Is it possible for one to shift from one societal class to another? Marx and Durkheim hold different opinion on this question. This question has two sides to it. The first meaning of this question is; is it possible for a person born from a low-income family to rise to riches? And the second part to it is, is it possible for a person born in reaches to move down to being poor? That is the question of riches to rags. This movement can be individual or generational. Based on the first question of social mobility, the movement is intra-generational, and on the second, the movement is inter-generational (Dillon, 2009) . Upward mobility is the movement up the social ladder while downward mobility is the movement down the social ladder. According to Marx, moving down the social ladder is way easier and caused by individuals bad decisions (Dillon, 2009) . However, the question remains on how easy it is for one to ascend the social class. Marx believes that ascending the social class is restricted and mainly associated with criminal activities or exceptional luck.
As Marx viewed social conflict as inherent in how labor was arranged in capitalistic societies, Durkheim strongly stood for the view that it was necessary for societies to reinforce societal norms. According to him, social cohesion resulted from the activities of occupational groups (Dillon, 2009) . Occupational groups replaced the functions practiced by the local community, family, and religion. Occupational groups also functioned as social organizations. These groups were based on the similarity of labor, and as such, persons who existed within them shared similar interests and collective identity. These groups organized activities that gave them a sense of belonging through affiliations like religion and kin (Dillon, 2009) .
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Reference
Dillon, M. (2009). Introduction to sociological theory: Theorists, concepts, and their applicability to the twenty-first century . John Wiley & Sons.
