"American sociology is fundamentally analytical and empirical; it proposes to examine the way of life of individuals in the societies ... prefers to explain institutions and structures in terms of the behavior of individuals and the goals, mental states, and motives which determine the behavior of members of various social groups (pg.5,Aron)."

A specialization within Sociology is social stratification. This segment of sociology attempts to deal with the structures of any given society and ones' relationship with the institution. "Social stratification means that inequality has been hardened or institutionalized, and there is a system of social relationships that determines who gets what, and why (pg.11, Kerbo)." Through various paradigms, and theor

The critical-conflict theorist, I feel is the most plausible is Karl Marx and his Marxian view of social stratification and inequality. Marx viewed capitalism as a mode of production that results in the exploitation and virtual enslavement of the wage laborer by the owner of capital. "Marx recognized various modes of production and considered each to be associated with a particular social structure (pg. 348, Marx)." Capitalism as a mode of production consisted of two factors, the means and modes of production. The means of production incorporate " the material, instrument, and product of labour," and these determine the relations of production which are the "relative position[s] of these individual groups" to one another (pg.161, Marx). Capitalism, Marx believed, was fueled by greed for increased wealth at the expense of laborers and to the ultimate destruction of the entire system. Marx said that capitalism would, "create bourgeois society (pg.363, Marx)." The combination of the influence on the social structure and structural changes produced the social structure that fundamentally characterizes capitalism. Yet Marx himself predicted the fall of capitalism and the emergence of classlessness. In various writings, Marx predicts that capitalism must inevitably end with a clash between the bourgeoisie in which the proletariat finally wins the class war. They will win through a revolution, which does away with class division and private property, as we know them. After the victory of the proletariat, Marx asserts, human beings will live in a truly classless society.

1.) Abercrombie, Nicholas; Hill, Stephen; and Turner, Bryan S. The Penguin Dictionary of Sociology. Penguin Books.London: 1984

One of the reasons why Marxism has fallen into such disrepute lately among many leftists has partly to do with Marx's insistence that the proletariat must lead the war against class, which is essentially a war against the bourgeoisie. Perhaps a better way of understanding Marxism, and updating the idea of revolution for the 21st Century, would be to speak of revolution as something the Middle Class and Working Class must fight together. A classless society can only be achieved when both the middle-class and the Working Class call a truce and

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, Capitalism Marx, Class United, Communist Manifesto, Class Marx's, Marx Marxian, Class Class, Corporate Class, Marx Capitalism, Middle Class, social stratification, upper class, class corporate class, marx capitalism, social structure, class corporate, corporate class, middle class, conflict theorists, classless society, upper class corporate, understanding social stratification, stratification inequality, capitalism mode production, social stratification inequality,
Approximate Word count = 1521
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)