| Chapter 2: | The Sociology of Freedom of Speech |
|
|
Christianity was the driving force behind the growth of modern capitalism. Weber specifically ties the growth of capitalism to the theological works of John Calvin (1509-1564).25
A still-nascent argument validating Durkheim’s rejection of Marxist thought is contained in chapter 4 in which the role of religion in the emergence of urban society is contrasted with the traditional theory that economic factors led to urbanisation and civilisation. Durkheim ultimately concluded that the secondary influence of economics on society required the conclusion that the growth of large-scale capitalist enterprises did not require the overthrow of the existing social order and that Marxist theory was simply factually incorrect and theoretically unsound.26
Durkheim viewed humans as creatures defined by the society in which they lived. He viewed human autonomy or free will as being derived from life in a modern complex society in which there was substantial division of labour. He saw society evolving from primitive to complex forms with division of labour as the driving force in this development. Durkheim’s concept of division of labour should not be confused with the economic terminology utilised by the classical economists Adam Smith and David Ricardo with respect to the separation of labour functions to improve industrial production. Durkheim conceived of a much broader, sociological concept which he termed the social division of labour. Division of labour encompassed all separations of function among members of society and was not limited to only industrial workers involved in mass production of manufactured goods. From a sociological viewpoint, division of labour attached to every situation in which members of a society did not pursue precisely the same activities. The social division of labour even includes the differentiation among sexual functions between men and women. Durkheim suggests, however, that in the most basic societies, the actual social division of labour between men and women was quite small. Durkheim even goes so far to argue that the institution of marriage itself is a result of the social division of labour between men and women.27 Durkheim saw a never-ending division of labour as society grew more