Sociological Theory
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
UMD

CONFLICT THEORY


DAHRENDORF LAYS OUT FOUR BASIC ASSUMPTIONS:

  1. SOCIAL CHANGE IS UBIQUITOUS

  2. CONFLICT EXISTS BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF SOCIETY

  3. ALL ELEMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO CONFLICT IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

  4. 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.

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

  • 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

    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.

    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?

    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?

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


    Return to Sociology 2111 Page.

    Return John Hamlin's Home Page.

    The University of Minnesota is a equal opportunity educator and employer.

    Copyright: © 2001, John Hamlin
    Last Modified: Wednesday, 05-Sept.-2001
    Page Coordinator: John Hamlin

    Picture of Bulldog

    The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

    Copyright: © 2001, John Hamlin
    Last Modified: Friday, 12-Sep-2003 15:19:56 CDT
    Page URL: http://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/jhamlin/4111/Conflict_Theory/conflictnotes.html
    Page Coordinator:John Hamlin