How does Webers concept of status group challenge Marxs views on Essay

How does Webers concept of status group challenge Marxs views on polarization of classes in societies - Essay Example For Marx, society is not merely a collection of separate, competing individuals, although that is the appearance that capitalist society presents. Throughout history societies have divided into competing classes, defined structurally and economically in terms of their relationship to the means of production. "In the Communist Manifesto Marx and Engels comment that the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles." (Bottomore, 1983, p. 75). Thus, he viewed the bourgeoisie as the owners, and the proletariat as the non-owners, of the means of production. Marx believed that capitalist society was increasingly becoming polarized into "two great opposed camps" of bourgeois and proletarians, which is destined to lead to conflict among these classes. Through its own instruments of development, it is bound to give rise ultimately to its own dissolution--to a revolution that will result in the overthrow of capitalism and to the creation of a socialist order. The conquest of political power by the working class will lead, firstly, to the creation of a socialist state--a state in which the working class is the ruling class and which functions in the interests of the working class. Thus, the "dictatorship of the proletariat" will replace the "dictatorship of the bourgeoisie". By the term "dictatorial", Marx does not indicate that such states have a dictatorial political form, but rather that they rule in the interests of a particular class. However, the "dictatorship of the proletariat" is only the "first phase" of post- capitalist era. Its ultimate aim is to abolish the private ownership of the means of production, and hence the social and economic basis of class divisions. In addition, Marx believed that the rise of...(Giddens, 1971, p. 37). Weber notes that there is class conscious organization where (a) there are no groups between the real adversaries, (b) large numbers of persons are in the same class situation, (c) it is technically easy to organize those in the common class situation, and (d) where the goals of the class are well understood, and this understanding is led by those outside the class (intelligentsia). (Giddens and Held, p. 72)

Construction law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Construction law - Essay Example Spelling out the rights and responsibilities of the various parties thus becomes very difficult, because the main contract may exist between the client and the contractor, but may not take into account the rights of the other third parties. It may not also adequately represent the rights of the client if there is a violation by the third parties in question. Collateral contracts are required in construction contracts, where subcontractors perform services for the main contractor rather than the customers themselves and their rights need incorporation into construction agreements. Collateral contracts in effect, establish a connection between parties such as the client and the subcontractors who would not otherwise enter into a direct contractual relationship. When a contractor expresses an intent to utilize the services of a particular subcontractor, who commences work on this basis, it will be entitled to take legal action if the contractor fails to fulfil any of the implied terms, even if no formal contract exists. In the case of British Steel Corporation v Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Co Ltd (1984)1, the Court held that there was no true agreement between the parties, but the claimants were entitled to recover certain payments due to them on a quantum meruit basis2 and the defendants’ counter claims were not entertained. Collateral warranties are required to counteract the difficulty associated with establishing a liability in tort when a construction contract is in place; as stated by Lord Scarman, â€Å"Their Lordships do not believe there is anything to the advantage of the law in searching for a liability in tort where the parties are in a contractual relationship.†3 The extent to which the Courts could apply duty of care and the tort of negligence would be circumscribed within the contractual terms and