Giddens's analysis of the writings of Marx, Durkheim and Weber has become the
classic text for any student seeking to understand the three thinkers who
established the basic framework of contemporary sociology. The first three
sections of the book, based on close textual examination of the original
sources, contain separate treatments of each writer. The author demonstrates the
internal coherence of their respective contributions to social theory. The
concluding section discusses the principal ways in which Marx can be compared
with the other two authors, and discusses misconceptions of some conventional
views on the subject.