Conflict Theory

Until the mid 1800s, sociology was dominated by a group of scholars advocating conformity and content. No sociologist dare defy the powers that be; in fact, they embraced and encouraged it. Funtionalists presented elitist ideas that endorsed the government, no matter how flawed. Even symbolic interactionists, who acknowledged stratification, diagnosed it as the vital organ of society. Sociology, in itself, seemed to be nothing more than a set of ideas condemning equality and accepting stratification. Out of the ashes of poverty and oppression rose a new group of scholars, great minds speaking on behalf of the masses and minorities. These sociologists recognized the corruption of the system, as well as its true intent. The conflict theorists not only recognized stratification and inequality, they condemned it and the system responsible for it. Each scholar contributed his own observations and constructed his own solution to the problem that “plagues” the people, capitalism.
Three economic systems exist in the known world. An economic system is the social institution through which goods and services are produced, distributed, and consumed. Capitalism, the economic system executed by the United States, places the means of production into private hands. The defining incentive for economic activity in capitalism is the pursuit of maximum profit, and private companies determine the price(s) of their goods/services. The goods and/or services attainable by an individual relies on his/her income. In other words, if one does not have the money to buy something one wants or needs, one cannot obtain it. The more an individual can pay, the better the quality of the good or service. In capitalism, the saying, “you get what you pay for” holds its greatest truth. The pursuit of profit being the only interest of our economy creates a world of problems which Karl Marx was first to publicly acknowledge. Exploitation, getting more from the labor than what is paid for, is the