SOCI 100A Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Structural Functionalism, For Marx, Bourgeoisie
Document Summary
Functionalists and conflict theorists are at odds with one another ideologically functionalists. Conflict theory is the strongest theoretical criticism of functionalism. Conflict theory doesn"t see the world as regular and homeostatic like. Conflict theorists say that the world is not cohesive and harmonious. Society is based on struggle over finite resources. Conflict theorists and functionalists agree that we have to gain consensus: a willingness to stay together. Functionalists want to but conflict theorists say we have to. They just have different ways of reaching consensus. T. hobbes life is brutish and short (kind of resonates with conflict theory) Rousseau: social life was based on a social contract (rousseau advocates for working together). He also advocates giving up autonomy for collective benefit. Marx said the type of environment you have will influence the type of society that develops. In this case, the fish is the force of production because we can use it. They"re the means by which society produces things.