PART ONE:
Unemployment: Perspectives from Marx and Weber
A social problem refers to that which is viewed by a large number of people in the community as undesirable, and which in many instances affects a wide number of people. There are varied examples of social issues which range from anti social behaviors, to poverty, drug abuse, economic deprivation, and unemployment, among many others. When reading newspapers for instance, it is not uncommon to come across a wide range of such social issues. The case of growth and unemployment is explored in the article, ‘Trump’s Tough Trade Talk (likely to harm factories in America)’. This paper explores unemployment as a social issue based on the article, and using two different perspectives each from Marx and Weber’s points of view.
The Article
Fast Class Seating is indicated as one of the companies in the US that have been quite instrumental at job creation. The company’s ability to employ people is however challenged by the president elect’s determination to end what he considers unfair trade by putting a 45 percent tariff on Chinese imports. China is noted to be a major contributor of materials to industries in America, implying that such a move is more likely to harm business. It is indicated that job creation would be in jeopardy. The tariffs would imply higher cost of production as well as competition from, among others, Mexico, Columbia, and Australia (Goodman, Gough, & Wee, 2016).
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Marx’ First Approach
From a capitalistic perspective, Marx would argue that the economy was an important feature in the structure of the American society at the time. Understanding the organization of production is essential to understanding the whole social structure which includes a society’s beliefs and ideas. According to the article, companies in America had for a long time depended on materials from China for production (Goodman, Gough, & Wee, 2016). The higher rates of production created the need for paid labor, thus capitalism. Changing the mode of production therefore changes the society’s beliefs. As such, by taxing Chinese exports, changes are expected not only in means of production but also in beliefs. In particular, Marx proposes that once the full potential of capitalism is realized, there is witnessed a shift to communism (Marx & Sitton, 2010, p. 136). The full potential of capitalism in this case is realized with the exhaustion of resources thus minimal job opportunities. The means of production will therefore need to be shared collectively in order for all to be satisfied.
Marx’ Second Approach
Other than the above, there is also the argument of social stratification that would be presented by Marx. Marx would argue that while the article implies particular companies had done good to the society by increasing the work force, this was in fact an avenue for exploration. Marx would classify the factory owners as the bourgeoisie and the workers as the proliferate (Marx & Sitton, 2010, p. 210). He would further indicate that while implying job creation was for the good of the workers, they were actually merely exploiting them for their own good. Marx would therefore see the letting go of employees as a result of the new tariffs as less damaging to the factory workers, as it was only a means by which they could maintain profits. He would then argue for an eventual overthrowing of the bourgeoisie and capitalism to be replaced with communism. Historically however, Marx’ views are yet to be realized and as such, all that can be argued is that labor unions will support the workers (Marx & Sitton, 2010, p. 210).
Weber’s First Approach
On the other hand, Weber would have a completely different approach to the article. Considering Capitalism for instance, Weber believes in the protestant ethic, in that continuous work is encouraged as a religious calling, to which the realized benefits of economic success are indications of salvation. When it is reported in the article that World Class Seating has significantly grown its work force as well as benefitted the shareholders greatly, this would be interpreted by Weber to imply signs of salvation for the employees and shareholders. Weber would therefore take the loss of employment as predicted in the article to imply an expected loss of signs of salvation as well. This is especially so supported by the belief that everyone was not meant for salvation and therefore need for acceptance of exploitation as a sign (Weber, 2005, p. 56).
Weber’s Second Approach
Weber furthermore would consider the social stratification of the article according to Marx as rather simplistic. Weber would argue that other than wealth brought about by owning property; there is also intellectual ability that can result in prestige. Combined with wealth, this results in a higher social class. Additionally, power also puts one in a higher social class (Weber, 2009, p. 263). The president elect in the article therefore belongs to a higher social class in the article than the factory owners due to not only wealth but also power.
Social issues exist in society including unemployment that is featured in the article. Weber and Marx would use different approaches to analyze the article. While Marx would consider capitalism in America to be paving way to communism both through an uprising due to social stratification and exhaustion of resources, Weber would lean towards the protestant ethic as well as power to explain the changes. A consideration of both is however essential to understanding the article.
PART TWO:
Cunning of History: Basic Thesis
The Holocaust is recalled in history as the genocide in which Adolf Hitler’s Nazi army claimed the lives of millions of Jews. The occurrence is considered to be among the deadliest ever recorded in history. In ‘The Cunning of History,' Richard Rubenstein explores the Holocaust, as well as the American future. In particular, he looks at the specifics of the Holocaust and reasons for its occurrence when it did, and the possibilities of continual reoccurrence. Basing on this concentration, it is prudent to conclude that the Holocaust was an expression of some of the most important political, demographic, religious, and moral tendencies of Western civilization in the twentieth century; this is the thesis statement that will be discussed in relation to the subject matter in question.
Political, demographic, religious and moral tendencies of Western civilization in the twentieth century are first considered to explore the transformation of the war as to include a new level of interaction between world powers. The new level of interaction is what leads to the ease in expendability of persons on a larger scale than could be realized before. In particular, Rubenstein indicates in the first chapter that the act of genocide could have only been possible with a well-organized government as well as well as acts of bureaucracy that included the definition of a Jew. Once this definition was determined, the state could then deprive the person of citizenship as well as personal property which eventually led to elimination altogether. For this to happen, however, religious and affiliated parties in society had to cooperate with the German bureaucracy. Rubenstein indicates that “The destruction (needed cooperation from all sectors of Germany)”. After the bureaucrats had given the definitions, churches determined Aryan descent while postal authorities spread out the messages and businessmen dismissed the Jews and took over their properties (Rubenstein, 1987, p. 4).
Other than the above, political and moral tendencies of western civilizations in the twentieth century are also explored to explain the moral decay. Rubenstein explains that understanding the moral decay is not possible without considering how bureaucracy was important in modern political as well as social organizations. He notes that according to Weber, advancing bureaucracy was solely due to its technical superiority. It is elaborated that in a bureaucratic organization essential elements being raised to optimum performance is the main aim including precision, discretion, among others (Rubenstein, 1987, p. 23). The Nazis, therefore, understand bureaucracy in this way. As bureaucrats, they did what they believed was their duty without bias and irrespective of personal feelings. This included, according to Rubenstein “no objection to cruelty (as long as it was) disciplined and systematic” (Rubenstein, 1987, p. 24). One of the disciplined and systematic means used for extermination, for instance, was the starvation diet which gave the bureaucrats least difficulty to implement. In this way, bureaucrats are argued to be best suited at the elimination of surplus populations since they can overcome moral barriers based on their sense of duty.
Political tendencies of western civilizations in the twentieth centuries also worth considering include the total domination created by the Nazis’ over their subjects. In North America, it is indicated that the institute of slavery existed for long with almost domination where there were minimal productive labor and total domination with population surplus. While slaves were essential to North Americans however, they held little value in German camps, with neither political status nor economic value. To further worsen the situation was the definition of the slave as a thing, that though contradictory in certain places, was fully implemented by the Nazis, turning humans into instruments of total domination who could easily and quickly answer to their call. Rubenstein records that “even when they were told to lie down in their own graves and be shot” the people would do so due to the power accumulated by the Nazi (Rubenstein, 1987, p. 46).
Other instances of the political, demographic, religious and moral tendencies of Western civilization in the twentieth century include the bureaucratic domination. It is argued that taking over Jewish communal bureaucracies was one of the steps at which the Nazis were successful. Transforming these bureaucracies into components, they could use in their own extermination process was a triumph they managed through the accumulation of power. Additionally, it was a triumph that made resistance more difficult for the Jews. The creation of a non collaborating organization was thus the only means through which resistance could be possible. This is noted to have been predicted by Weber in noting that so long as one knew how to gain control over an existing authority, then the functions o the related officials continues to run rather smoothly.
In the end, it is notable that Holocaust was indeed a terrible genocide. The genocide was further an expression of some of the most important political, demographic, religious and moral tendencies of Western civilization in the twentieth century. This included new level of interaction between world powers, the technical superiority of bureaucracy, total domination of subjects and the overthrowing of existing bureaucracies. In the end, Rubenstein notes that once success in domination is achieved “(it invites repetition)” (Rubenstein, 1987)
References
Goodman, P., Gough, N., & Wee, S. (2016). Trumpâs Tough Trade Talk Could Damage
American Factories - The New York Times. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/business/economy/trump-manufacturing-jobs-world-trade-china.html?ref=economy&_r=0
Marx, K., & Sitton, J. F. (2010). Marx today: Selected works and recent debates .
Rubenstein, R. (1987). The Cunning History: The Holocaust and the American Future .
Weber, M. (2009). From Max Weber: essays in sociology . Routledge.
Weber, M. (2005). The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
