Theories of Social Change: Conflict Theory and Socio-Psychological Theory
In this tutorial I will be looking at the theories of social change. There is no one way of looking at the effects of sociological change so I will be looking and explaining at two theories, namely the conflict theory by Karl Marx and Darendhoff and the second theory called the socio-psychological theory by theorists McClelland, Hagen and Weber.
“Social change is the significant alteration of social structure and cultural patterns through time (Harper, 1993:04)”. Harper (1993:05) goes on to explain that
Conflict theory
The conflict theory looks at the economic change of a country. Popenoe (1995:503) states that political structures and economies of former developing structures were once former colonies and these colonies were controlled by foreign powers. Global economics and political dependency is now what they find themselves locked into (Popenoe 1995:503). Now that they are locked into these dependencies they are in a new world order known as the world system. When these developing nations where colonies they had more self –determination than they have now (Popenoe 1995:503). According to conflict theorists (Popenoe 1995:503) nations that are advanced such as the United States of America, since they attempt control of Third World countries they prevent economic development from occurring because they seek economic and political control that they are in control of indirectly (Popenoe 1995:503). Conflict theorists argue that by Western capitalist countries obtaining raw material from Third World countries they were helping themselves in growing their own economy rather than industrialising the Third World countries (Popenoe 1995:503). According to conflict theorists capitalists nations have shifted their aims into trying to help grow these countries but rather to make sure that these countries are dependent on them economically and financially (Popenoe 1995:503).
Socio-Psychological Theory
Socio- Psychological theorists on the other hand came up with a
“Social change is the significant alteration of social structure and cultural patterns through time (Harper, 1993:04)”. Harper (1993:05) goes on to explain that
Conflict theory
The conflict theory looks at the economic change of a country. Popenoe (1995:503) states that political structures and economies of former developing structures were once former colonies and these colonies were controlled by foreign powers. Global economics and political dependency is now what they find themselves locked into (Popenoe 1995:503). Now that they are locked into these dependencies they are in a new world order known as the world system. When these developing nations where colonies they had more self –determination than they have now (Popenoe 1995:503). According to conflict theorists (Popenoe 1995:503) nations that are advanced such as the United States of America, since they attempt control of Third World countries they prevent economic development from occurring because they seek economic and political control that they are in control of indirectly (Popenoe 1995:503). Conflict theorists argue that by Western capitalist countries obtaining raw material from Third World countries they were helping themselves in growing their own economy rather than industrialising the Third World countries (Popenoe 1995:503). According to conflict theorists capitalists nations have shifted their aims into trying to help grow these countries but rather to make sure that these countries are dependent on them economically and financially (Popenoe 1995:503).
Socio-Psychological Theory
Socio- Psychological theorists on the other hand came up with a