Conflict theories Flashcards
What is a conflict theory?
conflict within society where one group benefits at the expense of the other.
What does Marxism analyse?
The inequality within society between two groups the working class and the ruling class.
What is the Bourgeoisie?
The ruling class /business owners
What is the proletariat ?
The working class/ labour force
What is the conflict between these two groups?
Business owners want more wealth from their business whilst workers want higher wages from their work.
So as the ruling class achieves this by extracting maximum labour from the working class for the lowest possible cost.
Why do the working class not revolt ?
Due to this idea of False class consciousness
What is false class consciousness?
The belief that the proletariat are nit aware of their identity due to the exploitation within the capitalist system.
How did the ruling class maintain their authority even though they are in the minority?
They utilised
Ideological state apparatus –> controlling how people act (media/education)
Repressive state apparatus –> control through force (police/army)
What is ideological state apparatus?
The control of how people act through the media and education.
What is repressive state apparatus?
The control through force to make people who don’t conform
What did Louis Althusser add to marxism?
The belief of state apparatus of these institutions allow for the bourgeoisie to maintain their class status.
What did Gramsci believe about the bourgeoisie?
That they are dominant through the passing of these hegemonic ideas in the institutions they run
Criticisms of Marxism
To emphasised on conflict –> conditions have improved
People are aware and are not brainwashed.
Too economically determinist as other factors such as religion, ethnicity may be impacting too
What do feminists argue?
Focus on the gender inequality in this patriarchal/male dominant society.
What is the first wave of feminism
The suffrage movement
1918 got vote 30+
1928 - won the vote 21+
