Sociology

Sklars essay is a political, social, and economic description of the United States. It is a political account in the sense that American politics is viewed as an offshoot of a perverted form of liberal democracy  a political system where race and ethnicity are major determinants to political power. It is a social account in the sense that American culture is both optimistic and dangerous. Indeed, American culture is the rubric of opportunity and progress but also opportunism and discrimination. While some groups are favored, other groups are oppressed and discriminated, as in the case of African-Americans. The history of the United States, as one historian noted, is the history of oppression and cruelty  the contradiction of all liberal and Christian values.

1- what issue did you discuss in the paper
The essay is also an economic narrative of the country. The American market is the avenue of inequalities  in wealth, opportunity, employment. The laborers are disposable tools of production. Labor becomes an appendage of capital  indeed, a necessity in the production process. What do the workers get in return Essentially, they have incomes below or little above the poverty line. The managers, executives, and owners are handsomely paid, in the form of cash, capital, stocks, and other liquid assets. Now, this inequality in the production process (in general, in the substructure) is the source of all economic inequalities.

2- Focus on ONE issue only, and discuss why you think it is contemporarily relevant. Of the three theoretical perspectives outlined in chapter one which do you believe that Sklar holds Do you agreedisagree with her position Explain whywhy not.

Power, position, and income are functions of general inequality in the production process. Those who hold capital or control the production process have generally access to power and position. In American society, legislators and other officials originated from the upper classes  where individual members control a significant portion of the countrys capital. Income is a direct offspring of inequality. It is indeed the manifestation of inequality. Those who own capital often have high incomes those who labor for capital are left to rot in a consumeristic society. Sklars critique of the American economic structure is Marxian in orientation because it views inequality as a function of class distinction (which is partly false because it can be the other way around).

3-Of the three theoretical perspectives which one would you prefer to use if you were a sociologist And why
From a Marxian perspective, this inequality is not merely the manifestation of a social divide. It is in itself the manifestation of a struggle between classes. As Marx argued
Hitherto, every form of society has been based, as we have already seen, on the antagonism of oppressing and oppressed classes. But in order to oppress a class, certain conditions must be assured to it under which it can, at least, continue its slavish existence (Ritzer, 2001312).

It is also a result of conflicting situations  a battle between historicity and formality. In essence, conditions are irrelevant if they do not fit with formalities. If one merely views American history as a synthesis of conditions, then one fails to grasp the essential nature of formalities (thesis). A sufficient condition is necessary to achieve a critical view of American history  historical dialectical materialism.

Marxian perspective views inequality in the production process (in American society) as a general social issue. This is however insufficient. A down to earth approach must be used to assess its microcosmic effects (Henslin, 2009). Inequality in the production process, as sociologists noted, lead to inequalities in the social-political realm. The progressive advance of wealth as a form of advantage distorts equality in general. Indeed, as Meyer noted, the essential focus of inequality is its own reproduction in forms which the human mind rarely recognizes (Meyer, 200349).