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Double Standards Chapter Summary

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In Double Standard, James Russell discusses the origins of social policies in Europe and the United States and how each country addresses core social welfare problems. The author emphasizes the importance of social theory and the role it plays in how social problems are perceived. James Russell’s discussion on social theory and goals for social welfare problems relies on the views of two nineteenth century thinkers, Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim. During the 1960’s, the issue of poverty was first identified as a social problem and countless efforts have been made to eradicate poverty in the United States. In 1964, the Kennedy-Johnson administration declared a “War on Poverty” after the publication of Michael Harrington’s book, The Other America …show more content…

As a result, several social welfare policies were established. These social policies are briefly discussed and a conclusion about which social welfare goal, demmodification or social solidarity, would best achieve the goals of the social work profession.

Keywords: demmodification, poverty, social solidarity, social theory, social welfare policy

James Russell, In Double Standard, defines a social problem as common problems that arise out of peoples’ interrelationships, and states that social theory is important in how social problems are perceived (Russell, 2011, p 3). As the social welfare goal for poverty is discussed, it is important to have an understanding of the term social welfare. T.H. Marshall defines social welfare as the policy of governments with regards to action having a direct impact on the welfare of citizens, by providing them with services or income (Russell, 2011 ) Russell states that once a social problem is identified; there are usually three approaches in dealing with the social problem: develop social policies, do nothing; choosing a laissez-faire approach (the principle that responsibility for providing welfare resides in individuals and families themselves), or one of benign neglect. …show more content…

Both, Marx and Durkheim developed different goals for social welfare. According to Marx, a major problem in capitalism was commodification, the tendency to turn goods and services into commodities. Marx’s solution to this was demmodification, removing all goods and services from the market. Durkheim’s primary goal to social welfare was social solidarity; or a feeling of connection to one’s society. In social policy, this results in policies of social inclusion (Russell, 2011). Durkheim’s concept supports that each member of a community have a bond and that they support those in need. All citizens are entitled to have adequate resources available in order to function in the community. For example, resources that would ensure a certain standard of living and allow members to be a part of the democratic decision process. There is a need for social welfare programs that ensure resources for all citizens in need. The programs mentioned earlier were initiated as the result of the “War on Poverty” Therefore, the social welfare goal of social solidarity will best serve the issue of

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1.What are some of the tensions inherent in balancing social control and social treatment functions of social policy today? Social welfare policies and programs humanistically liberate and enhance the well being of many individuals. At the same time, these aiding policies posit chaos and limitations on the lives of those who seek them due to underlying economic and political agendas. Hence, creating tensions including but not limited to antithetical views on how resources should be distributed (essentially, a power imbalance), contradictions regarding an individual’s right to a free and autonomous life, negative stigmas towards individuals who need assistance and discrimination.

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The wellbeing of other people is important. This theory also states that we should not use people merely as a means to an end. Instead “check that the act will treat other persons as ends in themselves” (O’Neal 412) which would promote giving money to the homeless person. We should try to act in a way that benefits others. At the same time, we cannot fulfill all what others want because “their wants are too numerous and diverse, and of course, sometimes incompatible” (O’Neal 414).

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In the article “How I Discovered the Truth about Poverty” Barbara Ehrenreich gives her view in poverty and explains why she think Michael Harington’s book “The Other American” gives a wrong view on poverty. She explained that Harrington believes that the poor thought and felt differently and what divides the poor was their different “culture of poverty.” Ehrenreich goes on to explain on how the book that became a best seller caused so many bad stereotypes on the poor that by the Reagan era poverty was seen as “bad attitudes” and “faulty lifestyles” and not by the lack of jobs or low paying jobs. And they also viewed the poor as “Dissolute, promiscuous, prone to addiction and crime, unable to “defer gratification,” or possibly even set an alarm clock.”

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First, one of Durkheim primary concerns was the consequences of work in modern societies. In his work “The Division of Labor in Society,” Durkheim believes that the rising division of labor in industrial society has bring worker to something he called “anomie.” He defined anomie to “The loss of direction felt in a society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective.” According to him, the state of anomie manifest with confusion, loss of purpose or direction (R. Schaefer, 10). Looking at the American Society today with a fixed eye toward technology, I think Durkheim would find anomie in many Americans.

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Where everyone is depending on individuals this is the driving force of modern society and there are rules that need to be followed to create order. The link to organic solidarity is connected to the division of labor and helps find solution to the struggle of anomie. This is a society that has many different kinds of perspective per individuals and creates a self-center environment for everyone. Durkheim’s thoughts were to collect the rights ideas in controlling human needs because the laws would be either to strict or to relaxed and this would create the process of anomie. He also mentioned that the strict rules would be the start problems because of forced division of labor that would happen when the lower classes were unhappy with the positions they were put into.

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For these reasons does Durkheim believe modern societies are properly characterized by organic solidarity being the basis of social

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The Creation of Society Through the Lens of Durkheim and Rousseau There are various theories across the spectrum of the social sciences that address the birth of society. The focus of this essay will be on two French sociologists, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Émile Durkheim who share different ideas of how the creation of society came about. Durkheim was a functionalist who has very fundamental views on the formation of society. Durkheim theorizes that society is natural and happens through shared experiences. He believes that society makes the individual “whole” by providing them with knowledge.

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Holly Kinsella 13528163 Q.2 Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim developed very different sociological theories of how society evolves over time. Marx brought around the conflict theory and became the head of the sociological discipline of Marxism. Durkheim was a French Functionalist, meaning he looked at society in a scientific way. Although Marx and Durkheim had different ways of thinking about society, both have contributed significantly to the way we study sociology today. Karl Marx was a German philosopher who became the head of the sociological discipline of Marxism.

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This essay will discuss the theoretical approaches of both Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim. In this essay it will show evidence of support that both of these Sociology founders theories are still relevant to current social issues present today. The essay will compare and contrast the Functionalist Theory (Durkheim) to the Conflict Theory (Marx). In this essay the solutions according to both theories will be applied to the social issues present in our society today. Emile Durkheim believed that people and how they interact with one another and react to different situations should be studied in the same manner how scientists study nature, empirically.

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In their theories both highlight the division of labour and alienation as methods and results of maintaining control within a capitalist society. Durkheim coined the term social facts to describe the external and internal forces that habilitate individuals within a society. “….” . Social facts include values, cultural norms, and social structures comprise those sources that

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Policies executed in the 1960s as part of the “War on Poverty” established the foundation for a significant shift in welfare policy in two ways: first, by launching a vigorous private-public partnership and, second, by explaining economic inequality as the result of individual attributes and psychology (Bertram, 2007; Morris, 2004; O’Connor, 2009; Weir, 1992). Johnson’s “poverty project” formally became the War on Poverty on January 8 when it was declared in his first State of the Union address. The roots of that “War on Poverty” are lengthy and goes back the Kennedy administration’s committee stance on Juvenile Delinquency and trial programs related to social science initiatives directed by something known as “Opportunity Theory.” "Social

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Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) and Max Weber (1864-1920) are widely considered as two of the “founding fathers” of sociology. They are important for their contribution to understanding society. A great deal of their contributions have had a lasting impact into how sociological studies are conducted. The difference between these two sociologist is their theoretical perspectives. Unlike Weber who belonged to the interpretive perspective, Durkheim belonged to the functionalist perspective.

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He thus believes that while studying sociology we should try to interpret the actions of the individuals and the purpose and meaning that these individuals attach to their actions in order to understand society and its institutions. Durkheim on the other hand was a positivist and in the first line of his book, The Division of Labor, itself he makes it clear that “This book is above all an attempt to treat the facts of moral life according to the methods of the positive science” (Durkheim xxv). He did not want to “deduce morality from science, but to constitute the science of morality” (Durkheim xxv). This is the basic and the most significant procedural difference between Durkheim and Weber which we will now further

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Although it is government’s policymakers to make social policies, they cannot solely rely on their professional intuition on what they feel people need. Any good planning and policymaking requires concrete

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It is not only fighting social exclusion and poverty, but also creating solidarity in society so that the social exclusion will be minimized. ‘Consensus based explanation’ of social cohesion as the document published in 2001 clearly mentioned that ‘it does not define social cohesion as such but seeks to identify some of the factors in social cohesion’. On one hand it wants to ensure every citizen of ‘equal access and equal opportunities’ and ‘social and economic rights’. ‘Equal access and opportunities’ mean access to the means to secure their basic requirements, opportunities to advance, opportunity of protection and legal rights, opportunity to the dignity and social confidence. On the other hand, the concept of social cohesion constantly reminds us to be vigilant of any kind of discrimination, inequality, marginality and social exclusion.

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