Social Relations Between Authorities and the Community - Essay Example

Sociological Theory Q1) In mid-2014, cab drivers had massive demonstrations against the Transport for London, the London transport and cab licensing agency, for the use of Uber. Uber is a smart phone application that enables a customer to identify access, engage and pay cab drivers within their vicinity in London. The taxi drivers, through their association were complaining that the application operates as a minicab company which does not comply with the transport regulations under the Private Hire Vehicles Act and remains unregulated. This paper analyses the Karl Marx theory of industrial revolution and the Max Weber theory of industrialization and their applicability to the struggle between uber and the black taxis in London. It comes to the conclusion that the Max Weber’s theory is most plausibly applicable. In production, the mechanisms or resources of production are very important. Karl Marx notes that these mechanisms of production are dependent on the circumstances in which human beings find themselves, what resources they already have in their control and possession in the current and previous generations. These mechanisms of production may be used as a basis for differentiating people. Karl Marx in his book visualizes two major classes of people. These were the bourgeoisie and the proletariats. He writes that the bourgeoisie comprise those who had most factors of production such as capital and land in their control and possession. The proletariats, on the other hand, comprise the poor who include workers and laborers who are engaged by the bourgeoisie. The proletariats are usually trampled on by the rich and thus the social difference is sustained. He wrote that the bourgeois would sell the products made out of the proletariats’ labor at a higher price than the proletariats labor and keep the profits. The accumulation of profits by the bourgeois would even widen the economic disparity between the property owners and the laborers. He also writes about the concept of division of labor that involves allowing persons to engage in activities that they will do on a daily basis. Karl Marx wrote that in these conditions, capitalism would not ensure that the countries develop industrially (Rosen 03). He therefore dismissed capitalism for socialism. He noted that the proletariats would hold a revolution against the bourgeois and their capitalist economic endeavors and socialism would take over. In the state of socialism, the mechanisms of production would be owned, controlled and under the possession of the proletariat. The Uber-London Cabbies struggle can be analyzed in opposite fashion as suggested by Karl Marx. The London Taxi drivers and the taxi companies in Virginia can be likened to be the bourgeois as they own the cabbies and other resources in the taxi business. It has been noted that more than fifty percent of cabbies in Virginia are owned by the taxi drivers (Rosen 03). Uber has been made for those that are not established in the taxi businesses, who in this case, are the proletariat. The Uber can be said to be a revolution mechanism that topples the domination of the traditional London taxi cabbies in favor of the Uber drivers. In Virginia, the United States, because of the use of Uber in the taxi business has occasioned a shift of the economic balance in that it is swindling large established taxi companies off their clients (Rosen 03). John Liss writes that before the entry of the Uber application into the Taxi business, most taxi companies operated up to 100 per cent capacity. In England, a similar situation ensues. Taxi business in specialized drivers who have had their profession nicknamed as the ‘profession’. The London Taxi drivers undergo a rigorous training process which makes them have all the streets, spots and establishments and shortest routes to such places in their fingertips (Adams et al 65). It has been said that acquiring the qualification as a knowledge driver is as hard as qualifying for the award of a degree in law or medicine in England. Their examinations are conducted by the London Taxi and Taxi Hire. Jody Rosen notes that Uber has brought in place thousands of Uber drivers who have taken over the taxi business in England. The uber drivers surprisingly have not been categorized as taxi drivers and are classified as mini-cabs who offer much less prices for their tax to the struggle between uber and the black taxis in Londoni services around London. . It comes to the conclusion that the Karl Marx’s theory is most plausibly applicable. Max Weber is another influential philosopher in the 20th century. Max Weber’s theories were quite similar to those advanced by Karl Marx but both theories were distinct. Just like Karl Marx, Max Weber conceded that capitalism was crucial for the development of the society. He believed that capitalism involved the continuous acquisition of money by the man as a way of life. He further noted that these capitalistic tendencies forced other business people to adopt such tendencies in order to ensure their survival (Adams et al 65). Labor therefore would be subjected to capitalistic economic conditions and would thereafter have significant impacts on the society My view also applies Max Weber to th e Uber-London taxi drivers. Max Weber does not identify the social classes that are in the society but concedes that the ownership of economic factors of production to determine how goods and services are distributed in the society. He categorically noted that these social stratifications cause conflicts among the members of the society when those in the lower social strata attempt to advance to the higher strata. He also talks about the concept of specialization that is not very different from Karl Marx’s division of labor. He notes that for specialization or bureaucracy to be successful, it must be done on the offices involved and not the occupants of those offices. He further argues that the specialization is done as a result of bureaucratic obligations and not as a daily activity (Adams et al 65). He goes on further to note that as rationalization brings about industrial development to an extent that it confines man into an ‘iron cage’. He notes that the ownership of the factors of production will determine the livelihood of the people, both those from the lineage that own those factors and those who do not. He notes that such determination of lifestyles will not cease to exist until the last of the economic conditions have been used up. This theory may be used to explain the Uber-London Taxi struggle. This struggle espouses the spirit of capitalism that involves the pursuit of profit and other gains. The Uber application opens up the taxi business to persons other that the traditional taxi operators commissioned by the London Taxi and Taxi Hire. The uproar and demonstrations lodged by the knowledge taxi drivers have is a mechanism by the drivers to ensure that their business does not become perforated by undeserving persons, who in this case are the Uber drivers. As Jody Rosen notes, the Uber drivers use minicabs which do not have the conventional style and look that the traditional Knowledge taxis have. In addition, the rates offered by the Uber drivers are far much as noted earlier and will easily kill of the knowledge drivers from existence. Max Weber notes that this ‘iron cage’ situation will affect future generations and will puzzle the capitalists themselves. He however does not offer a solution. This paper has discussed the Marx and the Weber theories on capitalism and modern industrialization with relation to the Uber-London cabbies struggle. It comes to the conclusion that the Weber’s theory most applies. Q2) The Baltimore police homicide and demonstrations have been a great concern not only in the United States but also in various parts of the world. The death of Freddie Gray in the custody of the Baltimore police has angered many residents of Baltimore and as a result there have been a series of demonstrations in which looting of stores, violence and the arrest of over a hundred people. The death of the Freddie Gray has been speculated to have been as a result of racist or other considerations and as a way of revolving to such acts by the police, hence the demonstrations. The demise of Freddie, an African-American, begs the question, is racial equality in the United States an illusion or a reality? Alex de Tocqueville wrote in his book ‘Democracy in America’ that the US was the most advanced in terms of equality and democracy. His work was published after he had sailed from France to the United States and visited several states of the United States, especially the prisons in New Orleans, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Virginia, New York and Washington D. C. He noted with amazement that people of different races could great each other without any discrimination (Cassis 72). He was also amazed by the way in which the American society treated every person with dignity and the same as any other person of the various races in the US. Tocqueville went further to note that with the advent of equality in America, individualism and self-interest were inescapable. On the other hand, W. E. B. Du Bois, an African American philosopher observed quite different things from Alexis de Tocqueville. He observed that the Blacks in America were facing certain challenges which the society imposed on them and were not equally imposed on the whites. (Stevens & Smith, 77) He coined the theory of double consciousness to explain the inequity in the United States. He noted that though it was not of their doing to be dark skinned, the Blacks were being discriminated against by the society. He further noted that in order to assess oneself, one had to consider not only their personal opinions but also the societal conditions upon which they may be imposed. He noted that African Americans‘8had a dual identity. That though Americans, they were disadvantaged by their skin color and had to accept that such treatment was their fate. Du Bois discussed this situation as establishing a veil that separated the Blacks and the Whites. It has been noted that the veil as discussed by Du Bois refers to points at three aspects of the Blacks: first, the dark color is a symbol of the physical differences from the whites. Secondly, it symbolizes the failure of the Whites to appreciate the Blacks as legitimately part of American population and thirdly, provided obscurity as to how the Blacks perceived the Whites had to offer them (Cassis 72). He argued that denied the African Americans the opportunities which were available to the Whites. Du Bois notes that the Africans and the Black Americans are among the proletariats of this world (Haidar 46). He further notes that these proletariats are very instrumental in the creation of wealth and luxurious and elegant products. The de Tocqueville’s concept of equality in the United States and the Du Bois concept of Double consciousness are an indication that racial equality in the United States is achievable and is far from being achieved respectively. Black Americans, such as Freddie Gray are losing their lived while in the custody of the police who are to protect them. Even though the fact that the 44th president of the United States has African origins, this is not a convincing indication that equality exists in the United States. In fact they show the animosity in which the authorities operate. It has been noted that where the authorities work in discriminatory tendencies, conflicts arise between such agencies such as the police and the community. These conflicts are very expensive to quell and millions have to be spent by the government compensating such victims. In that regard, much needs to be done by the authorities to create friendly relations between police authorities and the community, especially people of the African-American decent. Without such a step, the people will be governed by a government of their choice but not in their interests. Friendly relations will too avoid demonstrations and public outcry over such issues of discrimination and racial inequality. Work Cited Rosen, Jody. "The Knowledge , London's Legendary Taxi-Driver Test, Put up a Fight in the Age of GPS." The New York Style Times Magazine 1.1 (2014). Print. Cassis, Youssef. "Big Business in Europe's Economy and Society." Contemporary European History: 401-10. Print. Haidar, Riad. "Max Karl Ernst Ludwig Planck." Photoniques: 28-31. Print. Adams, H. S., et al. "Fine particle (PM 2.5) personal exposure levels in transport microenvironments, London, UK." Science of the Total Environment 279.1 (2001): 29-44. Stevens, J., & Smith, R. (1995). Beyond Tocqueville, Please!. American Political Science Review, 89(04), 987-995. Read More