LEE WAI YAN (L)LEE WAI YAN (L)FATIN KHAIRANI KHAIRUL ‘AZAM FATIN KHAIRANI KHAIRUL ‘AZAM

NUR AINA ABDULLAHNUR AINA ABDULLAHMARYAM AZINUDDINMARYAM AZINUDDIN

NUR EZZATY ASMARANINUR EZZATY ASMARANIRAJA SUNIRA HASLINDA RAJA RAJA SUNIRA HASLINDA RAJA

SULAIMANSULAIMAN

• Conflict theory: power is the core of ALL social Conflict theory: power is the core of ALL social relationships relationships

• Marxism: much like conflict theory but power is Marxism: much like conflict theory but power is gained gained through economics through economics

characterized by an economic struggle characterized by an economic struggle between the haves and have-nots.between the haves and have-nots.

• Alternative to functionalismAlternative to functionalism• Macrosociological theoretical perspectiveMacrosociological theoretical perspective• Resentment and hostility are constant Resentment and hostility are constant

elements of societyelements of society• Power differences among social classes Power differences among social classes • Special Special interest groupsinterest groups fight over scarce fight over scarce

resources of societyresources of societyInterest groups fight to gain advantages over Interest groups fight to gain advantages over

othersothers

• Competition puts society off-balance Competition puts society off-balance until dominant group gains control until dominant group gains control and stability through powerand stability through power

• Karl Marx (1818-1883)Karl Marx (1818-1883)• Humanist: wanted all individuals to reach Humanist: wanted all individuals to reach

their full human potential their full human potential • Believed humans make their own history Believed humans make their own history

((historical method)historical method)Controlling material productionControlling material production division of division of

laborlabor formation of economic social classes formation of economic social classes Class struggleClass struggle

• Trying to combine material and ideal Trying to combine material and ideal factors/ structural and cultural factorsfactors/ structural and cultural factors

• Society was a two-class system:Society was a two-class system:

Bourgeoisie (owners of the means Bourgeoisie (owners of the means of production)of production)

Proletariat (workers)Proletariat (workers)

• Class differences have a lot to do Class differences have a lot to do with possession of personal propertywith possession of personal property

• Believed the exploited would become Believed the exploited would become conscious and uniteconscious and unite communism communism elimination of class struggleelimination of class struggle

• Main ideas behind communism are Main ideas behind communism are stated in stated in the communist manifestothe communist manifesto

• Agreed with Marx (economics played a Agreed with Marx (economics played a central role in power distinction).central role in power distinction).

• Believed in Two other factors:Believed in Two other factors:Social prestige (status)Social prestige (status)

o Example: someone could be poor and still hold a Example: someone could be poor and still hold a lot of power because of social prestige lot of power because of social prestige Mother Mother TheresaTheresa

Political influencePolitical influenceo Example: Politician who has great power, but does Example: Politician who has great power, but does

not earn a big salarynot earn a big salary

• Weber defined Weber defined powerpower as “the ability to impose as “the ability to impose one’s will on another, even when the other one’s will on another, even when the other objects”objects”

• Authority: Authority: legitimate power; used with consent legitimate power; used with consent of the ruledof the ruled

• Distribution of power and authority = basis of Distribution of power and authority = basis of social conflictsocial conflict

• HOWEVER: if subordinates believe in the HOWEVER: if subordinates believe in the authority= avoided conflictauthority= avoided conflict If authority is not recognized as a legitimate= conflictIf authority is not recognized as a legitimate= conflict

• People with power want to keep itPeople with power want to keep it• People w/out power want to seek itPeople w/out power want to seek it• 3 types of authority:3 types of authority:

Rational-legal Rational-legal Traditional Traditional CharismaticCharismatic

• Wanted to develop a Wanted to develop a mathematics of mathematics of societysocietyCollection of statements about human Collection of statements about human

relationships and social behavior relationships and social behavior

• Disagreed with Marx that social classes Disagreed with Marx that social classes are formed horizontallyare formed horizontally

• There are differences in power and There are differences in power and opinions within each group. opinions within each group.

• Concepts and contributions: Concepts and contributions: Rejects organic theoryRejects organic theorySaw society as the sum of individual Saw society as the sum of individual

interactioninteractionThe most important relationship is between The most important relationship is between

leaders and followers, superior and leaders and followers, superior and subordinatessubordinateso Superiordinate and subordinate have a reciprocal Superiordinate and subordinate have a reciprocal

relationshiprelationship

• Believed social action always involves Believed social action always involves harmony and conflict, love and hatred harmony and conflict, love and hatred

• SecrecySecrecy: people who hold secrets are in : people who hold secrets are in a position of power.a position of power.

• Some groups are formed around secrets Some groups are formed around secrets and are known as and are known as secret societiessecret societies are usually in conflict with the greater are usually in conflict with the greater

societysocietyinitiation creates hierarchyinitiation creates hierarchy

• Ideas of Marx, Weber, and Simmel Ideas of Marx, Weber, and Simmel resurfaced in America in the 1950’s resurfaced in America in the 1950’s through two German Sociologists:through two German Sociologists:

Lewis CoserLewis Coser Ralph DahrendorfRalph Dahrendorf

• Defined conflict as “a struggle over Defined conflict as “a struggle over values and claims to scarce status, values and claims to scarce status, power and resources in which the aims power and resources in which the aims of the opponents are to neutralize, of the opponents are to neutralize, injure, or eliminate their rivals.”injure, or eliminate their rivals.”

• Conflicts between intergroups and Conflicts between intergroups and intragroups are part of social lifeintragroups are part of social life

• Conflict is part of relationships and is Conflict is part of relationships and is not necessarily a sign of instabilitynot necessarily a sign of instability

• Conflict serves several functions:Conflict serves several functions: leads to social changeleads to social change can stimulate innovationcan stimulate innovation during times of war threat, can during times of war threat, can

increase central powerincrease central power

• Explored sixteen propositions of Explored sixteen propositions of conflict through functionsconflict through functions

• Thought that conflict= boundaries Thought that conflict= boundaries between different groupsbetween different groups unity unity between individual members of that between individual members of that group and determines boundaries group and determines boundaries of powerof power

• Social order is maintained by force Social order is maintained by force from the topfrom the top

• Tension is constantTension is constant• Extreme social change can happen at Extreme social change can happen at

any timeany time• ““there cannot be conflict unless there cannot be conflict unless

some degreee of consensus has some degreee of consensus has already been established”already been established”

• Once reached, conflict temporarily Once reached, conflict temporarily disappearsdisappears

• Work centered around powerWork centered around power• Several dimensions of inequality (like Several dimensions of inequality (like

Weber)Weber)• Power can be independent from Power can be independent from

economic classeconomic class• Version of conflict theory-closer to Version of conflict theory-closer to

Weber’s than MarxWeber’s than Marx

• Concept of power elite, rather than ruling Concept of power elite, rather than ruling class=difference between Marx and Millsclass=difference between Marx and Mills

• There is a triangle of power:There is a triangle of power: MilitaryMilitary IndustryIndustry PoliticsPoliticso White-collar world kept power elite on topWhite-collar world kept power elite on top

• There are three types of power:There are three types of power:1.1.Authority:Authority: power justified by the beliefs power justified by the beliefs

of the voluntarily obedientof the voluntarily obedient2.2.Manipulation:Manipulation: power wielded unknown power wielded unknown

to the powerlessto the powerless3.3.Coercion:Coercion: the “final” form of power, the “final” form of power,

where the powerless are forced to obey where the powerless are forced to obey the powerfulthe powerful

• ““power and status are fundamental power and status are fundamental relational dimensions at the micro level relational dimensions at the micro level of social interaction and perhaps at the of social interaction and perhaps at the macro level as well” macro level as well”

• Collins believes there are certain goods Collins believes there are certain goods that every group wants to pursuethat every group wants to pursuewealth, power, and prestigewealth, power, and prestige

• ““Concluded that coercion and the Concluded that coercion and the ability to “force” others to behave a ability to “force” others to behave a certain way are the primary basis of certain way are the primary basis of conflict” (p.96)conflict” (p.96)

• Had a Had a stratified stratified approach approach to to conflict that had 3 conflict that had 3 basic principles basic principles and 5 principles of and 5 principles of conflict analysisconflict analysis

Social Structure

Individualactions

• Maintains that what social order does, is Maintains that what social order does, is the result of power elites’ coercion of the result of power elites’ coercion of massesmasses

• Those without power seek social changeThose without power seek social change• Two class system by MarxTwo class system by Marx• Contemporary conflict theorists don’t limit Contemporary conflict theorists don’t limit

power to just economics, but also look at power to just economics, but also look at other issuesother issues

• Three criticisms of conflict theory:Three criticisms of conflict theory: Ignores other ways (i.e. non-forceful Ignores other ways (i.e. non-forceful

ways in which people reach ways in which people reach agreementsagreements

Sides with people who lack powerSides with people who lack power Focuses on economic factors as the Focuses on economic factors as the

sole issue for all conflict in societysole issue for all conflict in societyo This primarily is for Marx’s approach This primarily is for Marx’s approach

• Differences in power are in all types Differences in power are in all types of interactionof interaction

• Power used to be physical, but now, Power used to be physical, but now, it’s legal and economicit’s legal and economic