Major perspectives in social science Functionalists observe functions and role of the society and it’s elements .Functions can be of two kinds: Manifest functions and Latent functions. Manifest function is open, stated and conscious functions of social institutions; on the other hand Latent function is the unconscious function of social institution.
Conflict perspective sees the social world in terms of conflict, struggle or tension among competing groups. To the conflict theorists society is not stable; more over there is a continual struggle. But, this conflicts or struggle may or may not be violent. In fact, conflict perspective is based on Marxist thought. In studying any culture, organization, or group conflict thinkers view conflict between distinct interest groups.
The conflict perspective stresses that in order to understand society, we must understand the struggle between groups. To the conflict theorists ,the power groups will always try to maintain their status through manipulation, exploitation and control. Both functionalist perspective and conflict perspective analyze society at the macro level. These approaches attempt to explain society’s wide patterns of behaviour.
The Interactionist perspective uses what we call the bottom up approach. Symbolic interactionists are micro sociologists and they are interested in how people interact with each other, how they act, respond and influence each other in a group setting as well as during face to face communication. Interactionist sociologists have no interest in institutions and structures in the society nor do they formulate a manufactured assumption of consensus and conflict in society. The behaviour of human beings to them is not governed by the system of the society but by social interaction. Humans are influenced by social interactions to such a degree that each interaction brings about a change in perspective, expectations and boundaries of future social interaction.
Therefore, change is a dynamic feature of the society Therefore, change is a dynamic feature of the society. Change is constant and evolutionary and continuous change as opposed to singular conflicts and stable structures is the real nature of society according to interactionist sociologists. Society is created by people who exist and act, in fact society is always in process of being created. The social institutions so revered by functionalist sociologists are merely human creations for the symbolic interactionist.
Marxism and Neo-Marxism Each branch of social science has been influenced by Marxism. In his book Foundations of Modern Sociology, Metta Spencer says,” Marxism means any doctrine that is supposedly derived from the teaching of Karl Marx.” In a word, Marxism is the teaching of Marx or the ideology of Marx.
Some books of Marx: The poverty of Philosophy (1847) The German Ideology (1848) A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy (1859) Das Capital (1867)
Concepts of Marxism Dialectic materialism (thesis # anti-thesis # synthesis) Basic structure and super structure (economy # culture) Class struggle (Struggle between different interest groups in different stages of human history) Surplus value (profit of the owners) Capitalism (revolution due to conflict)
Neo-Marxism is deviation from classical Marxism Neo-Marxism is deviation from classical Marxism. It is a knowledge that turned aside. The new version of Marxism was very much needed for three main reasons. They are: The communist revolutions have not happened where and when Marx predicted that they would. Modern corporations are owned by large numbers of share holders who do not have any say in the management of their ‘ capitalist’ enterprises.
The workers in capitalist society have become richer rather than poorer. In response to these three historical developments, Marxist view of capitalism has changed over the years and new scholars reconstructed the Marxist view, that is labeled as neo-Marxism.