Capitalism and Classical Social Theory

by John Bratton, David Denham

Most texts on classical social theory offer exhaustive coverage of every possible theorist, making it difficult to use the book in one semester. Capitalism and Classical Social Theory, Second Edition represents a departure from this approach by offering solid coverage of the classical triumvirate (Marx, Durkheim, and Weber), but also extending the canon strategically to include Simmel, four early female theorists, and the writings of Du Bois. The result is a manageable, but thorough, examination of the key classical theorists.

The second edition has been updated throughout and includes two new chapters: one on Weber and rationalization, and one on Du Bois and his writings on race. A new concluding chapter links classical theory to current developments in capitalism during an age of austerity.

Genres: Sociology

422 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional introduction for the classical theorists Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber. The book does touch upon Georg Simmel, but very briefly. It does include one chapter on the feminist theorists such as Mary Wollstonecraft, Jane Addams, and Harriet Martineau. W.E.B. Du Bois is also included as an American sociologist. This was used as a textbook in my undergraduate Classical Theories course. I believe that the material can be easily understood by someone who wants to learn about sociology, but is not attending school for it. It is a bit of a drier read, but very informative.

My only complaint was that Charlotte Perkins Gilman was included in the feminist theorists section when she supported eugenics and was clearly horribly racist.