Social Thought & Social Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Social Thought & Social Change - Essay prototypeThere has been a favorable change in United States (Cornish, 1993, pp. 162). Various sociologists belonging to different school of thoughts have interpreted well-disposed change differently. In particular, nonion of Social Change will under evaluation according to the works of Karl Marx and Max Webber. Marx simply defined social change as something, which emerges from affiliate conflict, and this social change might be in the form of revolutions and not necessarily peaceful (Tischler, 2007, pp. 14). Webers ideas on social change were not economically based like that of Marx, but he emphasized that social change is brought about by ideas and ideals (Denhardt, 2004, pp.26). Society has undergone various transformations the theories of Marx and Weber highlight how social change brought about these transformations. The paper explains the theories of Marx and Weber to explain the concept of post industrialist party. Bell does not reall y define post industrialist society as a transition into service industry. Bell places great emphasis on scientific knowledge in this era and this scientific knowledge is a catalyst for social change (Mackay, Maples, Reynolds, 2001, pp. 24). Postindustrial era emerged after the Second World War that saw immense technological developments some of which included the transformation of matter into energy, instalment bomb and the first digital computer (Bell, 1973, pp. 339). The character of knowledge itself stands out in postindustrial societies. The main features of a postindustrial society include that of an outgrowth in the size of the service industry, extensive use of machinery, an increase in the amount of information technology and knowledge and creativity standing out (Society, n.d, n.p). Karl Marx was specially focused on the inequality perpetuated by capitalism. He argued that a particular technology did not define capitalism, and was the relation of social forces within th e capitalist society that was significant. In the sense, that the people who owned the means of production and the workers who worked on these means of production had an important relationship. Although technology was vital to the process but it resulted only as consequence of the relationship between those who produce surplus value and who appropriate it (Jordan, Pile, 2002, pp.102). The works of Marx itself were based on the industrialist society. However, various contemporary Marxist theorists have determine that the conflicts within the framework of work, which occurred in industrial society have still not been removed with the introduction of the post industrialist era, also widely known as Information Communications Technology (ICT). In addition, even Bell has identified that the landowner and soldier were central figures in pre-industrial society and the businesspersons in industrial society, largely scientists and researchers dominate the postindustrial society (Cornish, 1 993, pp. 162). Marxists therefore would emphasize that the scientists and researchers have the elite knowledge, which is in the hands of the powerful few. Hence, there is inequality in the society. Furthermore, there has been an desegregation of ICT into the manufacturing world. This is an addition of modernity to the trend, which Marx had established. Therefore, according to Marxists, ICT is a