1. By: Erin Lepird, Sicily Canny, Mago Saldana
Conflict Theory
By: Erin Lepird, Sicily Canny, Mago Saldana

2. Conflict theory vs Marxism
Conflict theory: power is the core of ALL social relationships
Marxism: much like conflict theory but power is gained through economics
Characterized by an economic struggle between the haves and have-nots.

3. Conflict Theory Alternative to functionalism
Macrosociological theoretical perspective
Resentment and hostility are constant elements of society
Power differences among social classes
Special interest groups fight over scarce resources of society
Interest groups fight to gain advantages over others

4. Conflict Theory (Cont’d)
Competition puts society off-balance until dominant group gains control and stability through power

5. Influences Karl Marx (1818-1883)
Humanist: wanted all individuals to reach their full human potential
Believed humans make their own history (historical method)
Controlling material production division of labor formation of economic social classes Class struggle
Trying to combine material and ideal factors/ structural and cultural factors

6. Marx (cont’d) Society was a two-class system:
Bourgeoisie (owners of the means of production)
Proletariat (workers)

7. Marx (cont’d)
Class differences have a lot to do with possession of personal property
Believed the exploited would become conscious and unite communism  elimination of class struggle
Main ideas behind communism are stated in the communist manifesto

8. Max Weber ( )
Agreed with Marx (economics played a central role in power distinction).
Believed in Two other factors:
Social prestige (status)
Example: someone could be poor and still hold a lot of power because of social prestige  Mother Theresa
Political influence
Example: Politician who has great power, but does not earn a big salary

9. Max Weber (cont’d)
Weber defined power as “the ability to impose one’s will on another, even when the other objects” (p. 72 CST)
Authority: legitimate power; used with consent of the ruled
Distribution of power and authority = basis of social conflict
HOWEVER: if subordinates believe in the authority= avoided conflict
If authority is not recognized as a legitimate= conflict

10. Max Weber (cont’d) People with power want to keep it
People w/out power want to seek it
3 types of authority:
Rational-legal
Traditional
charismatic

11. Georg Simmel (1858-1918) Wanted to develop a mathematics of society
Collection of statements about human relationships and social behavior
Disagreed with Marx that social classes are formed horizontally
There are differences in power and opinions within each group.

12. Georg Simmel (1858-1918) Concepts and contributions:
Rejects organic theory
Saw society as the sum of individual interaction
The most important relationship is between leaders and followers, superior and subordinates
Superiordinate and subordinate have a reciprocal relationship

13. Georg Simmel ( )
Believed social action always involves harmony and conflict, love and hatred (p.74)
Secrecy: people who hold secrets are in a position of power.
Some groups are formed around secrets and are known as secret societies
are usually in conflict with the greater society
Initiation creates hierarchy

14. Modern Conflict Theory
Ideas of Marx, Weber, and Simmel resurfaced in America in the 1950’s through two German Sociologists:
Lewis Coser
Ralph Dahrendorf

15. Lewis Coser ( )
Defined conflict as “a struggle over values and claims to scarce status, power and resources in which the aims of the opponents are to neutralize, injure, or eliminate their rivals.”
Conflicts between intergroups and intragroups are part of social life

16. Lewis Coser ( )
Conflict is part of relationships and is not necessarily a sign of instability
Conflict serves several functions:
Leads to social change
Can stimulate innovation
During times of war threat, can increase central power

17. Lewis Coser ( )
Explored sixteen propositions of conflict through functions
Thought that conflict= boundaries between different groups unity between individual members of that group and determines boundaries of power

18. Ralf Dahrendorf (1929- )
Social order is maintained by force from the top
Tension is constant
Extreme social change can happen at any time
“there cannot be conflict unless some degreee of consensus has already been established” (p. 89)
Once reached, conflict temporarily disappears

19. C. Wright Mills (1916-1962) Work centered around power
Several dimensions of inequality (like Weber)
Power can be independent from economic class
Version of conflict theory-closer to Weber’s than Marx

20. C. Wright Mills ( )
Concept of power elite, rather than ruling class=difference between Marx and Mills
There is a triangle of power:
Military
Industry
Politics
White-collar world kept power elite on top

21. C. Wright Mills (1916-1962) There are three types of power:
Authority: power justified by the beliefs of the voluntarily obedient
Manipulation: power wielded unknown to the powerless
Coercion: the “final” form of power, where the powerless are forced to obey the powerful

22. Randall Collins (1941- )
“power and status are fundamental relational dimensions at the micro level of social interaction and perhaps at the macro level as well” (p. 96)
Collins believes there are certain goods that every group wants to pursue
Wealth, power, and prestige
“Concluded that coercion and the ability to “force” others to behave a certain way are the primary basis of conflict” (p.96)

23. Randall Collins (1941- )
Had a stratified approach to conflict that had 3 basic principles and 5 principles of conflict analysis

24. Relevancy
Maintains that what social order does, is the result of power elites’ coercion of masses
Those without power seek social change
Two class system by Marx
Contemporary conflict theorists don’t limit power to just economics, but also look at other issues

25. Relevancy (cont’d) Three criticisms of conflict theory:
Ignores other ways (i.e. non-forceful ways in which people reach agreements
Sides with people who lack power
Focuses on economic factors as the sole issue for all conflict in society
This primarily is for Marx’s approach

26. Relevancy (cont’d)
Differences in power are in all types of interaction
Power used to be physical, but now, it’s legal and economic