Equilibrium and conflict

While the above structural functional model explains the existence of social order quite adequately it fails to explain why societies change or why there are protests, movements, conflicts and revolutions. For explaining the nature and causes of social change sociologists depend more on the concept of conflict of interests than on the concepts of social order maintained by continuity of values and norms. The conflict sociologists identify the interests, the various groups and classes which have conflict of interests, and how the conflict is managed or resolved. They think that there are differences of power between different classes of people. The powerful people and groups use power to enforce their values and norms, mostly through legitimation and if situation demand through force over other people and groups. Thus what the ideas and beliefs of the common people only reflect the interests and power of the dominant class and not what is good for them (the common people). Among the conflict theorists again there are different schools depending on:

• Understanding of the basic source of conflict. In society there are several forms of conflicts based on age, sex, ethnicity, race, education, urban-rural residence, economic class, religion, and other identities as of sexual minorities, members of various civil society organizations. All of them may not be important from the point of view of potential to transform social order. Marxists accord highest importance to class conflicts and argue that all other forms of conflicts are manifestations of the class conflict only. Marxists also claim that moral and religious ideas, legal institutions and political ideas are all the reflection of the ideologies of the dominant class. For them changes in mode of production lead to changes in production relations which in-turn lead to changes in ideas and beliefs. Needless to say, Marxists believe that to establish a peaceful society we have to destroy the concentration of wealth which at present is in the hands of the capitalist class.

• Understanding of number of classes involved in conflict. Marx has a two class model. Others like Max Weber believe in presence of several classes based on class, status/consumption, and political power.

• Understanding of whether the conflict will eventually produce a revolution or it can be resolved in various other ways.