Premises of Conflict approach and Marxian legacy, Functions of Conflict: Lewis Coser, Dialectics of Conflict: Ralf Dahrendorf

1. CONFLICT THEORY

2. • Conflict- struggle over scarce resources, over value, in
which the aim of the conflicting party is to injure,
eliminate or neutralise the other party.
• Conflict theory emerged as a reaction or alternative to
structural functionalism; macro sociological perspective
• Superseded by a variety of Neo-Marxian theories
• Also has other roots, such as Marxism and Weberian
theory and Simmel’s work on social conflict

3. • 1950s and 1960s- alternative to structuralism
functionalism- more a kind of structural
functionalism than a truly critical theory of society
• They were also orientated towards the study of
social structures and institutions

4. Two traditions of conflict theory
• Conflict is a result of the distinction between the
powerful and the powerless. This tradition was
highlighted by Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbs
• Human beings are basically rational and each
individual is concerned with his own welfare and try
to enter into conflict in order to maximise his profit
and this traction was highlighted by classical
economist like Adam Smith

5. Conflict theory Vs Marxism
• Conflict theory assumes that power is the core of all
social relationships
• Marxism also shares similar view but power is
gained through economics (characterised by an
economic struggle between the haves and have-nots)

6. Influence of Marx on Conflict theory
• Marx was a humanist (wanted all individuals to
reach their full human potential
• Believed humans make their own history (historical
method; that is by controlling material production
division labour occurs; leading to the formation of
economic social classes; class struggle)
• Trying to combine material and ideal factors/
structural and cultural factors

7. Marx and conflict theory
• Society was a two-class system: Bourgeoisie and
Proletariat
• Class differences have a lot to do with possession of
personal property
• Believed the exploited would become conscious and
unit; communism; elimination of class struggle

8. Modern Conflict Theory
Ideas of Marx, Weber, and Simmel resurfaced in
America in the 1950s through two German
Sociologists: Lewis Coser and Ralph Dahrendorf
Lewis Coser, Ralph Dahrendorf and Randall
Collins- grouped as analytic conflict theorists
because they share the belief that a conflict
perspective central to the development of an
objective, or scientific sociology

9. Basic Ideas
• All these theories saw society not as a system of equilibrium buy
as a system of equilibrium but as a system of imperfectly
coordinated elements which are held together by coercion of the
same element over the other
• Society is in a a process of continuous change. So, conflict are
also continuous and normal features of society.
• Society is always seen as comprising of struggling and competing
actors.
• Conflict is an inherent characteristic of society.

10. Different types of conflict
• Endogenous (eg.class or communal conflict) and
Exogeneous (eg. War)
• Realist (Those which are carried on the attainment
of specific goals. It will be more stable and short
lived) and Non-realistic (usually over unrealistic
issues and it is not of high intensity and enduring.

11. Lewis Coser (1913-2003)
• Defined conflict as “a struggle over values and
claims to scarce status, power and resources in
which aim of the opponents are to neutralise, injure
or eliminate their rivals”
• Conflict between inter-group and intra-groups are
part of social life
• Conflict is a part of relationships and is not
necessarily a sign of instability

12. Conflict serves several functions:
• Leads to social change
• Can stimulate innovation
• During times of war threat, can increase central
power

13. • Explored sixteen propositions of conflict through
functions
• Thought that conflict means boundaries between
different groups ; unity between individual members
of that group and determines boundaries of power

14. Ralph Dahrendorf (1929-2009)
• German-British Sociologist
• Known for supporting anti-Nazi activities, went to concentration
camp as a teenager
• Class Conflict in Industrial Society (1959)- gave a detailed account of
the problem of social inequality in modern or post-capitalist
societies.
• Dialectal approach
• He stated “It is the task of Sociology to derive conflicts from
specific social structures and not to relegate these conflicts to
psychological variables or descriptive historical ones or to chance”.

15. His work on conflict reveals two major concerns
• Theories of society- with setting out the general
principles of social explanation- here he stresses the
primacy of power and the consequent inevitability
of conflict.
• The determinants of active conflict- the ways social
institutions systematically generate groups with
conflicting interests and the circumstances in which
such groups will become organised and active.

16. • According to him, 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 degree of
consensus has already been established”; once
reached, conflict temporarily disappears

17. Activity
• It is the task of Sociology to derive conflicts from
specific social structures and not to relegate these
conflicts to psychological variables or descriptive
historical ones or to chance. Please discuss
• Summarise Louis Coser’s understanding of conflict.
• Evaluate how Dahrendorf differs from Marx in his
analysis of class and class conflicts in industrial
society?