What is conflict theory? Explain.?

Question

all i know is that it states that social groups have their own interests. Is that ture?

Answer 1

In sociology, conflict theory states that the society or organization functions so that each individual participant and its groups struggle to maximize their benefits, which inevitably contributes to social change such as changes in politics and revolutions. The theory is mostly applied to explain conflict between social classes, proletarian versus bourgeoisie; and in ideologies such as capitalism versus socialism. The theory attempts to refute functionalism, which considers that societies and organizations function so that each individual and group plays a specific role, like organs in the body. There are radical basic assumptions (society is eternally in conflict, which might explain social change), or moderate ones (custom and conflict are always mixed). The moderate version allows for functionalism to operate as an equally acceptable theory since it would accept that even negative social institutions play a part in society's self-perpetuation.

The essence of conflict theory is best epitomized by the classic 'pyramid structure' in which an elite dictates terms to the larger masses. All major institutions, laws, and traditions in the society are designed to support those who have traditionally been in power, or the groups that are perceived to be superior in the society according to this theory. This can also be expanded to include any society's 'morality' and by extension their definition of deviance. Anything that challenges the control of the elite will likely be considered 'deviant' or 'morally reprehensible.' The theory can be applied on both the macro level (like the US government or Soviet Russia, historically) or the micro level (a church organization or school club). In summary, conflict theory seeks to catalogue the ways in which those in power seek to stay in power.

In understanding conflict theory, social class competition plays a key part.

The following are four primary assumptions of modern conflict theory:

1. Competition. Competition over scarce resources (money, leisure, sexual partners, and so on) is at the heart of all social relationships. Competition rather than consensus is characteristic of human relationships.
2. Structural inequality. Inequalities in power and reward are built into all social structures. Individuals and groups that benefit from any particular structure strive to see it maintained.
3. Revolution. Change occurs as a result of conflict between social class' competing interests rather than through adaptation. It is often abrupt and revolutionary rather than evolutionary.
4. War. Even war is a unifier of the societies involved, as well as war may set an end to whole societies.

Conflict theory was elaborated in the United Kingdom by Max Gluckman and John Rex, in the United States by Lewis A. Coser and Randall Collins, and in Germany by Ralf Dahrendorf, all of them being less or more influenced by Karl Marx, Ludwig Gumplovicz, Vilfredo Pareto, Georg Simmel, and other founding fathers of European sociology.

Answer 2

It is one of the 3 main theories of Society (Functionalism, Conflict Perspective or Conflict Theory, and Symbolic Interaction). It is social patterns explained by the power difference between different groups of people. And it rejects the assumption of commonly held values and goals. Examples would be like minimum wage arguments, or abortion, or outsourcing.

Answer 3

See, it's natural for humans to form groups, social groups, but in making that social group strong, the must make stronger distictions on who is in the group and who is not, and what resources go to what group - they love definition. This in it self explains a lot of racism, bigotry, and primal wars over natural resources.... but it also extends further into abstract resources. You can't practice medicine in America without being licenced as a doctor- being part of the doctor in-group- and to protect their resources (sick people)- they've lobbied for laws that make it illegal for people not in their group to take these resources...

Of course, people don't think conciously like this, but it's a discription of a phenomon you can see on many different levels.