Differences Between Max Weber, Karl Marx, and Emile Durkheim

Although there were many contributors to the foundation of sociology, there were three men whose observations left the greatest impact. These famously known theorists are Emile Durkheim,
Max Weber, and Karl Marx. Each studied and viewed social behavior in a way they believed was the way it should be viewed. They developed theories, created influential pieces of writings, taught how to look at society in a broader prospective, and much more. The findings of these men changed the way we look at society today and their contributions to this social science provide alternate ways of understanding it. Emile Durkheim came up with a theory to view all types of society with a better understanding. He wrote the book “Suicide” with proven explanations on this topic, which he himself researched, and was based on group living of a society rather than personal factors of the suicide victims. Leaving his mark on sociology that social behavioral issues be looked at in a broader range. He investigated sociological matters scientifically and with this, developed his theory. It explained, “...how individual behavior can be understood within a social context.” (Schaefer p.8). Durkheim's work changed sociological views, but he was just one of many to make this accomplishment. Impacting this social science with his theoretical tool, “The ideal type”, is Max Weber. He came up with this tool to measure social behavior differently. Weber recognized, out of his own work, many traits of bureaucracy as one of these tools. With the purpose of setting an average measurement of the bureaucracy of an organization, he put these traits into action. He taught his students to apply verstehen , “...the German word for “understanding” or “insight”.” (Schaefer p.11), in their work. With this he embarked on sociology with the insight of how people would look at and describe their own actions. Many other sociologists also looked at issues in this way, one being Karl Marx. “Karl Marx shared with Durkheim and Weber a dual interest in abstract philosophical issues and the concrete reality of everyday life.” (Schaefer p.11). The way they thought structured how they worked, believing that groups and different classes leave an impression on the way people see themselves in a society. Marx wrote an anti-communist piece that gave communist revolutionary leaders influence to do as they did in multiple different countries. His work also influenced other sociologists to see things how others, whose opinions don't matter, do. Karl Marx's focus on group classification became the main point of convergence for contemporary sociology. All in all, the contributions of Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Karl Marx were clearly a huge significance on the development of sociology. They changed the views and influenced many people who also revolved around this topic. Their theories, writings, and perspectives helped people who are studying this social science, and get sociologists to were they are today.