alienation is systematic due to capitalism. Alienated labor is manifests itself under the capitalist system where workers relate to their labor just like a strange object because they lack identification (Parrotta & Buck, 2013).
In an article by Shantz et al., (2014), the author describes Marx theory of alienation as founded due to the capitalist mode of production. Workers regularly lose their goals in life by being deprived of their rights to direct their actions and determine the character of their actions. Workers are instead diverted into activities that are dictated by the capitalists and by all means, capitalists exploit workers to maximize profit. Alienation, in this case, occurs because workers cannot express their social aspect of individuality using the production systems because it is privately owned.
According to Shantz et al., (2014), there are four types of alienation in labor, the first one being the alienation of workers from what he produces or from the product of his labor. In this case, the production process, including the design and the final product, is not determined by those who consume the product or the actual producers, but it is determined by the capitalists. The other type of alienation occurs due to work patterns. Alienation occurs because work is an endless cycle and a disconnected process offering minimal satisfaction. The third type of alienation according to Marx theory is the alienation of workers from himself as the producer. The human spirit has the innate potential to develop as an organism. Therefore, the intrinsic essence of humans includes the desire to be involved in multiple activities for survival; meaning that if workers are alienated from what he produces, he is alienated from nature (Shantz et al., 2014).
The last type of alienation exists from worker to other workers whereby the capitalist system reduces human practice to a simple economic activity but not recognizing the social element of human pr...