The similarity of functionalism and conflict theories is they are both used in sociology to analyze the idea of society and how its constituent parts operate as a whole.

Functionalism emphasizes social institutions and different functions that contribute to stability.

Conflict theories emphasizes social inequality in the society.

2. Give as many examples as you can of class differences in opportunities. This can relate to access to work, capital, education, politics, etc.

The wages of working class workers are much lower than those of the middle class and the bourgeoisie.

Sexism in the profession.

Racial discrimination in schools and workplaces.

3. Give as many examples as you can of gender differences in the domestic and public sphere. E.g. How many women are at the top of political or economic positions in your country?

In the public sector, some companies require only male employees and more teachers in schools are female, so we think this is the feminization of teaching.  In the family, some women will be required to return to the family and some people will think that birth is not important because women can change their life experience through marriage.  But I think with the development of the times, these inequities are gradually being broken.

4. Compare Marxism and feminism.

Marxism is an economic and social system whereas feminism is about women. The former is more concerned about economic system of society claiming that upper class has continuously repressed lower class in order to gain more benefits and power whereas the latter is concerned about women and their rights trying to point out and condemn their suffrage.

5. List concepts that you found in the reading, which you found interesting, difficult or unclear.

conflict theory: The idea that society is in a state of constant conflict and competition between groups that have differing interests and power.

Power: The ability to control and influence others, often in a way that benefits oneself or one's group.

Social inequality: The unequal distribution of resources and opportunities in society, often based on factors such as race, gender, and class.

Social stratification: The hierarchical arrangement of individuals and groups in society based on factors such as wealth, status, and power.

Exploitation: The idea that the bourgeoisie extract surplus value from the labor of the proletariat, paying them less than the value of the goods and services they produce.

2) Give as many examples as you can of class differences in opportunities. This can relate to access to work, capital, education, politics, etc. 

3) Give as many examples as you can of gender differences in the domestic and public sphere. E.g. How many women are at the top of political or economic positions in your country?

4) Compare Marxism and feminism.

5) List concepts that you found in the reading, which you found interesting, difficult or unclear.

Conflict theory and functionalism are both perspectives in sociology that attempt to explain social phenomena. However, they differ in their focus, assumptions, and theoretical approach. Functionalism views society as a system made up of interrelated parts that work together to maintain social stability and order. In contrast, conflict theory views society as a struggle between different groups with competing interests, where power and resources are unevenly distributed.

Functionalists believe that social institutions such as the family, education, and religion serve a purpose in society and contribute to its overall stability. They see social change as slow and gradual, and believe that society can adapt to changing circumstances. Conflict theorists, on the other hand, argue that social institutions maintain the status quo and are used by those in power to maintain their dominance over others. They see social change as a result of conflict and struggle between different groups.

Some examples of class differences in opportunities include:

Access to quality education: Children from wealthy families have access to better schools and educational resources, which can lead to better job prospects and higher incomes later in life.

Access to capital: Wealthy individuals have access to investment opportunities, loans, and other financial resources that can help them accumulate even more wealth.

Job opportunities: Higher-paying jobs are often reserved for those with certain credentials or connections, which can be more easily obtained by individuals from wealthy families.

Political power: Wealthy individuals and corporations have more influence over political decision-making due to their ability to make large donations and fund political campaigns.

Health outcomes: Individuals from lower-income backgrounds are more likely to have poor health outcomes due to factors such as lack of access to healthcare and healthy food options.

Representation in political and economic positions: Women are typically underrepresented in top political and economic positions around the world. 

Access to education: In some parts of the world, women have less access to education than men. This can limit their opportunities and make it harder for them to achieve their full potential. Women typically earn less than men for the same work, even in countries with laws against gender-based pay discrimination. This can make it harder for women to achieve financial independence.

 

Marxism and feminism are both social and political theories that seek to explain and address inequalities in society. However, they approach these issues from different perspectives and with different focuses.

Marxism is a theory that focuses on how economic and class dynamics operate in society. It argues that the unequal distribution of wealth and power is the root of inequality and that the capitalist system serves to maintain these inequalities. 

On the other hand, gender inequality and the oppression of women are the main topics of feminism, an ideology. It makes the case that patriarchal structures are to blame for how resources and power are distributed unevenly between men and women.

Marxism and feminism both criticise injustice and inequality, but their approaches and methods for achieving social change are different. Feminism focuses on gender relations and fights for women's empowerment and the deconstruction of patriarchal structures while Marxism emphasises economic relations and supports collective ownership of resources.

Overall, Marxism and feminism are two distinct theories that address different forms of oppression in society, but they share a common goal of promoting social justice and equality.

Marxism is an interesting and influential political and economic theory because it provides a critique of capitalism and offers an alternative vision for society. It seeks to understand the root causes of social inequality and exploitation, and proposes a way to create a more equal and just society.

Marxism is based on the idea that the capitalist system is inherently exploitative, with the ruling class (the bourgeoisie) extracting profits from the working class (the proletariat) through the extraction of surplus value. This exploitation leads to alienation, poverty, and inequality, which can only be overcome through a revolutionary overthrow of the capitalist system.

Similarity: Both theories view society as a system of social structures and both agree that these social structures exist within a society.

Difference: 

The difference in medical resources, for example some operations and medicines require a lot of money , the upper class can afford it, but the lower class cannot afford so cannot treat their illness.The upper class may get higher wages through light work while the lower class need to do much work but get less. The upper class own most of the wealth, but the lower class own less.

From a family point of view the differences of gender we can notice that most females would stay at home to be a housewife. Men do less housework. For example, Only 17.7 percent of candidates for Japan's lower house of parliament were women. This means that women's social status is lower than men's.

Marxism emphasises the economic and power gap between different resource classes - bourgeoisie and proletariat.

Feminism emphasises the economic, power and opportunities gap between different gender classes - male and female.

Both Marxism and Feminism pay most attention to conflicts in society and don’t take into account stability.

The difficulties/questions of Social inequality: according to the history we’ve learned, no matter whether people belong to any classes/institutions, there are always a couple of high-achieving talents who become the leader of those groups. Based on this situation, here comes a question, which is would the proletariat convert into bourgeoisie? In other words, could people view bourgeoisie as the proletariat with relatively greater resources?

Classes are defined by how and how much people acquire the portion of society's wealth at their disposal.  For example, capitalists obtain income by obtaining surplus value; workers obtain income by exchanging labor for wages; landlords obtain income by collecting land rent.  These various means of income are determined by the different relations of these classes to the means of production.Different class status, different material life and spiritual life conditions lead to different lifestyles and tastes of life.  Since people's ways of life change more slowly than their political inclinations and ideologies, the differences between classes in the way of life are greater than the differences in their political inclinations and ideologies.  extensive, persistent and stable

2. How is this difference perpetuated? How did Marx explain this? 

Work in modern society has no sense of belonging, and there is a gap between daily life and your work.  Modern society is very easy to be replaced, and capitalism is very easy to replace.  Capitalism is unstable.  Capitalism is bad for capitalists because there is an addiction to things.

3. Give examples for how mass production today is alienating us from the products we produce.

A careful division of labour improves economic efficiency while decreasing a sense of the genuine contribution of work for each employee.

4. Give examples for Job insecurity today. Who does it affect?

Advances in technology can increase production efficiency and thus reduce costs. Progress in the production process can be very ruthless and many people are laid off.

It affects employees.

5. What is the Marxist view of unemployment, laziness, and consumption? What is the role of this ideology?

Marx saw unemployment as a result of capitalist exploitation, as it allows employers to keep wages low and maintain a surplus of labor. He did not view laziness as an inherent workers, but rather as a result of the alienation and demotivation caused by capitalist production. In terms of consumption, Marx believed that the drive for profit under capitalism led to the creation of artificial needs and a consumer culture that promoted overconsumption and waste.

6. What is Marx's solution for this exploitation and the various problems it brings?

Marx believed that the only solution to exploitation was the overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of a socialist or communist system, where the means of production would be collectively owned and controlled by workers. This would eliminate the division between capitalists and workers and create a society based on cooperation and equality.

7. Is Marx theory relevant today?

Yes. When it comes to the struggle against all oppressive regimes, Marxist theory is still as vital as ever.

Differences in capital accumulated by different classes today can be seen in the wealth gap between the wealthy and the working class. For example, the top 1% of Americans own about 40% of the country's wealth, while the bottom 50% own only 2% of the wealth. This difference in capital is also evident in access to resources such as education, healthcare, and housing.

Marx explained that the difference in capital is perpetuated through the exploitation of labour by capitalists. Capitalists own the means of production and use their power to extract surplus value from workers by paying them less than the value they produce. This perpetuates the cycle of inequality, as capitalists accumulate more wealth and power while workers are left with meagre wages.

Mass production today is alienating us from the products we produce because workers are often reduced to performing a single, repetitive task on an assembly line, without any connection to the final product. This can lead to a sense of disconnection and disengagement from one's work. For example, a worker in a factory that produces smartphones may only be responsible for installing a single component, without ever seeing the final product or understanding its functionality.

Job insecurity today affects many workers, including those in the gig economy, temporary workers, and those with part-time or low-wage jobs. For example, Uber and Lyft drivers have no job security and are often paid very low wages. This insecurity can lead to financial instability and a lack of access to basic necessities such as healthcare and housing.

The Marxist view of unemployment, laziness, and consumption is that these issues are not the fault of individual workers, but rather are the result of systemic exploitation and inequality. Marx believed that the capitalist system relies on unemployment to maintain a surplus labour force and drive down wages. Laziness is seen as a symptom of alienation from work and a lack of control over one's labour. Consumption is viewed as a way to maintain the capitalist system, as workers are encouraged to consume goods and services to fuel economic growth.

Marx's solution for exploitation and the various problems it brings is the overthrow of the capitalist system and the establishment of a socialist society based on collective ownership of the means of production. This would eliminate the exploitation of labour and create a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources.

Marx argued that the solution to this problem is for the working class to seize control of the means of production and establish a socialist society in which the workers collectively own and control the means of production. In this socialist society, the exploitation of labour would be eliminated because the workers would no longer be forced to sell their labour for a wage, but would instead collectively own and control the means of production.

Marx's theory, which includes his ideas on capitalism, class struggle, and the role of the state, continues to be studied and debated today. Whether or not it remains relevant depends on the context in which it is being considered.

In some contexts, Marx's theory may be seen as highly relevant, particularly in discussions of economic inequality, the exploitation of labour, and the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few. Many contemporary thinkers continue to draw on Marx's ideas to critique capitalism and advocate for greater social and economic justice.

Marx's theory can be viewed as less relevant in other contexts, mostly those involving political theoretical concepts. Marx's theories on the inevitable revolution and the proletariat's rule, for instance, have been challenged by a number of political theorists who argue that there are other, more peaceful and democratic means to bring about social and economic transformation.

Overall, whether or not Marx's theory is relevant today depends on the particular issues and debates being discussed, as well as on one's own political and philosophical perspectives.

 

2) How is this difference perpetuated? How did Marx explain this? 

3) Give examples for how mass production today is alienating us from the products we produce.

4) Give examples for Job insecurity today. Who does it affect?

5) What is the Marxist view of unemployment, laziness, and consumption? What is the role of this ideology?

6) What is Marx's solution for this exploitation and the various problems it brings?

7) Is Marx theory relevant today?

The bourgeoisie is only a small part of the people in modern society, but they control most of the wealth, the working class is the majority of the total population, they also suffer from oppression, tension and resentment may also stimulate workers' sense of confrontation. The working class makes up the majority of the population, and their joint rights through a associated of forces.

Marx explained that the capitalists shrink the wages of the labourers as much as possible to complete the primitive accumulation. And more the capitalists own, more resources they could get, as a snowball effect, so the difference perpetuated and may even become more serious.

A report shows that the total number of prisoners imprisoned in the United states federal and local prisons is about 1.2million, of which up to ⅔ face  forced labour. More than 80% are engaged in the daily maintenance of the prison system, including repairing, cooking and facilities cleaning. According to an authority report, the average hourly wage in the United states was about 11, meanwhile, the hourly wage given to the prison workers was less than 1.

It affects the workers. For example, workers of modern production lines just repeat a small, simple and boring part of the whole production process, so everyone could replace the worker due to the low requirement of modern production line work. This causes job insecurity today, workers may feel anxiety and alienation about whether they could work at the job position for a long time or just be replaced by others quickly.

Angry and critical, he believes that everyone needs to work, work hard, and not focus on profit.  This ideology can liberate workers to pursue dreams instead of money and enjoy life.

Marx wanted to create a world without private wealth that everyone doesn't need to work so hard and all resources are equally distributed for a sufficient amount, in order to remove the gap between capitalists and workers. And he also mentioned about the freedom to choose different jobs so that lack of alienation may be solved.

Yes, Marx's theory is still relevant today. We can use his theory to analyse social phenomena or the reason why something happens. For example, Gregory Claey, a professor of the history of political thought and author of a book called Marx and Marxism, points out that Marxism is now mainly used to analyse the phenomenon of wealth concentration in property-owning classes. The current phenomenon of plutocracy, whether through the media, the Internet as a propaganda channel, or the use of corporate wealth to circumvent democracy, is evident everywhere.