Conflict Theory Introduction

1. Conflict Theory Introduction Theoretical Roots 1. Marx and Weber – Coercion not consensus is what maintains social order. 2. Marx saw a two tier system of Proletariat and Bourgeoisie struggling for control of the means of economic production. 3.Weber – agreed in the importance of wealth, but argued that power and status were of equal importance. 4. Both saw different groups in conflict over social scarcities.

2. Resurgence • 60’s open social conflict • Functionalism, based on stability, equilibrium, and consensus did not fit the relevant social conditions • The “two faces” of society, integration theory (rulers) and coercion theory (ruled). • Society is an entity that is in a constant state of change • Change results from social conflict and dissent.

3. Traditional Views on Society • Power is a zero sum game • those with power dominate and control the powerless. • Those with power set to establish a social structure that helps them maintain control • Authority positions are widely distributed in society and people only have power in some of them. • President Corp v. family reunion • In a real sense, functionalists are utopian. • The Functionalists present a society with the absence of power struggles (or conflict)

4. Ralf Dahrendorf The central questioned of social thought: How do societies adhere? 1. Two well established positions: Utopians (believed in Functional Theory of Society coherence by consensus) Rationalists (coherence Conflict Theory of Society by constraint and domination) 2. The conflict between the two positions is long. • Aristotle vs. Plato, Hobbes vs. Rousseau, Kant vs. Hegel and as time goes on the debate has intensified.

5. The Need for Conflict Theory • Unless you believes that all philosophical arguments are irrelevant, the debate was exposed the fundamental alternatives of knowledge, moral and political orientation. • Utopians are represented by the Functional theory of society • Rationalists are represented by the conflict theory of society • The two positions are mutually exclusive in most fields and people, but not is sociology. • One criticism of Parsons: Parsons is not aware of the rationalists conception of society, • how can functionalism explain daily conflict and disequilibria in society?

6. Functionalist vs. Conflict Theories Functionalism • Every society is relatively persistent, stable structure of elements. • Every society is a well integrated structure of elements. • Every element in a society has a function. (i.e. contributes to the maintenance). • Every function in the social structure is based on a consensus of values between members.

7. FUNCTIONALIST PRINCIPLES • Stability • Integration • Functional Coordination • Consensus • How can the theory explain a situation where an employee starts a strike that leads to a general revolt against the society?

8. Conflict Theory • Society is at every point subject to the processes of change. Change is everywhere. • Society displays at every point dissensus and conflict. Conflict is everywhere. • All components in a society contributes to its disintegration and change. • Society is based on coercion of some membership by others.

9. CONFLICT THEORY PRINCIPLES Change Conflict Disintegration Coercion

10. Dahrendorf’s Conflict Theory • Relations of authority become productive of clashes of role interest. • Leading to the formation of organized antagonistic groups within social organizations and societies.

11. Power and Authority • Certain people are entrusted with the right to exercise effective coercion over others. • there is a differential distribution of power and authority • In society and social associations • The central thesis is that the distribution of authority invariably becomes the determining factor of system social conflicts.

12. Power • Power is the probability that one actor within a social relationship will be in a position to carry out his/her will despite the resistance of others, regardless of the base of power. • power is essentially tried to the personality of the individual.

13. Bases of Power • Reward • The power person controls the positive and/or negative reinforcements for the target person(s). • Coercive • The power person controls the punishments feared by the target person(s). • Legitimate • The target believes the power person has the justifiable right to demand the performance of certain behaviors from the target. • Referent • The power person derives power from the respect or admiration the target has for the power person. • Expert • The power person has power over the target because of some special knowledge or expertise.

14. Authority • Authority is the probability that a command, with a specific content, will be obeyed by a given group of people. • authority is always associated with the social position (status). • Dahrendorf is only concerned in his presentation with authority • authority alone is part of the social structure, and therefore permits systematic development of group conflict.

15. The Nature of Authority • Authority always produces structure conflicts in all societies because: • Authority relations are always relations of super and subordination. • The super ordinate is expected to control the subordinate. • Expectation are attached to status positions rather than the character of the individual. • Authority relations specify the persons subject to control and the spheres within which control is permissible. • In all socialized relations, there is a duty to obey. • Since the authority relations are legitimate, non-compliance results in negative sanctions. • The function of the legal system to support the exercise of legitimate authority.

16. Conflict in Associations • An association is the coordination of organized aggregates of roles into domination and subjection categories. • Conflict analysis investigates the generation of conflict groups by the authority relations generated in imperatively coordinated associations. • Are domination and subjection roles of authority relation a common feature of all forms of associations and organizations? • Everyone takes part in a large number of different authority relations of imperatively coordinated associations and all authority relations are two sided; domination/subjection. • In some associations we are dominant but in others we are subjugated.

17. Conflict in Associations (cont.) • In conflict analysis the unit of analysis is always a specific association and the dichotomy of positions within the association. • Authority is a zero sum concept, not power! • No matter how subtle the distribution there is always the line between those that have authority (no matter how little), and those who do not.

18. Elites and Ruling Classes • Elites are those in society who represent the dominant group in any given imperatively coordinated association. • In general the number in the subordinate group is always larger than the number in the super ordinate group. • However, for post industrial society the number of people clearly subjected to authority in imperatively coordinated association decreases with time. • Ruling groups are no more than ruling groups within defined associations.

19. Elites and Ruling Classes (cont.) • There may be conflict between the ruling groups of different associations, in this context the expression “ruling class” is misleading. • The upper structure of society is not necessarily the ruling conflict group.

20. Masses and the Suppressed • The masses (those without authority) are not unorganized or without effective force. Three generalizations can be made about the masses: • Not necessary the majority of an association • Members are not necessarily connected by like culture • Feminist Movement • Existence is related to a particular association

21. The Structure of Power in AmericabyC. Wright Mills • The basic problem of power • Who is making the decisions • Today, power means the manipulation of consent • Today, power is employed without the reason or conscious of the obedient

22. Three Types of Power • Authority • Power that is justified by the beliefs of the voluntarily obedient • Manipulation • Power that operates without the awareness of the powerless • Coercion • Power that operates through the use of threats of punishment for non-compliance (fear)

23. The Modern World • The majority have lost faith in traditional loyalties • They are not radical • They are not liberal • They are not conservative • Today the majority are inactionary! • Idiots • Altogether private people

24. History and Society • Throughout history • A few men have been so placed that their decisions modify the milieu of many other men • A constant thread • History is marked by the continual concentration and centralization of the means of power • Economic, political, and military • Today • The concentration is so great that a very few men (elites) can control the fate of the worlds people

25. Three Tiers of Power • The Power Elite • Decisions of national and international consequence • The triangle of power • Military-industrial complex • A joining of the high military, the corporate executives, and the political directorate • The power elite of America

26. The Power Elite • Since WWII the economy has become dominated by a few hundred corporations • The Walmartization of America • Inter-related with the military and the political spheres of social structure • The corporate man and the military one have forced the purely political into subordination • Today there is an ascendancy of the corporate man in politics and the military • Creating a permanent War Economy in America

27. The Power Elite (cont.) • The permanent military threat has led to the dominance of the military view of reality (the global economy) • Political and economic action is now judged in terms of military definitions (the global market place) • The reason for the military domination • America does not have the suitable agencies for a democratic handling of international affairs

28. 2. Mid-Level Elite • A common interpretation of the American power structure • Competing interests groups • Veto groups • The conception is in accord with the folklore of how American democracy works • The politician as broker between competing interests

29. Mid-level Elite (cont.) • Involved in the moderate to minor decisions that affect everyday life • Price of milk, minimum wage, electricity costs • Represented by local politicians, business leaders, and community patriots • Senators, Representatives, farmers, and labor unions are generally in the middle tier of power • Mid-level powers react rather than lead! ______________________________________ • Not the international affairs • Not the decisions that rock the lives of the masses

30. 3. The Masses • The third tier of power in America • The influence of the masses continues to decrease in proportion to the centralization of power • The masses have become mere markets for the elites and mid-level powers • Each person thinks things out, formulates an opinion, and then adds a voice to the “great chorus”

31. The Masses (cont.) • In theory and folklore • People are presented with problems • Discussion ensue • People formulate viewpoints • The viewpoints are organized • The organized viewpoints compete • One viewpoint “wins out” • People act on the basis of the winning viewpoint or their representatives are instructed to act • The desired action takes place • The above mythical image of democracy is still used by the power elite as justification for power in America.

32. The Problem with the Mythical Conception of American Democracy • The issues that shape lives are neither raised nor decided by any public at large • Free associations in America can, and are smashed or weakened by mass media denigration (Femi-Nazi) • Many forces work to destroy the public will • Mass media of distraction • Government sponsored, supported, or ignored terror • Organized fanatics in search of the “disloyal” • The public lose the will for decision making because they lack the instruments for decision • “The president must know more than we do!”

33. The Masses and America • For such a mythical image of American Democracy to be real requires: • The open and free flow of information and knowledge on inter-national and national issues • Nationally responsible political parties that openly debate (disagree on) the issues of the nation • Intelligentsia that make information concrete and relevant to the national issues • That the force of law be on the side of the publics freedom, rather than the corporations freedom • Unless these exist there are no vehicles for the exertion of a public will.