Consensus vs Conflict Theory

What is the consensus vs conflict debate?

There's a substantial amount of disagreement within the sociological discipline as to whether we live in a state of consensus or conflict. Most sociologists will take one perspective or the other, stating that their favoured approach is what informs the structures, processes and issues that we deal with over the course of our lives.

Examples of consensus and conflict theory

There are a few approaches that are used as key examples of consensus and conflict theories. The ones we will be looking at are:

• functionalism,

• Marxism, and

• feminism.

Let's dive into each of the approaches now.

Consensus theory in sociology

Large-scale protests for particular causes are examples of a value consensus in society.

Imagine you've stepped out for your weekly grocery shopping with your parents. It's a Saturday morning, so the grocery store is packed. Your parents ask you to go to the deli section to grab some meats and cheeses for lunch.

You grab a ticket, wait in line for your turn, give your order and wait until it is ready before you grab it and go. You're relieved it went well - there were countless customers at the deli and your order could have easily been mixed up.

This is an example of how established procedures and structures help foster an environment which runs effectively and with only a small margin of error. Sociologists who take the consensus approach apply similar analogies to wider society, stating that individuals, communities and broader systems cooperate to create the stability and order that characterises the society we live in.

Those who take a consensus approach suggest that members of society get along and live in harmony because we believe we have shared goals and interests.

Functionalism

The main sociological theory that advocates for the consensus perspective is functionalism. Those who believe in the functionalist perspective (known as functionalists) state that society is based on a value consensus, in that there is a general agreement on what the norms and values of society are and should be.

Based on society's agreement - or consensus - on our shared norms and values, individuals are happy to stick to the rules for the sake of the greater good. Ultimately, this helps us achieve social order and stability.

Conflict theory in sociology

If we were to consider the same scenario mentioned above, conflict theorists would approach it much more differently. They won't necessarily argue that there's chaos at the deli, but would instead say that the social order we see at the grocery store is obscuring the fact that some people are allowed to skip the line, or that others are getting more food than you are for the same price.

Conflict theorists might use such an analogy to highlight the fact that different groups have conflicting interests in society. The main examples of conflict theories are Marxism and feminism.

Marxism

Conflict theories suggest that society is based on a system of conflicting interests and inequality.

Marxist theorists see a major flaw in the capitalist system that characterises modern society. They argue that it fosters a conflict between the two main social classes:

• the bourgeoisie (the ruling class), and

• the proletariat (the working class).

This conflict is known as the class struggle (or inequality) between the rich, powerful class and the poor, powerless class. It is based on the notion that the ruling class has disproportionate levels of access to wealth, while the working class can only offer their labour in exchange for a very small fraction of this wealth (for example, in the form of wages).

This gives the bourgeoisie an edge over the proletariat, as they have the means (wealth and power) to control powerless classes and enforce social order in the way that they choose. This can be done by influencing laws which ensure that their interests are protected.

Marxists argue that we can maintain social order despite this ongoing conflict because the proletariat is in a state of false class consciousness - they do not realise they are being exploited by the ruling class. While some theorists suggest that the working class is powerless against the influence of the ruling class, early Marxism theorised that they would eventually break out of their false class consciousness and revolutionise to overthrow the rule of the bourgeoisie.

In the scenario of the deli, the bourgeoisie can skip the line and get their meats and cheeses before everybody else. They can also afford much more of them than others can.

Feminism

The feminist perspective also takes a conflict approach. It explores the dynamics of gender in society, suggesting that there is an ongoing conflict of interest between men and women in various social institutions and processes.

The gender-based conflict that feminists describe is similar to the class struggle which is theorised in Marxism, in that both conflicts are based on a fact of inequality. In this instance, feminists argue that society is patriarchal.

A patriarchal society (or patriarchy) is one in which men take a position of dominance over women in various social structures throughout society - including the workplace, the family, the criminal justice system and beyond.

In the scenario of the deli, men can skip the line and get their meats and cheeses first. They have access to a wider selection of deli foods, which women aren't allowed to buy.

Similarities between the consensus and conflict theory

While the consensus theory and conflict theory often appear in opposition in sociology, we need to understand their similarities so that we can make a well-informed comparison.

The key similarity between the consensus and conflict approaches is that they both discuss the source of social order in society. At face value, it may seem like the conflict approach is opposing the consensus approach for claiming that social order exists. However, in reality, the conflict approach also believes in the existence of social order - the difference is simply in how they believe it is brought about.

As mentioned, consensus theories such as functionalism propose that social order exists because we all share the same norms and values that keep us working toward the common, greater good. For conflict theories such as Marxism and feminism, social order exists because dominant groups (the ruling class or men) can impose control over subordinate groups (the working class and women) who have no choice but to conform.