Work, Labor, and Vocation in Classical Sociological Theory

Abstract Work and labor-related inquiry were foundational in the emergence of early social theory. This chapter focuses on several key figures in the development of early sociological theory—particularly Auguste Comte (1798–1857), Herbert Spencer (1820–1903), Émile Durkheim (1858–1917), and Max Weber (1864–1920)—emphasizing the link in their writings between theories of work and theories of religion. The chapter introduces certain key concepts in the sociological lexicon, which were developed in close connection with early social theories of work. A primary goal of the chapter is to show how early sociological concepts, developed in tandem with theories of work, are grounded in divergent understandings of social reality and social science.