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Who Is Durkheim Fetishize The Economy?

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Durkheim
Durkheim did not fetishize the economy in the way that Marx seemed to, who theorized it as a fundamental foundation of society, instead believing it to have no privileged position in the social system. Rather, he looked at the economy as being just one of many forces exerting its influence upon individuals and society. The economy is not the only structure exerting those influences; ideological factors also come into play such as religion, education, and culture which can also be highly determinant of social conditions.
Durkheim is often cited as being the first modern sociologist, pushing for sociology to become an independent, and respected, academic discipline. Much of that comes from his separation of social facts (values, norms, etc.) from organic and psychical phenomena. Organic and psychical facts exist only in the individual; social facts, on the other hand, are collective group beliefs and practices. It is social facts that essentially create, and maintain, social life, societies, and even psychical facts. Durkheim focused more on the economy as …show more content…

The division of labor, classified by industrialization, represents a rise in organic solidarity and a decline in mechanical solidarity. In a society where mechanical solidarity reigns supreme, people feel connected through what they have in common, such as similar work, educational and religious values, and lifestyles. Durkheim states this operates predominantly in traditional and small scale societies such as tribes. Societies of mechanical nature tend to be not very complex, with tasks themselves being general and simple. Social class is also easily distinguishable by mannerisms of eating and dressing such as when a tribal chief is better fed and better clothed than a

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