SOC 100A Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Protestant Work Ethic, Émile Durkheim, Puritans
31 Dec 2018
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A sociological approach to work seeks to explain why work: No unambiguous or objective definition of work is possible (grint in van krieken et. al. If by work you mean any physical or mental activity that transforms the world, we can agree that this will do as a beginning definition of work. (bessant and watts, 1999: 250) Work is a human activity that satisfies a variety of needs, which otherwise could not be fulfilled. (holmes et. al. Any expenditure of human effort aimed at producing a socially valued good or service (vallas, 2012: 3) Karl marx work is the most basic human social activity distinguishing us from other species but under capitalism it becomes commodified and alienated. Max weber the protestant work ethic disciplined and methodical work becomes viewed as a positive moral end in itself by the puritans (cf. the reformation).
