Conflict
Theory
The conflict theory, suggested by Karl Marx, claims society is in a state of perpetual conflict
because of competition for limited resources. It holds that social order
is maintained by domination and power, rather than consensus and conformity.
According to conflict theory, those with wealth and power try to hold on to it by any means
possible, chiefly by suppressing the poor and powerless. A basic premise of
conflict theory is that individuals and groups within society will work to
maximize their own benefits.
KEY
TAKEAWAYS
- Conflict theory focuses on the competition between groups within society over limited resources.
- Conflict theory views
social and economic institutions as tools of the struggle between groups
or classes, used to maintain inequality and the dominance of the ruling
class.
- Marxist conflict
theory sees society as divided along lines of economic class between the
proletarian working class and the bourgeois ruling class.
- Later versions of conflict theory look at other
dimensions of conflict among capitalist factions and between various
social, religious, and other types of groups.
Understanding
Conflict Theory
The conflict theory has been used to explain a wide range of social
phenomena, including wars and revolutions, wealth and poverty, discrimination
and domestic violence. It ascribes most of the fundamental developments in human history, such as democracy and civil rights, to capitalistic attempts to control the masses rather than to a desire for social order.
The theory revolves around concepts of social inequality in the division of resources and focuses on the conflicts that exist between classes.
Many types of conflicts can be described using conflict theory. Some theorists, including Marx, believe that inherent societal conflict drives change and development in society.
Comments
Post a Comment