Marxism in the New World An examination of Marx’s political yet fundamentally philosophical views pose many questions when conceptualized in terms of todays globalize society. Although Marx’s theories spawned controversies throughout history, his essential philosophies contain issues relevant to today’s democratic society. In general, the concept of division of labor refers to the various types of work and labor performed by individuals in producing useful goods and services for themselves or others (Durkheim notes, 5). To Marx, this concept both creates and indelibly influences society by generating individual interaction and a class system, the ruling material and intellectual force (1997). “The way in which men produce their means of subsistence depends first on the nature of the actual means of subsistence they find in existence and have to reproduce” (1997: 95). Essentially, men indirectly produce their actual material life by their means of producing subsistence (1997: 95). Unlike Durkheim, who argued that individualism could be maintained through organic solidarity, Marx’s view seems more resigned: ‘life is not determined by consciousness, but consciousness by life’ (1997: 94 Pages: 2 Bibliography: 1 source(s) listed Filename: 22761 precis2.doc Price: 17.90