1. Capitalists and workers.
An age-long conflict.
Revolution as the only means of fighting social inequality.
Result of revolution.
According to Karl Marx, social inequality results from the fact that human society is comprised of two basic social classes – capitalists and workers. Capitalists own the means of production that are used to produce wealth, namely plants, factories, equipment etc. Capitalists use workers to enrich themselves by exploiting their work. In other words, they pay them just enough to have an accommodation, food and other necessary things for survival, while the majority of profits goes to capitalists. Marx traced the history of cohabitation of these two classes from ancient times to contemporary society. Although capitalists and workers were named differently, the main idea was always the same – a small group of people who owned the means of production used work of the major part of society to their benefit. Marx did not believe that there was a peaceful way of resolution of this situation. Consequently, the only efficient means of transforming society completely was revolution guided by the working class. Marx foresaw that as capitalists grew richer and workers grew poorer, the working class would finally develop a class consciousness leading to a global revolution. Following the revolution, workers would become the owners of the means of production, as it should be. Marx believed that the only way to fight social inequality was to give everybody equal access to wealth.
2. Basic elements of McDonaldization:
efficiency;
calculability;
predictability;
control.
McDonaldization in education.
Personal example.
According to George Ritzer, the four basic elements of McDonaldization are efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. Fast-food restaurants, in general, and McDonald’s, in particular, are efficient means of satisfying hunger. It is also easier and faster to eat in a fast-food restaurant than spend time for coming home, preparing meals and finally eating. In addition, at McDonald’s, every step of the cooking process, order acceptance, servicing etc. is predesigned and free of surprises. Every worker at McDonald’s knows exactly what to do and how, and performs all working duties almost automatically, thus saving time for the clients. This contributes to the general efficiency of the working process. As far as calculability is concerned, it means that every aspect of products, i.e. their size, cost etc., is calculated. People value quantity and quality equally. Thus, they know what they will get at McDonald’s whenever they go there. In terms of predictability, customers always know what kind of product they will get, and these products do not change irrespective of the time, place or other factors. Control is maintained with the help of a limited menu, lines, and uncomfortable environment contributing to fast consumption and leaving place for other customers.
McDonaldization has penetrated many spheres of human activity. For example, education has become a standardized process that cares more about the number of students caused by financial purposes rather than quality of studying. I have noticed that my friends care more about their grades than knowledge because their teachers often demand fast accomplishment of tasks according to a set procedure as compared to a creative performance of the same tasks.
