There are several social commentators that were writing about the intricacies of society that predate traditional sociological theorists. Humans have always tried to explain the world around them, and we as humans fit into that equation. Jean-Jacque Rousseau, Adam Smith, and Auguste Comte evaluated the questions of what holds society together, how is inequality created, and how is inequality maintained. Jean-Jacque Rousseau is a Swiss philosopher, writer, and composer who lived from 1712 – 1778, and his writings covered many topics. The work that I will evaluate is a portion of “The Social Contract”. “Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains (Rousseau 1939). This is a statement to the fact that man is free when they are born, but …show more content…
The division of labor can be of great benefit to the society at large because it creates innovation and creation. The division of labor is beneficial because a worker can focus on a single task and master that task with better efficiency than to have to split themselves between multiple tasks (Eliot 1909). This also helps save time because a worker can utilize one machine and not have to master or move to several different machines. In addition, when one person is focused on a specific task that can lead to the invention of a specialized tool or more efficient, alternate way to accomplish that task (Eliot 1909).. However, the wages from the division of labor can rely heavily on the level of education on has, the physical ability to do a job, the amount of trust bestowed, and the agreeableness of the job. This creates inequalities. For example, if one cannot afford higher education or an education beyond a local or public college level, ones wages are affected. In turn, the type of car, home, or neighborhood, one can afford has reproductions on the equality afforded to them and any future generations. If a job is disagreeable or involved high risk, the income tends to be higher – with the exception of the military. Inequality in terms of Smith, is maintained through trade and the interconnectedness of the different parts. This makes it harder for one portion of the whole to change the