Conflict and Functionalism Theories

Conflict theory

According to Andersen and Taylor (21), conflict theory focuses on the role of coercion and power that gives individuals or groups the ability to influence and control others in producing social order. While, functionalism emphasis unity within society, conflict theory focuses on strive and friction in society. The theory emphasizes the order in society is maintained by power and not unity and the power is with the mighty ones. From a perspective of conflict theory, consensus occurs because people are united to attain a common interest and often in conflict with other groups. The theory demonstrates that the unequal distribution of the resource is brought by people who are powerful and want everything to be in their interest.

Coercion and social control unite people in society, but there is exceptional of shared values and conformity. Andersen and Taylor (21) indicate that individuals and groups fight for control over society’s resources trying to secure them to meet their interests. Therefore, those with most resources put pressure on those without resources, and in the end, there is an unequal distribution of resources. The theory views the race and class to contribute to the unjust done to the minority because they accumulate resources that give them the power to fight the poor in society (Powers 175). Therefore, the conflict theory has been criticized for not emphasizing the issue of shared values in a society like functionalism, but its focus on inequality and social control. However, like functionalist theory, it traces the origin of social behavior in the structure of society, but it differs from functionalism in that it focuses on the significance of power. Finally, functionalist views families as a contributing factor to the stability of society, but conflict theorists view families as reflecting systems of power in society.

Works Cited

Andersen, Margaret and Taylor, Francis. Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society. New York: CengageBrain Inc, 2007. Print.

Powers, Charles. Making Sense of Social Theory: A Practical Introduction. United Kingdom: Rowman and Little Field Press, 2010. Print.