Custom essays: The concept of alienation by K. Marx and the concept of anomie by E. Durkheim

Durkheim was convinced that the anomie was generated by the transitional nature of the modern era in general, by temporary decline in moral standards called to regulate relations in society.
The concept of anomie is closely connected to the concept of alienation. Karl Marx analyzed alienation in the spiritual life (religion, idealist philosophy), and later he moved to the examining of alienation in the political sphere of life. He studied alienation in the bureaucracy, and also the role of the state in the alienation. Then to understanding of the processes of alienation in the economic sphere. According to Karl Marx, the problem of alienated labor is analyzed in his works: alienation of the process and outcome of the labor, alienation of the worker from social entities, from the labor of this worker, and, finally, alienation of worker from himself. (Marx, 1955-1975, p.440). Later Marx showed in his economic works that the deep socio-economic changes – the capitalist division of labor, spontaneous total social activity in antagonistic formations, the conversion of labor into the means of existence, the prevalence of private property and such relations like the commodity-money ones, part of social functions in the lifelong vocation of certain persons, layers and classes are the sources of alienation (Horowitz, 1964, p. 241).
In the works of Marx the following main points of alienation in the capitalist society were revealed:
1) alienation of the activity of the human who comes out of the labor process depleted and exhausted;
2) alienation of conditions of labor itself. The worker is opposed in the alienated form as capital not only to material but also intellectual conditions of his labor. This is especially shown in the alienation of control of production and alienation of science from the worker.
3) alienation of labor results from the wage-worker, which leads to the fact that the wealth created by him is opposed as an alien wealth, his own productive power – as the productive power of his product, his enrichment – as self depletion, his social force – as the force of society, ruling over him.
4) The alienation of social institutions and norms prescribed by them, from employees. Thus, in the state the common interest obtains an independent form, aliented from real – both individual and joint – interests and also the shape of an illusory community. In the process of historical development the alienation exploiting state drifts apart the real individuals, social institutions are transformed into bureaucratic systems based on the hierarchical principle.
5) The gap between the values preached by the official ideology, and real opportunities provided by society. Alienation of ideology from life leads to the fact that it creates the level of aspirations, desires and expectations among the members of the society that do not match the actual capabilities of the society. (Marx, 1955-1975, p.555)
Thus, the ideological principles promoted by the bourgeois society: freedom, equality, enterprise, – conflicted more and more with the real life of bourgeois society with its economic inequality and exploitation. Alienation also characterizes the spiritual life of a class society, specific forms of ideological alienation are formed (from religion to authoritarian ideologies), within the culture itself the gap between popular culture and elite culture deepens. Understanding of alienation as a social phenomenon was further refined in the teaching about the absolute and relative destitution of the working class, of the operation as a real manifestation of alienation. From the theological point of view alienation is identified to the Fall.
From the written above it is possible to conclude that anomie and alienation are the twin challenges faced by modern man. A common feeling of aimless existence, failure and weakness form the consciousness of his own insignificance and fear of becoming a victim. The sense of worthlessness is accompanied by the weakening sense of responsibility, but the bitterness and jealousy arise in relation to those who are in more favorable conditions. In order to change somehow the circumstances and situation, simple and quick solutions are looked for, ranging from alcohol and drug consumption, and ending with the commission of a crime.
Both alienation and anomie affect the institutional sphere of society; their appearance indicates the fundamental place in society, often irreversible economic, social and political processes.
Alienation describes the state of society where the masses of people have lost control over what’s happening, over those stretching institutions and values, which compose the essence of their lives. Alienation is associated with psychological feeling of helplessness in the world, loss of sense of life, importance of the self. There is no alienation without this experience. Sociologists measure alienation through socio-psychological tests.
Anomie is the lack of firmly established juridical laws, generally accepted norms and standards of conduct, social guarantees. Anomie can only exist at the level of large social groups but not the individuals. Coming of the anomie is experienced as a vague time-period when the old institutions and rules have already been destroyed or inactive, and the new ones have not yet appeared.
Anomie and alienation are very similar, and sociologists often measure them with the same or similar scales. Most often, they include the following variables: meaninglessness of life, the absence of norms, social isolation, and dissociation from the active actions.
Alienation is the loss of meaning of life, the sense of mastery of natural, uncontrollable (irrational) forces over oneself, and anomie is the destruction of some socially important institutions and structures. They are paired concepts. At the same time anomie is considered as a cause, and alienation is considered as a consequence.

 
Works cited
Horowitz, I. The New Sociology. New York, p. 241, 1964.
Marx, K. and Engels, F. Soch., 2nd ed., vol. 46, part 1, p. 440, 1955-1975.
Marx, K. and Engels, F. Soch., 2nd ed., vol. 47, p. 555, 1955-1975.
Miller, W. Durkheim, Morals and Modernity. UCL Press, 1996.
Wrong, Dennis H., Gracey, Harry L. Readings in introductory sociology. 3rd ed. New York: Macmillan. Durkheim, Emile. “The anomie of modern life”, pp. 179-186, 1977.