division of labor

Valerie Christensen
Division of Labor

Emile Durkheim was a French Sociologist who believed that the moral and ethical structures were being threatened by technology and mechanical improvements. He felt that the division of labor created alienation amongst the workers and felt that the greed created by mass production would bring problems for society. Below I have listed a few of his quotes: "Man is only a moral being because he lives in society, since morality consists in solidarity with the group, and varies according to that solidarity. Cause all social life to vanish, and moral life would vanish at the same time, having no object to cling to." The Division of Labour in Society (1893), trans W.D. Halls (1984), 331. While the division of labor might initially be perceived as an economic term, Durkheim believed its true function to be in increasing solidarity between people. He defines solidarity as "cohesion of human groups into a social unity", specifying two types: mechanical and solidarity. "One cannot long remain so absorbed in contemplation of emptiness without being increasingly attracted to it. In vain one bestows on it the name of infinity; this does not change its nature. When one feels such pleasure in non-existence, one's inclination can be completely satisfied only by completely ceasing to exist." "Man's characteristic privilege is that the bond he accepts is not physical but moral; that is, social. He is governed not be a material environment brutally imposed on him, but by a conscience superior to his own, the superiority of which he feels. Because the greater, better part of his existence transcends the body, he escapes the body's yoke, but is a subject to that of society." The greater the conscience collective, the less individuality people have and the more they resemble each other. In a sense, they belong to society, not themselves. With mechanical solidarity, people are linked to each other only through their common beliefs, and do not depend on one another for existence. Durkheim believed that social life takes a certain form and the best indicator of this is repressive law which focuses on punishment.
This is imbedded in the conscience collective of the society and reflects the morals of that society. Restitutive law reflects civil, commercial, procedural, administrative, and constitutional laws, which reflects the many different and complex spheres of society. Durkheim could see a progression from repressive to restitutive law which accompanied the progression from mechanical to organic solidarity.

This article was very hard to read and difficult to understand.
My group consisted of: Self, Heather Aagard-Jimenez, Anthony Tooman,
Adriana Izarraras, and Celia Delacruz. Everyone except Celia was prepared for the discussion. Celia was confused on how to locate the article so she had not read it. Heather did an exceptionally good job.