C. Wright Mills Sociological Analysis

There is many different definitions for the meaning of sociology but when it comes down to it sociology’s main interest is in the relationship between the individual and society. Anthony Giddens(1986:p9) defines sociology as ‘ a social science, having as its main focus the study of the social institutions brought into being by the industrial transformations of the past two or three centuries.’ Whereas Sociologist; Bauman (1990:p8) claims that ‘Sociology is…first and foremost a way of thinking about the human world.’ As you can see there is many different sociologists with different opinions/theories of what sociology actual is and throughout this essay I shall discuss and explain a few different theories such as Marxism. The 3 main
Wright Mills came up with this concept. The sociological imagination is a way of looking at the world in a certain way that can see connections between the seemingly private problems of the individual and important social issues. Mills argues for a humanist sociology is connecting the social, personal, and historical dimensions of our lives. ‘Perhaps the most fruitful distinction with which the sociological imagination works is between the personal troubles of milieu and the public issues of social structure. This distinction is an essential tool of the sociological and a feature of all the classic work in social science.’ (Mills 1963) This for example would include unemployment, war, marriage and suicide because not only is it a personal trouble to an individual but it is also a public issues for the government I.e. suicide rates, divorce statistics and so
Comte identified three stages of development: the theological stage; when the world is understood in religious terms. The metaphysical stage; this was the abstract philosophical explanations and the scientific/positivist stage; this is how society followed constant laws that could be uncovered through the use of scientific methods. Comte insisted that sociology was one of the 5 fundamental sciences. Karl Marx was concerned with the 19th century capitalism, Marx believed that the social world is characterised by conflict and change. Marx argue that one of the main key features of capitalism was the exploitation of one group of people by another i.e. the bourgeoisie exploiting the proletariat through the means of production. He also argued that contradictions and tensions within the systems would lead to a revolutionary change. Max weber was greatly concerned with the growth of rationality which happened after the transition from tradition society to modern society. He argued that motivation for people’s actions changes as societies change, but he also categorised four different styles of action; Traditional action, affective action, value oriented action and rational action. Weber also