The Sociology of Alienation

The Sociology of Alienation is a field of study whose theoretical framework is informed by the writings of Marx, Feuerbach, Hegel, Inglehart, and others. These theories are relevant to understanding the current situation in our society and in analyzing the factors that lead to such conditions. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding their practical application. The authors of this article will discuss their main contributions to the field and suggest some possible areas of future research.

Marx

Marx’s Sociology of Alienation examines the impact of capitalism on society. He proposes that the dialectic of alienation, a result of socialization and the objective expansion of social power, subverts progressive capitalist development. It is the workers’ ability to decide their own lives and determine their own futures which makes them objects of alienation. Marx describes the alienation of workers as the loss of autonomy and self-realization.

Feuerbach

Feuerbach, Sociology of Alienation was published one year after the Prussian throne had been won by Friedrich Wilhelm IV, a Romantic conservative with an inner circle of devout aristocrats. Feuerbach and the neo-Pietist Awakening shared a common goal: the establishment of a German-Christian state as the bulwark against subversive ideas.

Hegel

Hegel’s sociology of alienation reveals the relationship between individual identity and social development. Hegel’s concept of alienation stems from his belief that all human development consists of a process of alienation. In his work, alienation is defined as the mind’s inability to recognize itself through externalization. However, this distinction is hardly clear to contemporary readers. A better understanding of alienation and its causes can help us understand the roots of social discontent.

Inglehart

Inglehart argues that while baby boomers and succeeding generations may express their alienation toward certain authoritative institutions, they will also espouse values of quality of life, self-realization, and participatory democracy. Furthermore, he finds that alienation has been increasing globally, accompanied by an increase in activity that aims to reduce it. For example, he notes that the feelings of inefficacy among workers and the poor in the 1960s were particularly high.

Geyer

The Sociology of Alienation by George Geyer has many positive aspects. For one thing, it prevents the attainment of self-actualization, which is the fulfillment of one’s potential. In addition, it causes individuals to lose contact with self and humanity, and to see themselves as mere objects of a capitalist system of production. The sociological impact of alienation is profound. Fortunately, there are ways to overcome it.