SOCIOL 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Friedrich Engels, Proletariat, Industrial Revolution
Document Summary
Sociological theory: a description or an explanation of some aspect of social life. Social life: everything we do or think in relation to humans. Theories consists of concepts and the links between them. Concepts are like building blocks; links are the glue that connect them. Concepts: an abstract idea based on (and can be applied to) particular instances. Types of links: causal link (cause and effect) Dialectical link (opposites or contradict each other) Ex: man and woman, black and white, bourgeoisie and proletariat. Philosopher, revolutionary, honorary sociologist (because he never worked as a sociologist) Massive change occurring on a global level. European expansion: making colonies, expansion of power into non western parts of the world. Bourgeoisie: owners of the means of production and employers of wage-laborers. Proletariat: people who do not own means of production and must sell their labor-power in order to live. Also called wage-laborers or the working class.
