Overview
This lecture covers major conflict theorists and their key ideas in sociology, contrasting macro-level theories of social structure and power.
Conflict Theory: Key Thinkers
- Karl Marx argued society is divided by a class struggle between the wealthy minority and the poor majority.
- Marx criticized the Catholic Church as the "opiate of the masses," saying it helped maintain inequality by justifying the poor's position.
- Marx believed the church accumulated wealth by convincing the poor their fate was predetermined and by accepting tithes from the rich seeking absolution.
- Max Weber promoted value-free science, meaning researchers should strive for neutrality and collect facts without bias.
- Weber’s "Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism" linked Protestant free-will beliefs to the rapid rise of capitalism in America.
- Weber argued that Protestantism encouraged wealth accumulation and personal responsibility, fueling capitalist development.
- Charles Wright Mills identified the "power elite," a small group of individuals and corporations that control economic and political power.
- Harriet Martineau focused on gender-based conflict, analyzing how gender shapes social inequality.
- W.E.B. Du Bois examined racial conflict, forced immigration, and suggested voluntary assimilation leads to faster adoption of mainstream values than forced assimilation.
Macro and Micro Theories Recap
- Macro theories examine large-scale social structures, such as functionalism and conflict theory.
- Micro theory, like the interactionist perspective, focuses on small-scale, everyday interactions between individuals.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Conflict Theory — a sociological perspective focusing on power struggles and inequality between social groups.
- Class Struggle — ongoing conflict between different economic classes, especially the wealthy (bourgeoisie) and poor (proletariat).
- Opiate of the Masses — Marx’s term for religion acting as a tool to placate the poor and maintain the status quo.
- Value-Free Science — Weber’s idea that research should be conducted without personal bias or values affecting results.
- Power Elite — a small, powerful group that dominates economic and political decision-making.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the main ideas of conflict theory and its leading theorists.
- Compare conflict and functionalist theories for similarities and differences.
- Read about micro-level theories, particularly the interactionist perspective.