CONFLICT THEORY
CONFLICT THEORY
Sociological Theories of Deviance
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
UMD
1. LIFE IS CHARACTERIZED BY CONFLICT RATHER THAN CONSENSUS.
II. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GROUPS AND WITHIN GROUPS, IS TENUOUS
A. 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.
B. THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF POWER IS REFERRED TO AS IMPERATIVELY COORDINATED ASSOCIATIONS.
THAT IS, THE PRIMARY DEFINITION OF THE GROUP INVOLVES THE POWER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE RULED AND THE RULERS.
- 1. IF THE RELATIONSHIP DID NOT EXIST THE GROUP WOULD NOT EXIST, THUS IT IS IMPERATIVE.
- 2. 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 ON A CAR ARE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE TO THE FORCE OF THE ENGINE, THEY ARE BOTH CRITICAL FOR MAKING THE CAR OPERATE AS IT SHOULD.
- 3. THIS SEPARATES A
- QUASI GROUPS - IN SAME POSITION
- CONFLICT GROUPS - ORGANIZED FOR ACTION
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.
IV. THE RELATIVE STRENGTH OF GROUPS DETERMINES WHICH GROUPS WILL MAKE LAWS AND BE IN THE POSITION TO ENFORCE LAWS.
- A. DIFFERENT GROUPS WILL BE IN POWER AT DIFFERENT TIMES OR AT LEAST BE IN POSITION TO ENACT LAW AT CERTAIN TIMES.
- 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.
CREATING AND APPLYING LAWS TOWARDS GROUPS OF NEAR EQUAL POWER COULD MOVE THE RELATIONSHIP CLOSER TO REVOLUTION OR POLITICAL TAKEOVER.
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.
GROUPS THAT POSE A THREAT ARE LIKELY TO BE CONTROLLED.
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 CRIME.
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