Conflict of Views
Conflict theory sees social life as a competition, and focuses on the distribution of resources, power, and inequality.
Unlike functionalist theory, conflict theory is better at explaining social change, and weaker at explaining social stability.
Conflict theory has been critiqued for its inability to explain social stability and incremental change.
Conflict theory derives from the ideas of Karl Marx.
TERMS
conflict theory
A social science perspective that holds that stratification is dysfunctional and harmful in society, with inequality perpetuated because it benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor. functionalism Structural functionalism, or simply functionalism, is a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability.
EXAMPLES
A conflict theorist might ask, "Who benefits from the current higher educational system in the U.S.?" The answer, for a conflict theorist attuned to unequal distributions of wealth, is the wealthy. After all, higher education in the U.S. is not free. The educational system often screens out poorer individuals, not because they are unable to compete academically, but because they cannot afford to pay for their education. Because the poor are unable to obtain higher education, they are generally also unable to get higher paying jobs, and, thus, they remain poor. Such an arrangement translates into a vicious cycle of poverty. While a functionalist might say that the function of education is to educate the workforce, a conflict theorist might point out that it also has an element of conflict and inequality, favoring one group (the wealthy) over other groups (the poor). Thinking about education in this way helps illustrate why both functionalist and conflict theories are helpful in understanding how society works.
Unlike functionalist theory, conflict theory is better at explaining social change, and weaker at explaining social stability.
Conflict theory has been critiqued for its inability to explain social stability and incremental change.
Conflict theory derives from the ideas of Karl Marx.
TERMS
conflict theory
A social science perspective that holds that stratification is dysfunctional and harmful in society, with inequality perpetuated because it benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor. functionalism Structural functionalism, or simply functionalism, is a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability.
EXAMPLES
A conflict theorist might ask, "Who benefits from the current higher educational system in the U.S.?" The answer, for a conflict theorist attuned to unequal distributions of wealth, is the wealthy. After all, higher education in the U.S. is not free. The educational system often screens out poorer individuals, not because they are unable to compete academically, but because they cannot afford to pay for their education. Because the poor are unable to obtain higher education, they are generally also unable to get higher paying jobs, and, thus, they remain poor. Such an arrangement translates into a vicious cycle of poverty. While a functionalist might say that the function of education is to educate the workforce, a conflict theorist might point out that it also has an element of conflict and inequality, favoring one group (the wealthy) over other groups (the poor). Thinking about education in this way helps illustrate why both functionalist and conflict theories are helpful in understanding how society works.