Social Theories- Description

Slide 1

Social Theory: Conflict

• Theorists:
• Karl Marx, Max Weber, Friedrich Engels, Ludwig
• Gumplowicz, George Simmel
• Focus:
• How social change and development are derived
• from conflict resulting from inequalities and differences in power in any given
• society
• Main Points:
• Society is made
• up of individuals and groups who compete for scarce resources and power.
• Competition is an inherent characteristic of humans. There are
• inequalities between social structures and organisations such as religious
• groups,businesses and government; therefore they each have competing agendas
• and priorities.
• Classes exist
• in society: a wealthy ruling class (bourgeoisie) and a working class
• (proletariat).
• The ruling class derives its power from owning and controlling resources.
• The ruling class,
• which is able to maintain and build upon its resources, gains power and is
• ultimately self-serving in its actions with no intentions of benefiting society
• or others. It uses power to influence society and to suppress and exploit the
• working class.The working
• class supports the ruling class, but because it lacks resources, and therefore power, it is subject to coercion and constraint
• imposed by the ruling class.The struggle
• for power and control of resources reaches a breaking point, at which time revolution will occur and the working class will
• overthrow the ruling class.Sociologist Ian
• Robertson asserts that change is abrupt and convulsive conflict would keep occurring until the working class revolts and
• pushes for change against capitalism.Social theorists have broadened the notion of
• conflict to go beyond class structures so that conflict can now be observed around personal
• morality, religious beliefs, gender and age.