“Sociologists who study work claim that work has a significant impact on the social status and position of individuals within society as well as the character and nature of the society.” (Stewart, Zaaiman; 2015). The essay will discuss the three main approaches to work, Durkheim’s, Max Weber, and Marx using the information provided by the quote. Finally, the essay concludes with the definition of work as given by sociologists.

Marx’s first classic approach brings up the topic of Alienation. Marx defines alienation to be the inability to fulfill one’s work and the dissatisfaction with the work product. It is the inability to communicate one’s true essence through work or feeling distant from oneself. Alienation begins with the sale of merchandise on certain markets. This leads to private property, or the individual’s ownership of the production means. These commodities will soon become the basis for private ownership. The alienation levels are heightened by the fact that private property continues to flow back into the original systems. Because work does not produce true fulfillment in this sense, workers are more likely to feel alienated than they are to own the goods they produce. Marx stated that it is impossible to understand “the nature and function of work” in capitalist societies if you don’t look at the infrastructure. Haralambos & Holborn, 2004. Workers are reduced to commodity level because they don’t control the products they make and work for a price. Their employment is determined by the law of supply-demand (wage labour). Marx believed capitalism could lead to self-destructiveness. Thus, having a communist society or socialist society (specialized labour division is eliminated) can help to address the problem. Workers simultaneously produce goods for the community and their individual needs.

Durkheim claims that the divisions of labor are directly proportional to a society’s dynamic and moral density. This is the sum of the people in a society and their socialization. (Durkheim; 1893). The division of labour in the Pre-industrial society/Mechanical solidarity is not specialised. The mechanical solidarity’s internal structure is similar because it includes juxtaposed political familiar and groups. They are marked by little social differentiation, common beliefs, and are also involved in hunting and collecting. Industrial societies/organic solidarity evolves with individual differences in beliefs and actions. However, this can only lead to more individualism. Because all members of society have different skills, this creates an interdependency that forms the foundation of organic solidarity.

Anomie is the result of the rapid expansion in and specializations of labour. It threatens social solidarity. Anomie results from a decrease of normative behaviour. Durkheim noted that there were a lot of anomies in 19th-century industrial society, including high suicide rates, marital splits, and conflict. (Haralambos; Holborn; 2004). As the norms that govern behaviour are being disrupted, the rapid social changes in industrial societies can lead to anomie. Durkheim believes in occupational associations as the way to reduce anomie.

Weber defined bureaucracy by defining it as “a highly structured formalized and impersonal organisation that can control and guide human behaviour.” Individuals who saw social action as rational, achieved the bureaucratic goals. Weber designed a rational legal authority with six key elements that produced an organization structure that was capable of coordinating the efforts of many people to achieve organizational goals and administrative tasks.

Weber’s Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism analyzes the relationship that emerged between the development of Capitalism and Ascetic Protestantism. Weber claims that the Calvinist religious group played an important role in creating the capitalist spirit. According to Calvinism, God already determines who is saved or condemned. Weber’s Protestantism posits a worldly “calling” that gives worldly activity a religious nature (work is representative for godliness).

Marx’s final approach to the concept work is to look at alienation. Marx suggests that a communist/socialist socialism would be the best solution for alienated labor. Durkheim addresses how labour is divided in organic and manual societies and says that occupational associations can solve anomie. Durkheim’s optimistic view of work is more favourable than Marx’s. Weber focuses on his work ethics by looking at the bureaucracy.