The social context in sociology is crucial because it clarifies how people in the same society interact with one another. Social context aids in describing the actual physical and communal environment in which events occur or develop. A person’s cultural background and physical surroundings are social contexts that influence their thinking, conduct, societal roles, mode of dressing, and food. In major past events such as the industrial revolution and world war I that occurred between 1776 and 1914, a community’s social context can be altered, thus resulting in a change in individuals’ societal roles. Therefore, this paper will elaborate on how social context influenced the work of significant sociologists such as Frederich Engels, Karl Marx, Emilie Durkheim, and Max Weber between 1776 and 1914 in Europe.
Europe’s Social Transformation
There were significant sociological changes that occurred in Europe between 1776 and 1914. The French Revolution was the primary event in Europe at that time (Barzun et al., 2022, ch.9). The revolution affected Europe’s social and cultural framework, which changed how individuals interacted. More individuals were in the socioeconomic middle class, and recreational activities underwent a radical change. Traditional popular pastimes included gambling and animal competitions, which were seen as primitive and unproductive. In the new period, individuals were more concerned with their development and the well-being of their families. Therefore, the French Revolution significantly influenced the social transformation in Europe.
Frederich Engels
Frederich Engels was a remarkable economist who founded his work on the Marxist theory. Engels critiqued traditional political economy’s value theory and identified numerous flaws (Mavroudeas, 2020, p.2). The French Revolution played a huge role in influencing modern communism. Therefore, Engels was interested in how workers secured necessities such as housing in that era. During the period, the bourgeoisie proposed workers own houses by paying small installments. The idea did not sit well with Frederich; therefore, he sought to use his work to abolish the exploitation of workers in the era.
Karl Marx
Economic philosopher Karl Marx wrote extensively about the advent of capitalism throughout the industrial revolution. He was particularly intrigued by how the industrial division of labor allowed employers to exert control over the production process in ways that were not achievable using more conventional methods (p.17). Marx became interested in this topic because changes in the workforce influenced societal ideals. Marx highlighted in his writings that throughout the new revolution, workers were taught virtues like punctuality, obedience, and self-discipline through penalties, sermons, and financial inducements. Therefore, a change in society’s value system influences Mark’s work.
Emilie Durkheim
The social order was the focus of Emile Durkheim’s work as a leading sociologist in France. Durkheim was concerned with social regulation and how market forces sped up and deregulated societal norms in sociology (p.16). Emile believed that standard personal norms, beliefs, and values made up the traditional society. However, modern society was connected to individuals’ reliance on the division of labor. Specialization led to dependence on survival, thus undermining the conventional bonds of mechanical solidarity.
Max Weber
German sociologist and political economist Max Weber worked to popularize social sciences in his country. The protestant ethic and spirit of capitalism were Max Weber’s significant contributions to sociology (Aloysius Jondar et al., 2022, p.1057). In his rationalization theory, Weber sought that disenchantment of society led to the shift from religious to ration motives for action. Rationalization resulted from the goals assigned to institutions such as the government and the means allocated to accomplish the objectives. Therefore, Weber’s work was influenced by society’s shift from religion to rational motives.
In conclusion, the social context has influenced prominent sociologists to understand how people interact in the community. Prominent sociologists such as Max Weber, Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Frederich Engels sought to explain societal changes during the French Revolution. Engels focused on modern communism, Weber major on rationalization, Durkheim expounded on the shift to reliance, and Marx the difference in the production process. Therefore, social context plays a vital role in understanding sociology.
References
Aloysius Jondar, Donna Sampaleng, Fransana. P. Johannes de Fretes, & Daniel, D. (2022). Understanding Max Weber’s thoughts on capitalism in Indonesia. International Journal of Social Science, 1(6), 1055–1064. https://doi.org/10.53625/ijss.v1i6.2224
Barzun, J., Aubin, Hermann, Peters, Edward, Treasure, Geoffrey Russell Richards, Parker N. Geoffrey, Weinstein, Donald, Herrin, Judith Eleanor, Frassetto, Michael, Stearns, Peter N. Champion, Timothy C.,
Herlihy, David, Mayne, Richard J. Salmon, John Hearsey McMillan, and Sørensen, Marie-Louise Stig (2022). History of Europe. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Europe
Mavroudeas, S. (2020). Friedrich Engels and his contribution to marxism. Human Geography, 13(2), 187–190. https://doi.org/10.1177/1942778620937123
