Conflict Theory
By: Erin Lepird, Sicily Canny,
Mago Saldana
Conflict theory vs Marxism
Conflict theory: power is the core of ALL
social relationships
 Marxism: much like conflict theory but
power is gained through economics

 Characterized
by an economic struggle between
the haves and have-nots.
Conflict Theory
Alternative to functionalism
 Macrosociological theoretical perspective
 Resentment and hostility are constant
elements of society
 Power differences among social classes
 Special interest groups fight over scarce
resources of society

 Interest
others
groups fight to gain advantages over
Conflict Theory (Cont’d)

Competition puts society off-balance until
dominant group gains control and stability
through power
Influences

Karl Marx (1818-1883)
Humanist: wanted all individuals to reach their
full human potential
 Believed humans make their own history
(historical method)

 Controlling
material production division of
labor formation of economic social classes
Class struggle

Trying to combine material and ideal factors/
structural and cultural factors
Marx (cont’d)

1.
2.
Society was a two-class system:
Bourgeoisie (owners of the means of
production)
Proletariat (workers)
Marx (cont’d)
Class differences have a lot to do with
possession of personal property
 Believed the exploited would become
conscious and unite communism 
elimination of class struggle
 Main ideas behind communism are stated
in the communist manifesto

Max Weber (1864-1920)


Agreed with Marx (economics played a
central role in power distinction).
Believed in Two other factors:
1.
Social prestige (status)

2.
Example: someone could be poor and still hold a
lot of power because of social prestige  Mother
Theresa
Political influence

Example: Politician who has great power, but
does not earn a big salary
Max Weber (cont’d)




Weber defined power as “the ability to impose
one’s will on another, even when the other
objects” (p. 72 CST)
Authority: legitimate power; used with consent of
the ruled
Distribution of power and authority = basis of
social conflict
HOWEVER: if subordinates believe in the
authority= avoided conflict

If authority is not recognized as a legitimate= conflict
Max Weber (cont’d)



People with power want to keep it
People w/out power want to seek it
3 types of authority:
1.
2.
3.
Rational-legal
Traditional
charismatic
Georg Simmel (1858-1918)

Wanted to develop a mathematics of
society

Collection of statements about human
relationships and social behavior
Disagreed with Marx that social classes
are formed horizontally
 There are differences in power and
opinions within each group.

Georg Simmel (1858-1918)

Concepts and contributions:
Rejects organic theory
 Saw society as the sum of individual
interaction
 The most important relationship is between
leaders and followers, superior and
subordinates

 Superiordinate
relationship
and subordinate have a reciprocal
Georg Simmel (1858-1918)
Believed social action always involves
harmony and conflict, love and hatred
(p.74)
 Secrecy: people who hold secrets are in a
position of power.
 Some groups are formed around secrets
and are known as secret societies

are usually in conflict with the greater society
 Initiation creates hierarchy

Modern Conflict Theory

1.
2.
Ideas of Marx, Weber, and Simmel
resurfaced in America in the 1950’s
through two German Sociologists:
Lewis Coser
Ralph Dahrendorf
Lewis Coser (1913-2003)
Defined conflict as “a struggle over values
and claims to scarce status, power and
resources in which the aims of the
opponents are to neutralize, injure, or
eliminate their rivals.”
 Conflicts between intergroups and
intragroups are part of social life

Lewis Coser (1913-2003)


1.
2.
3.
Conflict is part of relationships and is not
necessarily a sign of instability
Conflict serves several functions:
Leads to social change
Can stimulate innovation
During times of war threat, can increase
central power
Lewis Coser (1913-2003)


Explored sixteen propositions of conflict
through functions
Thought that conflict= boundaries
between different groups unity
between individual members of that
group and determines boundaries of
power
Ralf Dahrendorf (1929- )
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
degreee of consensus has already been
established” (p. 89)
 Once reached, conflict temporarily
disappears

C. Wright Mills (1916-1962)
Work centered around power
 Several dimensions of inequality (like
Weber)
 Power can be independent from economic
class
 Version of conflict theory-closer to Weber’s
than Marx

C. Wright Mills (1916-1962)


1.
2.
3.

Concept of power elite, rather than ruling
class=difference between Marx and Mills
There is a triangle of power:
Military
Industry
Politics
White-collar world kept power elite on top
C. Wright Mills (1916-1962)
There are three types of power:
1. Authority: power justified by the beliefs of
the voluntarily obedient
2. Manipulation: power wielded unknown to
the powerless
3. Coercion: the “final” form of power, where
the powerless are forced to obey the
powerful

Randall Collins (1941- )
“power and status are fundamental
relational dimensions at the micro level of
social interaction and perhaps at the
macro level as well” (p. 96)
 Collins believes there are certain goods
that every group wants to pursue



Wealth, power, and prestige
“Concluded that coercion and the ability to
“force” others to behave a certain way are
the primary basis of conflict” (p.96)
Randall Collins (1941- )

Had a stratified
approach to conflict
that had 3 basic
principles and 5
principles of conflict
analysis
Individual
actions
Social
Structure
Relevancy
Maintains that what social order does, is
the result of power elites’ coercion of
masses
 Those without power seek social change
 Two class system by Marx
 Contemporary conflict theorists don’t limit
power to just economics, but also look at
other issues

Relevancy (cont’d)

1.
2.
3.
Three criticisms of conflict theory:
Ignores other ways (i.e. non-forceful
ways in which people reach agreements
Sides with people who lack power
Focuses on economic factors as the sole
issue for all conflict in society

This primarily is for Marx’s approach
Relevancy (cont’d)
Differences in power are in all types of
interaction
 Power used to be physical, but now, it’s
legal and economic
