Describing and Summarizing the Sociology of Work

DESCRIBING AND SUMMARIZING KEY ASPECTS IN THE SOCIOLOGY OF WORK

This essay will consider work in capitalist pre-industrial society circa 1500-1750, working practices in capitalist era circa 1750-1980, and work in the capitalist post-industrial era circa 1980 to the present day. A central point to note is that working practices have constantly changed over the years in the western capitalist society. I’ll start by defining work and society. ‘Work is the carrying out of tasks which enables people to make a living within the social and economic context in which they are located’ (Watson, 2012 p.6) . ‘Society is the broad pattern of social, economic, cultural and political relationship within which people lead ther lives’. (Watson, 2012 p;7).

Work in pre-industrial society circa 1500-1750

The only method of earning a living in the pre-industrial era was through agriculture and work was mostly family oriented. ‘In Britain their property consisted of their homes as well as their agricultural land. Thus work was done within their home and no specific time or rituals when they start work’(Chris, Antonella, katya ,2009). ‘Family membership was especially evident in pre-industrial workplaces. Most of the work was done in family settings, so much that there was scarcely any distinction between family and work’. (http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/43187_2_The_Organization_of_Work_in_Preindustrial_Times.pdf p; 22). There was also no distinction between domestic and paid work as home was the site for all activities and not much work was paid.

Work was performed for immediate necessities and this agricultural society depended on seasonal factors. ‘The most essential feature of work was that it was performed to meet clearly and generally recognised needs...