Quiet Frontier

Power and Society: Understanding Conflict Theory

Video (08:59): Conflict theory is one of the major sociological paradigms used to analyze society and social change. While structural functionalism emphasizes stability, cohesion, and shared norms, conflict theory begins from a different assumption: that inequality and struggle over resources are central features of social life.

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Transcript

00:00:10 Conflict theory is one of the major

00:00:12 sociological paradigms used to analyze

00:00:15 society and social change. In a previous

00:00:19 video, I discussed structural

00:00:22 functionalism, which focuses on stability

00:00:25 and cohesion. Conflict theory begins from

00:00:29 a very different starting point, the

00:00:32 assumption that inequality and struggle

00:00:35 over resources are central features of

00:00:39 social life. Conflict theory is most

00:00:42 closely associated with the work of Karl

00:00:45 Marx, who argued that economic

00:00:48 relationships form the foundation of

00:00:51 social structure. For Marx, the central

00:00:56 dynamic shaping society was the

00:00:59 relationship between social classes,

00:01:02 particularly between those who control

00:01:06 productive resources and those who must

00:01:10 sell their labor to survive. Marx viewed

00:01:15 capitalism as a system built on structural

00:01:18 inequality. The working class, or the

00:01:21 proletariat, produces goods and services,

00:01:25 while the ruling classes control

00:01:27 ownership, decision-making, and the

00:01:31 distribution of wealth. From this

00:01:34 perspective, social institutions do not

00:01:37 exist primarily to promote social harmony

00:01:41 or shared values. Instead, they function

00:01:45 to preserve existing power arrangements.

00:01:50 Later thinkers expanded Marx’s framework.

00:01:54 Max Weber argued that inequality cannot be

00:01:57 reduced to economics alone. He introduced

00:02:00 the idea of status groups, emphasizing

00:02:04 that power also operates through race,

00:02:07 gender, religion, ethnicity, and social

00:02:10 prestige. These additions broadened

00:02:13 conflict theory beyond class struggle and

00:02:17 laid the groundwork for later developments

00:02:19 in critical theory. From a conflict

00:02:22 theoretical perspective, society is

00:02:25 defined by ongoing competition over scarce

00:02:28 resources, wealth, political influence,

00:02:33 social status, and cultural legitimacy. As

00:02:38 long as these resources are distributed

00:02:40 unequally, conflict is unavoidable.

00:02:44 Stability, whenever it does exist, isn’t

00:02:47 evidence of consensus, but of successful

00:02:51 control. Social institutions play a

00:02:55 central role in this process. Rather than

00:02:59 being neutral structures serving

00:03:02 collective needs, institutions like

00:03:05 government, education, law, family, media,

00:03:10 and the economy are understood as

00:03:12 mechanisms through which dominant groups

00:03:15 maintain their advantage. Laws, norms, and

00:03:20 policies are shaped to reflect the

00:03:23 interests of those with power, power,

00:03:25 while limiting access to resources for

00:03:28 those without power. This doesn’t require

00:03:32 constant force or oppression. Control is

00:03:36 often maintained through legitimacy, by

00:03:39 framing existing arrangements as natural,

00:03:42 inevitable, or morally justified. When

00:03:47 inequality is normalized in this way,

00:03:50 resistance can be labeled as deviant,

00:03:53 criminal, or irresponsible rather than

00:03:56 political. From this perspective, social

00:04:00 change isn’t driven by gradual adjustment,

00:04:03 but by tension and by struggle. Marx

00:04:07 argued that under capitalism, conflicts

00:04:09 between classes would intensify over time.

00:04:13 While reforms like improved wages or

00:04:16 working conditions might temporarily

00:04:18 reduce tension, they wouldn’t resolve the

00:04:22 underlying contradictions of the system

00:04:24 itself. Marx believed that capitalism

00:04:28 inevitably produces alienation. Workers

00:04:32 become disconnected from the products of

00:04:35 their labor, labor, from the processes of

00:04:37 production, from one another, and

00:04:40 ultimately from their own sense of

00:04:42 purpose. He argued that this alienation

00:04:45 fuels dissatisfaction and increases the

00:04:49 likelihood of collective resistance. the

00:04:54 who is being in the world. It is important

00:04:54 to note that conflict theory doesn’t

00:04:56 merely describe disagreement or

00:04:59 interpersonal conflict. It is a macro

00:05:03 -level framework focused on structural

00:05:05 power and how it is distributed and

00:05:08 reproduced. Conflict persists not because

00:05:13 individuals are malicious, but because

00:05:16 systems reward some at the expense of

00:05:18 others. Conflict theorists not because of

00:05:21 world. This brings conflict theory into

00:05:22 direct contrast with structural

00:05:24 functionalism. While functionalists

00:05:27 emphasize how institutions contribute to

00:05:29 social cohesion, conflict theorists

00:05:32 emphasize how those same institutions

00:05:35 reinforce existing power dynamics. From a

00:05:40 conflict perspective, what functionalists

00:05:43 call stability may simply reflect the

00:05:47 successful suppression of dissent.

00:05:51 Critical theory emerges from the tradition

00:05:53 of conflict theory, but as a more applied

00:05:56 approach. While conflict theory explains

00:05:59 why power structures persist, critical

00:06:03 theory seeks to actively question social

00:06:06 institutions in order to expose the

00:06:09 assumptions, values, and power relations

00:06:13 that are embedded in them. It challenges

00:06:16 the idea that existing arrangements are

00:06:18 inevitable or neutral. Critical theorists

00:06:23 argue that many people come to accept

00:06:25 systems of power as unchangeable

00:06:28 realities. By revealing how institutions

00:06:32 contribute to alienation and

00:06:34 disempowerment, critical theory aims to

00:06:37 make social change thinkable, and

00:06:40 therefore possible. In short, conflict

00:06:45 theory offers a lens for understanding

00:06:48 society as a terrain of struggle rather

00:06:51 than one of consensus. Its strength lies

00:06:56 in illuminating power and structural

00:06:59 advantage. The limitations become clear,

00:07:02 though, when examining the cooperation,

00:07:06 shared meaning, and everyday interactions

00:07:09 of people in a society. That’s why

00:07:12 sociologists rely on multiple paradigms

00:07:16 rather than any single framework. The idea

00:07:21 conflict theory. Understanding conflict

00:07:22 theory is less about adopting its

00:07:24 conclusions, and more about recognizing

00:07:27 what it helps us to see. Especially when

00:07:30 existing power structures are treated as

00:07:33 normal, natural, or unavoidable. It’s a

00:07:39 for taking some time to join me here

00:07:41 today. If you connect with these thoughts

00:07:44 and ideas and find them useful, you’ll

00:07:46 find more of this kind of work at Quiet

00:07:48 Frontier. It’s where I post my work on

00:07:52 mind, meaning, purpose, and connection.

00:07:56 There’s a small storefront and a growing

00:07:58 wiki there, too. Thanks again for taking

00:08:02 the time to watch. Take good care.