Sociology 303
Sociological Theory
Fall 2003
Dr. Scott Schaffer

First Paper Assignment – Marx and Freedom

Due Date: This paper is due on Tues Sep 30/2003 at the start of class. No late papers will be accepted without a convincing reason provided in advance of the due date and time or without compelling evidence.

Criteria: This paper is to be a minimum of 3 (three) full and complete pages; there is no maximum length for the paper, so you should write until your paper is fully developed. Your paper must be typewritten, double-spaced, on 8 1/2” by 11” paper in 10- or 12-point font with 1 1/4” left and right margins and 1” top and bottom. Your paper must have a cover page, on which a creative title (“First Paper Assignment” is simply not creative enough), your name, the topic number to which you’re responding, and any other pertinent information should appear; your name should not appear anywhere else in the paper. Your paper must be spell- and grammar-checked; papers that have copious errors will be lose two full letter grades, and may be returned for editing; if it is returned, you have up to three calendar days to make revisions, and after that, your paper will not be accepted.

You should follow all guidelines in the “How to Write a Schaffer Paper” handout. And finally, no direct quotations are permitted in this paper, and no outside sources are permitted (including Giddens or my lecture notes); any materials you use to support your argument must be paraphrased in your own words and page-cited following the guidelines in the paper-writing handout.

Assignment: You are to develop an argument in response to one of the two following topics. Ensure that your paper is not limited to a recitation of the writings of Marx or my lectures, but that you use those materials to develop an argument that clearly expresses your thoughts on the matter and clearly responds to all the issues in each topic.

Please note that each paper contains an outline within it. You should not think of the latter two questions as “one sentence” questions; rather, your response to them should be an argumentative statement supported by paraphrased evidence from the book. In any case, be sure to fully explicate your reasoning behind the claims you make and to provide all the material that went into your thought process.

The Topics:

1. Using Berlin’s notion of negative liberty as a filter, develop Marx’s argument about the state of freedom in American society today. Then, extend Marx’s ideas to discuss the benefits and detriments of this state of freedom for the individuals living in our society. Finally, use these materials to develop a clear, direct, and well-evinced response to this question:

To what extent would the social order have to change in order to bring about Marx’s ideal version of negative liberty?

2. Using Berlin’s notion of positive freedom as a filter, develop Marx’s argument about the state of freedom in American society today. Then, extend Marx’s ideas to discuss the benefits and detriments of this state of freedom for the individuals living in our society. Finally, use these materials to develop a clear, direct, and well-evinced response to this question:

To what extent would the social order have to change in order to bring about Marx’s ideal version of positive freedom?