Notes on Conflict Theory

Sociological Theory
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
UMD
CONFLICT THEORY

DAHRENDORF LAYS OUT FOUR BASIC ASSUMPTIONS:

SOCIAL CHANGE IS UBIQUITOUS
CONFLICT EXISTS BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF SOCIETY
ALL ELEMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO CONFLICT IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
SOCIETY AND SOCIAL ORDER IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE SOME MEMBERS OF SOCIETY ARE ABLE TO CONSTRAIN OTHERS

I. LIFE IS CHARACTERIZED BY CONFLICT RATHER THAN CONSENSUS.

A. NORMS AND VALUES ARE NOT EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED OR
B. ACCEPTED AMONG MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.
C. NORMS AND VALUES ARE NOT RANDOMLY DISTRIBUTED.
PEOPLE TEND TO GROUP TOGETHER WITH OTHERS OF LIKE NORMS AND VALUES. PEOPLE, AFTER ALL ARE SOCIAL ANIMALS. INTERESTS

II. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GROUPS, AND ACTUALLY WITHIN GROUPS, IS A TENUOUS ONE.

POWER STRUGGLES WILL OFTEN TAKE PLACE IF A BALANCE CAN NOT BE STRUCK BETWEEN THE CONSENSUS TO KEEP THINGS GOING AS THEY ARE AND THE COERCION NECESSARY TO PROP UP THE CONSENSUS.
THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF POWER IS REFERRED TO AS IMPERATIVELY COORDINATED ASSOCIATIONS.
[THIS IS AKIN TO WHAT MARX CALLED A DIALECTICAL RELATIONSHIP.]

THAT IS, THE PRIMARY DEFINITION OF THE GROUP INVOLVES THE POWER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE RULED AND THE RULERS.

IF THE RELATIONSHIP DID NOT EXIST THE GROUP WOULD NOT EXIST, THUS IT IS IMPERATIVE.

IT IS ALSO IMPERATIVE THAT THE GROUPS FUNCTION AS HARMONIOUS MACHINES FOR THE SYSTEM TO WORK EVEN IF THEY ARE AT ODDS. JUST AS THE BRAKES ARE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE TO THE FORCE OF THE ENGINE, THEY ARE BOTH CRITICAL FOR MAKING THE CAR OPERATE AS IT SHOULD.

THIS SEPARATES A

QUASI-GROUP FROM A
CONFLICT-GROUP.

III. THE KEY TO MAKING THE SYSTEM WORK IS THE ACCEPTANCE OF AUTHORITY

THE LEGITIMATE USE OF POWER.

THIS PROVIDES A COERCED PROPPED POWER RELATIONSHIP. TOO MUCH OVERT USE OF POWER AND THE SYSTEM IS OUT OF PRACTICAL CONTROL. TOO MUCH CONSENSUS AND PEOPLE WILL EXPECT DEMOCRATIC PROCEDURES (Marx's thoughts on the U.S.).

IV. THE RELATIVE STRENGTH OF GROUPS DETERMINES WHICH GROUPS WILL MAKE LAWS AND BE IN THE POSITION TO ENFORCE LAWS.

B. ENACTING LAWS AND ENFORCING LAWS ARE TWO DIFFERENT POWERS. THE POWER TO ENFORCE IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE POWER TO CREATE.
C. GROUPS THAT ARE MORE CLOSELY EQUAL IN POWER ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE DEFINED AS CRIMINAL.
1. CREATING AND APPLYING LAWS TOWARDS GROUPS OF NEAR EQUAL POWER COULD MOVE THE RELATIONSHIP CLOSER TO REVOLUTION OR POLITICAL TAKEOVER.
2. THE PEOPLE MOST LIKELY TO BE DEFINED AS CRIMINAL ARE THOSE OF FAR LESS POWER.
  
  THEIR ACTIONS AGAINST AUTHORITY ARE NOT FOUNDED IN ANY REAL POWER BASE.
  
  THEIR ACTIONS ARE A RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF THE POWERS THAT BE TO EFFECTIVELY PRODUCE LEGITIMATE POWER.

V. WHENEVER THERE EXISTS CONTENDING POWERS, THERE WILL BE ATTEMPTS TO ALTER THE RELATIONSHIP, GAIN FOOTING WITHIN THE RELATIONSHIP, OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RELATIONSHIP.

THIS IS WHAT IS CALLED "CONFLICT-MOVES." THESE STRATEGIES WILL NATURALLY RESULT IN BEHAVIORS DEFINED AS PROBLEMS, CRIMES, DEVIANCE, MISGUIDED, ETC.

WHAT DOES CONFLICT DO?

A. HELPS TO DEFINE GROUP BOUNDARIES AND ESTABLISH GROUP IDENTITY
B. LEADS TO CENTRALIZATION OF GROUP STRUCTURE, ESPECIALLY POWER AND CONTROL.
C. LEADS TO SEARCH FOR ALLIES, ALSO AN INTEREST IN KEEPING ENEMIES IN TACK

CROSS CUTTING CONFLICTS OVERLAPPING BOUNDARIES; GENDER, RACE, CLASS

DAHRENDORF DEFINES CLASS IN TERMS OF POWER - WHO GIVES ORDERS AND WHO TAKES ORDERS

QUASI GROUPS - IN SAME POSITION

CONFLICT GROUPS - ORGANIZED FOR ACTION

CONFLICT IS ALWAYS TWO SIDED YOU ARE EITHER NEUTRAL OR YOU TAKE ONE SIDE

WHAT CHANGES QUASI TO CONFLICT GROUPS?

A. TECHNICAL CONDITIONS - PRESENCE OF A LEADER AND IDEOLOGY
B. POLITICAL CONDITIONS - ENOUGH FREEDOM TO ALLOW GROUPS TO ORGANIZE
C. SOCIAL CONDITIONS: COMMUNICATION; GEOGRAPHICAL CONCENTRATION, AND SIMILAR CULTURE

AS MARX MAINTAINS, ONLY NUMBER THREE IS FUNDAMENTAL, THE OTHERS MAY NOT BE NECESSARILY TRUE

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Copyright: © 2001, John Hamlin
Last Modified: Friday, 12-Sep-2003 15:19:56 CDT
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