Conflict Theory and Functional Theory

Conflict/Functionalist
Theories
KARL MARX
DURKHEIM
EMILE
CONFLICT THEORY
Begins with Marx and his analysis of
history
Thesis/antithesis = struggle (conflict)
Synthesis = a new order is produced
because of the struggle between the
classes
All of history can be understood in
this way
Three stages of history: feudalism,
capitalism & socialism (it was an
Always a struggle
Thematerialist view of history = the
most important determinant of social life
is the work people are doing, especially
work that results in provision of the basic
necessities of life, food, clothing and
shelter.
Marx thought that the way the work is
socially organized and the technology
used in production will have a strong
impact on every other aspect of society.
Power=ownership
He maintained that everything of value in
society results from human labour.
Thus,Marxsaw working men and women as
engaged in making society, in creating the
conditions for their own existence.
Every part of human history and existence must
be understood through the lens of
social/economic theory
All relationships are based on conflict/struggle
Who has the power? Who wants it? Who owns
the resources?
Only 1 institution: private

property
The central institution of capitalist society
isprivate property, the system by
whichcapital(that is, money, machines,
tools, factories, and other material objects
used in production) is controlled by a small
minority of the population. This leads to two
opposedclasses, the owners of capital
(called thebourgeoisie) and the workers
(called the proletariat), whose only property
is their own labour time, which they have to
sell to the capitalists.
Economic exploitation leads directly

to politicaloppression, as owners
make use of their economic power to
gain control of the state and turn it
into a servant of bourgeois economic
interests. Police power, for
instance, is used to enforce property
rights and guarantee unfair contracts
between capitalist and worker.
Conflict theory + marriage
The Marriage Scam

1884
Built on Marxs ideas
Monogamy is an invention to control
sexual reproduction
Marriage is a social construct to
guarantee private property to
biological children
Conclusion: marriage is exploitation
of women
Oppression is everywhere!
The economic structure of society
moulds thesuperstructure,
including ideas (e.g., morality,
ideologies, art, and literature) and
the social institutions that support
the class structure of society (e.g.,
the state, the educational system,
the family, and religious institutions).
What do you think? Is school
oppressive?
Conflict theory & private

schools
Because the dominant orruling class(the
bourgeoisie) controls the social relations of
production, the dominantideologyin
capitalist society is that of the ruling class.
Ideology and social institutions, in turn,
serve toreproduceand perpetuate the
economic class structure.
Does private school education perpetuate
the class system? What do you think?
Functionalist theory /
Durkheim
First theory in sociology
Two fundamentals:
1- application of
scientific method
(sociologists must be
objective & without
bias)
2- institutions fulfill
basic human needs and
all groups play a role in
achieving equilibrium
Balance, equilibrium,
stability
Key words for functionalism
Think of any system that must coordinate its parts for survival (body &
organs)
A social system with needs that must
be met
When change in one group happens,
other groups must adjust, adapt,
respond...to accommodate for the
change, finding the equilibrium again
A society is
A system of inter-related parts
A change in one affects the others
Most changes are the result of
evolution or natural progression of
ideas and social change
Durkheim was influenced by
Darwin`s work
Functionalism focuses on the
individual and how social forces
influence him (Macro perspective)
The social self

Functionalism understands the individual to
be a product of social forces in the
environment
Almost puppet-like (has been the criticism)
The individual`s place in the social structure
will determine their actions
Internalized social expectations and act
accordingly in order to satisfy the needs of
the group
Social control may be explicit or implicit
Functionalist want to PREDICT

behaviour
This explains the emphasis on the
scientific method
Shared values (solidarity) is key to
group cohesiveness
Example: laws, rules, constitutions
are an explicit expression of supreme
values (justice, freedom) that are
held in common by a group/society
Functionalism is amacroapproach to
studying society; it defines society as
asystem of interrelated parts.
A good metaphor is the body with its
interrelated organs that all work
together to produce the state of
health of the person. It has built in
mechanisms that maintain stasis or
balance. (Sweating, shivering, etc.)
In society, when things happen to

provoke change or throw it off kilter,
other mechanisms come into play to
help bring back to a balance.
Sometimes this new balance is slow
change, in the case of people`s
values changing faster than the laws
or the other way around. What
examples can you think of to prove
this theory?
Conflict + Functionalist

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Conflict/Functionalist

Only 1 institution: private

Economic exploitation leads directly

Conflict theory + marriage

The Marriage Scam

Conflict theory & private

The social self

Functionalist want to PREDICT

In society, when things happen to

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