Week #3 examines the emergence of Conflict Theory. We will examine Karl Marx & the difference between Conflict and Critical Theory. In general  conflict theorists look at how society is divided in terms of status or resources. Karl Marx focused on the rise of capitalism and how capitalism as an economic system will ultimately destroy itself. He argued that unchecked economic growth is not sustainable and eventually it will destroy itself. (as it destroys the people in the system)  The capitalist system is based on the accqusion of profit. Profit requires cheap labor. The cheaper the labor the better the profit… so there is only one direction for the system to go. The text introduces you to the work of  Eric Olin Wright & Neo Marxist Conflict Theories, Ralph Darendorf & Dialectical Conflict, Lewis Coser & Conflict Functionalism, Jurgen Habermas – Critical Theory,  C. Wright Mills – The Power Elite,  Antonio Gramsci’s – Theory of Ideological Hegemony

Is there a POWER ELITE?  How much is too much and how far is too far. In our contemporary society corporations/businesses have the same rights as “people”. In the contemporary society we see the economic concerns have in essence even trumped health concerns. This is where logical fallacies come into play. Marx argued that we have been hoodwinked and bamboozled and lulled into a state of false consciousness. We identify with the capitalist because we want to be them we think we can work our way into this status, so we often ignore clear problems within the system. The only solution is to throw out the whole system and start over with a communal system at its base.

Ideological hegemony (cultural hegemony)  = the control of Ideas. The truth is that there is plenty of food, and resources and money for everyone. But capitalism requires a “belief” in scarcity of resources and the unequal distribution of those resources. The cultural institutions support and reinforce these beliefs. We are allowing families to starve, be evicted and die from lack of care, all of which from as Marxian perspective, is simply a social plot by the Bourgeoise to maintain their resources.

Todays youth have embraced Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren who critique the general structure and distribution of resources in society.  Contemporary youth see these people as pulling back the veil and exposing the truth about our system. Contemporary Marxists would argue that the stock market is just high stakes gambling designed to benefit some in society over others. They would argue that the entire system is rigged and the workers don’t even realize they are being exploited. 

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• Ripped from the headlines: https://www.payscale.com/data-packages/ceo-pay 

• In case the link doesn’t work check out Dollar Street and write up a reaction paper to the information on the page. https://www.gapminder.org/dollar-street/matrix (do some traveling in your living room)