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Conflict theories revolve around the question of scarce resources. Analyze this assertion with reference to at least three conflict theories of your choice and the African context.
Introduction
In the current theory of conflict, it is useful to understand four main hypotheses: skills, revolution, structural inequalities and war (Kotz, 2017). For example, conflict theorists consider that the relationship between the owner of a real estate complex and a tenant is based primarily on conflict rather than balance or harmony, although there may be more harmony than of conflict. They believe that they are defined by getting the resources they can from each other.
In the example above, the limited resources that may contribute to conflicts between tenants and the owner of the complex include limited space in the complex, a limited number of units, the amount that tenants pay for rent, and so on. . In the end, conflict theorists see this as a conflict over these resources. The owner of the complex, as friendly as it is, seeks above all to occupy as many apartments as possible to earn the maximum of his rent. This can lead to conflicts between housing complexes, renters seeking to move into an apartment, and so on. On the other side of the conflict, tenants are looking for the best apartment possible at the lowest rent.
This example shows that conflict can be inherent to all types of relationships, including those that do not seem antagonistic on the surface. It also shows that even a simple scenario can lead to multiple levels of conflict (in this case, between tenants and the owner, the owner and the competing owners of other complexes, and between renters seeking to move into a home. apartment, for example.).
Aspects of Conflict theory
The history of conflict theory goes back to thinkers like Machiavelli or Thomas Hobbes, who viewed humanity with cynicism (Haveman and Wettz, 2019). In its current form, conflict theory attempts to refute the functionalist approach, which considers that societies and organizations function in such a way that each individual and group plays a specific role, just like the organs of the body. There are radical basic assumptions (society is eternally in conflict, which could explain social change), or moderate (custom and conflict always mingle). The moderate version allows functionalism to function as an equally acceptable theory, as it would accept that even negative social institutions play a role in society’s self-perpetuation.
The essence of conflict theory is best summed up in the classical “pyramidal structure” in which an elite dictates the terms to the most important masses. All social structures, laws, and major social traditions are designed to support those who have always been in power, or groups perceived as superior in society according to this theory. Conflict theorists would argue that all groups in society are born of conflict (Kotz, 2017). An example might be the workers’ unions, which are developed to fight for the interests of the workers, while the commercial organizations are forced to fight for the interests of the rich classes. This group theory is opposed to the functionalism in which each of these groups plays a specific and determined role in society. In functionalism, these groups cooperate for the benefit of society, while in conflict theory groups oppose each other with the aim of improving their masters.
Those who have wealth are interested in maintaining and expanding what they have, while those with little or no wealth are interested in it, it is better to try to improve their lot in life. (Kotz, 2017). This can also be extended to include the morality of any society and, by extension, its definition of deviation. Anything that challenges the control of the elite will likely be considered “deviant” or “morally wrong”. The theory can be applied either at the macro level (as in the United States Government or in Soviet Russia, historically), or at the micro level (an ecclesial organization or a school club). In summary, conflict theory seeks to identify the means by which power holders seek to stay in power (Kotz, 2017, Littlewood, 2016).
• The competition
Conflict theorists believe that competition is a constant and sometimes overwhelming factor in almost all human relationships and interactions. Competition results from scarce resources, including physical resources such as money, property, commodities, and so on. Beyond material resources, individuals and groups in a society are also competing for intangible resources. These can include free time, domination, social status, sexual partners and many other factors. Conflict theorists assume that competition is the default rather than cooperation.
• Revolution
Given the hypothesis of conflict theorists that conflicts arise between social classes, one of the results of this conflict is revolution. The idea is that the change of power between groups does not result from adaptation. On the contrary, it is presented as the effect of conflict between these groups. In this way, changes in a power dynamic are often abrupt and large-scale, rather than gradual and evolutionary.
• Structural Inequality
An important assumption of conflict theory is that human relationships and social structures all experience inequalities of power. In this way, some individuals and groups inherently develop more power and reward than others. Following from this, those individuals and groups that benefit from a particular structure of society tend to work to maintain those structures so as to retain and enhance their power.
• War
Conflict theorists tend to see war as either a unifier or as a cleanser of societies. In conflict theory, war is the result of cumulative and growing conflict between individuals and groups and between whole societies. In the context of war, a society may become unified in some ways, but conflict still remains between multiple societies. On the other hand, war may also result in the wholesale end of a society.
Theorists
• Karl Marx
The theory of conflict, suggested by Karl Marx, states that society is in perpetual conflict because of competition for limited resources (Kotz, 2017). He argues that social order is maintained by dominance and power, instead of consensus and conformity. According to the theory of conflict, those with wealth and power try to cling to it in every possible way, mainly by suppressing the poor and helpless. A basic principle of conflict theory is that individuals and groups in a society work to maximize their own benefits. Conflict theory has been used to explain a wide range of social phenomena, including wars and revolutions, wealth and poverty, discrimination and domestic violence. He attributes most of the fundamental developments in human history, such as democracy and civil rights, to capitalist attempts to control the masses rather than to a desire for social order. The theory focuses on the concepts of social inequality in the division of resources and focuses on the conflicts that exist between classes. Many types of conflict can be described using conflict theory. Some theorists, including Marx, believe that the inherent social conflicts lead to the change and development of society.
Marx’s theory of conflict focused on the conflict between two primary classes. Each class is made up of a group of people linked by mutual interests and a degree of ownership of the property, often supported by the state. The bourgeoisie represents the members of society who possess the majority of wealth and means. The proletariat includes those who are considered as workers or poor. With the rise of capitalism, Marx theorized that the bourgeoisie, a minority within the population, would use its influence to oppress the proletariat, the majority class. This way of thinking is linked to a common image associated with societal models based on conflict theory; Proponents of this philosophy tend to believe in a “pyramidal” arrangement in which a small group of elites dictate, because of excessive control over resources and power, the general terms and conditions of most societies.
Karl Marx argued that property is defended by the state, turning its ownership struggles into political struggles between landlords and tenants, capitalists and workers, as well as other groups. Material conditions determine the ability of one or other of these groups to organize themselves politically effectively (Haveman and Wetz, 2019). These material conditions are also those that allow a group to make its views known to other members of society. Owners clearly having an advantage in terms of material wealth, their opinions are more easily disseminated. For Marx, the conflict appears clearly because all that is of value for the man results from the human work. According to Marx, the capitalists exploit the workers for their work and do not share the fruits of this work equally. This exploitation is what allows the possessing classes to dominate politically and impose their ideology on the workers of the world.
It was predicted that the inequality of distribution within the theory of conflict would be maintained by the ideological constraint, in which the bourgeoisie would force the proletariat to accept current conditions (Littlewood, 2016). The idea is that the elite establish systems of laws, traditions, and other social structures to further support their own domain while preventing others from joining its ranks. Marx also believed that since the working class and the poor were subject to a deterioration of the situation, a collective consciousness would highlight inequalities and could potentially lead to revolt. If the conditions were then adjusted to meet the concerns of the proletariat, the conflict circle would end up repeating itself.
Max Weber
Max Weber adopted many aspects of Marx’s conflict theory and refined the idea. Weber thought that the property dispute was not limited to a specific scenario. Rather, he thought that there were several levels of conflict at one time and in each society (Littlewood, 2016). While Marx exposed his vision of conflict as the opponent of the owners and workers, Weber also added an emotional element to his ideas about the conflict.
Weber’s beliefs about conflict go far beyond Marx’s, as they suggest that certain forms of social interaction, including conflict, generate beliefs and solidarity among individuals and groups within a society. In this way, an individual’s responses to inequality may be different depending on the groups he / she is associated with, depending on whether or not he / she perceives that people in power are legitimate, and so on. Weber also included an emotional aspect of the conflict:
It is these that underlie the power of religion and make it an important ally of the state; that transform classes into status groups, and do the same to territorial communities under particular circumstances (ethnicity); and that make “legitimacy” a crucial focus for efforts at domination.
Weber’s conclusions on conflict theory are similar to those reached by thinkers such as Emile Durkheim, Sigmund Freud, and Nietzsche, namely that beyond emotionality, some particular forms of social interaction create strongly held beliefs and solidarity among members of groups.
Feminist conflict theory
Feminists have used conflict theory to explain the position of women in society. Feminist conflict theorists argue that women have traditionally been oppressed so that men can benefit from positions of power, wealth and status. These theorists would argue that the conflict over limited natural resources is what led men to relegate women to domesticity. This interpretation of conflict theory also leads to the idea that men can not be trusted to empower women because this gift would conflict with their inherent nature (Littlewood, 2016).
conclusion
According to the perspective of the conflict, society is constantly in conflict over resources, and that conflict drives social change (Kotz, 2017). For example, conflict theorists could explain the civil rights movements of the 1960s by studying how activists challenged the unequal racial distribution of political power and economic resources. As in this example, conflict theorists generally see social change as abrupt, even revolutionary, rather than incremental. In the perspective of the conflict, the change takes place through the conflict between interests in conflict, not by consensus or adaptation. Conflict theory, therefore, provides sociologists with a framework for explaining social change, thus addressing one of the problems with the functionalist perspective. As expected, the theory of conflict has been criticized for its focus on change and the abandonment of social stability. Some critics acknowledge that societies are in a state of constant change, but point out that much of the change is minor or incremental, not revolutionary (Stone and Rizova, 2015). For example, many modern capitalist states have avoided a communist revolution and, instead, instituted elaborate programs of social services. Although conflict theorists often focus on social change, in fact, they have also developed a theory to explain social stability. According to the perspective of the conflict, inequalities in power and reward are integrated into all social structures. Individuals and groups that benefit from any particular structure strive to see it maintained. For example, the rich can struggle to maintain their privileged access to higher education through opposing measures that expand access, such as affirmative action or public financing.
References
Kotz, D.M., 2017. Social structure of accumulation theory, Marxist theory, and system transformation. Review of Radical Political Economics, 49(4), pp.534-542.
Haveman, H.A. and Wetts, R., 2019. Organizational theory: From classical sociology to the 1970s. Sociology Compass, 13(3), p.e12627.
Stone, J. and Rizova, P.S., 2015. Conflict. The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Nationalism, pp.1-4.
Littlewood, B., 2016. Feminist perspectives on sociology. Routledge.
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