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Similarities Between Marx And Bourdieu

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INTRODUCTION This is a social study of two of Europe’s great sociologists (Pierre Bourdieu and Karl Marx) who lived nearly 200 years apart in very different circumstances but whose work in the societies they lived in have a remarkably similar outcome. Both were deeply concerned with the way their societies evolved and how the class system triggered much suffering and hardship in their societies. Their theories were a reflection on the society they found themselves in and both were not afraid to voice their concern both in France and Germany, but throughout the world. Their studies are still today being used in the discussion on society and will be for many centuries to come. Bourdieu shone a light on contemporary modern France which is often seen abroad as being a leader in many social and cultural fields. …show more content…

In the present world of neo-liberalism, Bourdieu theories are more prevalent to this time as he has lived in this age while Marx theories could be seen from a dated era when employment was more uniformed and not as wide ranging as today. In Marx’s lifetime, much progress was made in the working conditions of the masses with forty hour weeks being introduced in many countries along with social insurance to help with health and welfare. This was also a time when the Industrial Revolution was at its peak and population throughout Europe and most of the world was accelerating rapidly. Employment was labor intensive despite new technologies and many human diseases that had been fatal were now being treated successfully and life expectancy was rising rapidly. Bourdieu was concerned with a different form of poverty and injustice which manifested itself in France in social unrest in 2005 and

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