Conflict theory

Question 1

Conflict

Answer 1

Theorists see society as being based on the interests of one powerful group which imposes and marginalises others in society

Question 2

Karl Marx

Answer 2

Marx travelled through Europe during the mid and then half of the 19th century where he witnessed much poverty and inequality.

He explained what he has through unequal access to resources and ownership of property

Question 3

Two social classes according to Marx

Answer 3

Capitalist class ( Bourgeoisie):
- own and control the wealth of a country
-these control
the productive forces in society (the
economic base), which consisted of land,
factories and machines that could be used to produce
goods that could then be sold for a profit.

Workint class ( Proletariat)
-can only gain a living by selling their labour
power to the bourgeoisie for a price,whether this is
physical products or emotional labour. (Hochschild)

Question 4

Relationship between Proletariat and Bourgeoisie

Answer 4

-relationship between the two classes is exploitative; the amount of money capitalists pay their workers is always below the current selling or market price of whatever they produce (surplus value)

• capitalists extract surplus value from
  the worker ansd because of this , the capitalist class is only able
  to maintain and increase their wealth at the expense of the
  proletariat

-to Marx, profit is the accumulated
exploitation of workers in capitalist society.

Question 5

Economic power = ultimate control

Answer 5

-accroding to Marx, those who control the Economic Base
also control the Superstructure
( those who have
wealth or economic power also have political power and
control over the rest of society)

-Economic base ( the Mode of Production):
forces
of production (tools, machinery, raw materials which
people use to produce goods and services)and the
relations of production (social relations between people
involved in the production of goods and services).

-Superstructure:
all other institutions: the legal system,
the mass media, education etc.

Question 6

Crtitiques of Marxism

Answer 6

• concept of social class is too simplistic, as in our current society there aren’t just two social classes, but more

-capitalism became less exploitative

• marxism ignores gender inequality and it doesn’t consider why women are opressed

Question 7

Feminism

Answer 7

-political movement

-inequality between men and women is universal and the most significant form of inequality

• patriarchy is the main cause of gender inequality

-gender norms are not decided biologically, so it means that they can be changed

Question 8

Radical Feminists

Answer 8

• take the approach that ‘all men are bad’

-they look at the problem of men and male domination that was caused by the patriarchy

• they assume that patriarchy and sex class hold central significance in terms of analysis of male/female relationship

-patriarchy➡️ the main form of inequality in society

Question 9

Firestone (1972)

Answer 9

-argues that that womens’ biology is a basis for their inequality and domination by men

Question 10

Greer (2007)

Answer 10

• supports the idea that all men are bad
• she argues that many relationships between men and women in contemporary society remain highly patriarchal and exploitative

Question 11

Critique of Radical Feminists

Answer 11

• they ignore other reasons for inequality such as class and ethnicity

Question 12

Marxist Feminists

Answer 12

• take the approach that ‘only some men are bad ‘
• class is the biggest reason for inequality
• they put emphasis on how women are being exploited as workers and as women in society & at home

-they look at the connection between capitalism and the subordination of women

• focus on emacipatory, critical framework that aims at understanding & explaining gender oppresion in a systematic wat

Question 13

Critique of Marxist Feminists

Answer 13

• they don’t account for non-capitalist countries where patriarchy is still an issue e.g. China

Question 14

Liberal Feminists

Answer 14

• focus on measures ensuring that women have equal opportunities with men within the present social system
• view society as false in the belief that women are less capable
• they acknowledge the differences between men and women have lessened since the Equal Pay Act (1970) and the Sex Discrimination Act (1978)
• they look at laws and ideas to eliminate inequalities, however these aren’t things that can happen quickly or guarantee that social change will happen, so as a whole their approach is fairly optymistic

Question 15

Critique of Liberal Feminists

Answer 15

• Walby: argues that they provide no exact explenation for the overall structures of gender inequalities

Question 16

Black and difference Feminists

Answer 16

• see how women are opressed by the patriarchy but also both capitalism and racism
• they argue that minority-ethnic working class women are the most discriminated group of people is society
• according to them women sufferna duality of oppresion
• they don’t see women as a single homogenous group

Question 17

Critique of Black and difference Feminists

Answer 17

They are less criticised than Marxist, Radical or Liberal feminists, however the main 2 critiques aimed at B&d feminists are:
- Walby: women are still opressed by objective social structure, which is patriarchy
- Dividing women sub-groups weakens the movement for change