Lecture 6: Conflict Theory:

Two Traditions, Marx, and Neo-Marxist Sociology

I. What is conflict theory?

A. Defined: Social life is shaped by groups/individuals that struggle and compete
for resources and rewards in terms of wealth, power and prestige. Society is
seen in terms of conflict and struggle, focusing on elements that promote
division and inequalities. Social order emerges from dominance and coercion.
The family, government, religion and institutions foster and legitimate power
and privilege for some at the expense of others (Newman 2002).

B. Elements of conflict theory

1. Social systems:

2. Roles:

3. People have an essential nature and clearly defined interests

4. Marx analyzed both historical and contemporary society in terms of

conflicts between different social groups with different (competing)
interests

5. Marx emphasized the link between the nature of ideas, or “ideologies,”

and the interests of those who develop them.

C. Premises of conflict theory

1. Social change:

2. Power: Is the core of social organization which allows dominant groups

to secure their interests against subordinate groups

3. Interests:

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 4. Social order:

5. Goal of sociology:
a. Critical theorists:

b. Analytic conflict theorists:

D. Two schools of conflict theory

1. Critical theory
a. Value committed
b. Perfectibility of human society
c. View of Functionalism:

2. Analytic conflict theory

a. Value free:
b. Conflict is inevitable:
c. View of Functionalism:

II. Karl Marx (1818 – 1883)

A. Biography
1. Background
Born in Trier, Germany
Long line of rabbis on both sides of family
Father agreed to baptism as a protestant so he could keep his job as one
of the most respected lawyers in Trier
European stage in 1848
2. Schooling
Attended University of Bonn
Transferred to University of Berlin
3. Occupation
Journalist, political organizer, writer
Not a professional academic:

Trained as a philosopher, but saw himself as an economist and social

critic
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 Supported in his work by contributions of wealthy benefactors such as
Friedrich Engels

B. Published contributions
“Manifesto of the Communist Party” (1848)
The German Ideology (1852)
Capital (1868 – 1872)

C. Sociological focus
1. Brought a theoretical focus to empirical social analysis

2. Crux of Marxian theory: Bridged concrete economic relations among

people and the broad patterns of social order that emerge from economic
relationships in specific eras—what is now called “historical materialism”

3. Scholar-activist:

4. Marxist school of sociological thought

5. Importance of social class and man’s relationship to the means of

production

6. Ultimate goal:

D. Theoretical contributions
1. Main ideas:
a. Materialism: How humans use resources for the maintenance of human
existence. Social action can be explained by our wants and needs

b. Base/superstructure thesis:

c. Key social problem: Alienation brought about by private property (As

long as one group owns/controls production and another does not,
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 alienation will exist)

d. Ideology thesis: Religion is the “opiate of the masses”

e. Praxis thesis: Proof of theory is its impact on progressive social change

f. System contradiction thesis and dialectic logic: (The reasoning follows

the process). Marx’s dialectic was based on social relations of the
material world, analyzing the way that opposing forces produce
contradiction and conflict. For Example:

Thesis Anti-thesis Synthesis

(Power/Control) (Rebellion) (New Society)

2. Theory of class conflict: “The history of all hitherto existing society is the
history of class struggles”
a. Class is defined by mode of production, or property system
i. Long view: Historical perspective of how ancient societies developed
their means of production
ii. From turmoil of the industrial society emerged:
Bourgeoisie
Proletariat

b. Creates conflict in relationship over scarce goods

i. Class exploitation
ii. Class consciousness (recognizing class interests, leading to a class
identity, solidarity, unionization, political movements)
iii. Act upon class interests to encourage/accelerate change and
revolution

c. Goal:

E. Assessment (of Marx)

1. Strengths
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 a. Forces us to take off “rose-colored glasses”
b. Applies scientific reason in the analysis of social life (Marx’s
theories yield testable propositions that allow evaluation and
falsification)
c. Marx’s concepts still relevant and widely used
d. Continues to have an ethical and moral appeal (awareness of issues of
oppression leading to social action)
e. Observation about how people associate according to economic status
still (largely) applicable

2. Weaknesses
a. Most likely to find Marxist revolutions in least advanced capitalist
countries
b. Middle class and other social divisions persist
c. Mass media/consumerism dilute working class solidarity
d. Government intervention regulates economic crises
e. Profits come from sources other than human labor
f. Socialism ultimately creates a “new social class”

V. Neo-Marxist: Erik Olin Wright

A. Main ideas:
1. Marxist theory of class
a. Too simple. Focus on “property” (class dimensions) is limiting
b. Class is “multi-dimensional:”
i. Property:
ii. Organizational authority (position and power):

iii. Expertise (skills):

2. Contradictory class locations:

3. Income inequality: Both class and social status explains income inequality.
Education only relevant among the middle classes

B. Then autonomy of political power

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 1. Marx:

2. Neo-Marxists: The state functions to protect the interests of the upper

classes. Hence, it will not “wither away” in state socialism (Milovan
Djilas; Ivan Szelenyi)

C. Assessment (of Wright)

1. Strengths
a. Further explains the sociological theories that come out of Marxist
theory. Understanding of Marx increases understanding of these
theories

2. Weaknesses
a. Materialist reductionism:

b. Relativistic epistemology: If all knowledge is “false consciousness”

(ideology), then what excludes Marx from such a notion?
c. Utopianism:

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