The Division of Labor in Society

In this momentous challenge to the economic theories of Adam Smith and Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim presents a visionary reconception of the social structures for production and allocation that are the cornerstones of capitalism. He asks how individuality can be retained within the capitalist system. He argues that class conflict is not inherent in a capitalistic society as Marx contended, but that the unfettered growth of state power would lead to the extinction of individuality. He suggests that only in a free society that promotes voluntary bonds between its members can individuality prosper.