INVITATION TO LAW
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What is the main argument? What are some of the terms used in this work, and what do they mean in this context? Who are the people, and what are the social and legal institutions involved in this work? What does this work tell me about the sociological field? What are the methods involved in the making of this work? What questions do I have about the subject matter, the methods, or the analysis of this work?
The idea that different society types coincide with or produce different law types is a foundational component of society’s framework and law. Still, it is at odds with generally held viewpoints of laws’ perfection (Calavita, 2016). Laws shifted away from dealing with individuals as members with specific status and members of particular clans to dealing with people with specific contracts, rights, and obligations, coinciding with this social organization development. The historical change forces and the fundamental societal structures are founded on the concept of superstructures and bases. The economic system of a society in this model forms its foundation where the social institutions and culture rested, creating its superstructures. The work was interested in the essential transformations occurring in societies with the invention of capitalism. His analysis of contemporary societies concentrated on the rationalization concept. With such differences, the society cannot be reflected united by a strong collective conscience. Also, there are identity politics and political correctness that have become prominent issues throughout society (Calavita, 2016). There are significant contradictions at the heart of nationalist discourses since they started the objective existence of a country that never corresponded to its presumed members’ subjective identifications.
Some of the terms used in this work are rationalization, Calvinism, capitalism, and rationality. Laws become more functionally insulated from other institutions like politics or religion in the rationalization process and are thus more independent. Capitalism is a political and economic system where industry and trade of society are under the control of private owners for profits instead of society. Capitalism has its dynamic that results in instability and increasing pressure on civil society and the political sphere. Calvinism is a Protestantism branch that follows the Christian practice forms and theological traditions established by John Calvin.
Each society can be analyzed using a functional framework where different groups work together for the mutual and collective benefit or a conflict framework. The interaction between groups is marked by tension, oppression, and exploitation, eventually leading to conflict (Calavita, 2016). The reality is somewhere in between, whereas Marxism is a conflict framework that analyzes how the bourgeoisie class exploited the proletariat class for their political and economic benefits. It is useful for understanding profit-seeking corporations, which, by definition, were trying to maximize the economic self-interest of their shareholders at the expense of others. For Karl Marx, the historical change forces and the fundamental social structures were founded on the concept of superstructures and bases. In this model, the economic system of society forms its foundation where the social institutions and culture rested, creating its superstructures. For Karl, economic production mode determined family form, political systems, laws, and cultures of society and, most notably, its typical forms of struggles or conflicts (Calavita, 2016). He confirmed that all components of structures of societies depended on their economic systems. Karl viewed economic conflicts in societies as the primary means of change.
A functional society was focused on the essential interconnectivity of all of its components. Society was greater than the sum of its parts. Personal behaviors were not similar to collective behaviors, and assessing collective behaviors was quite different from exploring individuals’ actions (Calavita, 2016). Societies acted like external restraints on personal behaviors. The shared attitudes, beliefs, and morals of society were referred to as the collective consciousness. The strength of ties that individuals have to the social groups and social integration were critical factors in social life.
References
Calavita, K. (2016). Invitation to law and society: An introduction to the study of real law. University of Chicago Press.