Abstract
This paper explores two themes that had a significant place in Durkheim's Division of Labor:the idea that people's needs and wants vary across epoches and cultures, and the conception of societies as systems. The first leads to a rejection of efficiency as the primary driving force behind advances in the division of labor. Considering power in addition to efficiency, but also the complex conditions of trust and meaning, leads into questions of interdependence and systems analysis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alexander, Jeffrey C. 1982 The Antinomies of Classical Thought: Marx and Durkheim. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Becker, Gary 1986 “The economic approach to human behavior.” (1976) In Jon Elster, (ed.), Rational Choice: 108–122: New York: New York University Press.
Childe, V. Gordon 1953 Man Makes Himself. New York: Mentor.
Durkheim, Emile 1964 The Division of Labor in Society. (Translated by George Simson.) (1893) New York: Free Press.
Eisenstadt, S. N. 1990 “Functional analysis in anthropology and sociology: An interpretive essay.” Annual Review of Anthropology 19:243–260.
Elster, Jon 1983 Explaining Technical Change: A Case Study in the Philosophy of Science. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Elster, Jon 1986 Rational Choice. New York: New York University Press.
Evans, Peter B., Dietrich Rueschemeyer, andTheda Skocpol 1985 “On the Road Toward a More Adequate Understanding of The State.” Peter B. Evans, Dietrich Rueschemeyer, and Theda Skocpol (eds.), Bringing the State Back. In: 347–366. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lenski, Gerhard E. 1966 Power and Privilege. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Lenski, Gerhard E. andJean Lenski 1974 Human Societies: An Introduction to Macrosociology. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Lukes, Steven 1967 “Alienation and Anomie.” In Peter Laslett and W. G. Runciman (eds.), Philosophy, Politics and Society, third series: 134–156. Oxford: Blackwell.
Peel, J. D. Y. 1971 Herbert Spencer-Evolution of a Sociologist. New York: Basic Books.
Rueschemeyer, Dietrich 1981 “Sollen wir heute noch Durkheim lesen?” (A review essay on occasion of the German translation ofDivision du travail published in 1977). Soziologische Revue 4:237–242.
Rueschemeyer, Dietrich 1982 “On Durkheim's explanation of division of labor.” American Journal of Sociology 88(5):579–589.
Rueschemeyer, Dietrich 1985 “Spencer und Durkheim über Arbeitsteilung und Differenzierung: Kontinuität oder Bruch?” In Niklas Luhmann (ed.), Soziale Differenzierung: Zur Geschichte einer Idee: 163–180. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
Rueschemeyer, Dietrich 1986 Power and the Division of Labour. Cambridge: Polity Press; Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Rueschemeyer, Dietrich, Evelyne H. Stephens, andJohn D. Stephens 1992 Capitalist Development and Democracy. Cambridge: Polity Press; Chicago: Chicago University Press.
Stinchcombe, Arthur 1968 Constructing Social Theories. New York: Harcourt Brace.
Weber, Max 1958 Economy and Society. 2 Vls. (1922) Edited by Guenther Roth and Claus Wittich, New York: Bedminster Press.
Znaniecki, Florian 1934 The Method of Sociology. New York: Farrar & Rinehart.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rueschemeyer, D. Variations on two themes in Durkheim'sDivision du travail: Power, solidarity, and meaning in Division of Labor. Sociol Forum 9, 59–71 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01507705
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01507705