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conflict theory

conflict theory Conflict theory, which originates from Karl Marx’s early works, is based on the idea of various groups competing for scarce resources, conflict, struggle and turmoil will arise. The problems include the difference between Democrats and Republicans, racial conflicts, and gender conflicts. Such problems will begin to appear because if everyone is fighting for the same thing, there will be no more of that such resource to fight for. In Paul Fussel’s book, Class he expresses many instances and issues in which there is much competition for. First of course, it begins with the different classes competing for different things. For instance “Garages: the upper middle class and middle class house used to act ashamed of it’s garage, concealing it well in back with other unseemly outbuildings.”(77) This shows the way in which the middle class struggles to be a part of the community. But now one may look and think, the more car garages there are, the more cars a family may have which of course means they must be rich and part of the upper class. The middle class may feel like there is always something to prove, they compete for more respect in the eyes of society and the government. Fussel refers to this idea when he says, “ The automobile, like the all important domestic façade, is another mechanism for outdoor class There he is stating that not only what your front yard looks like matters, the cars, which you own also, matter just as much. But he goes on to say that it actually brings down you class and is tasteless to show off what one has. To have a less flashy car is having more class. Even to go so far as to decorate your television set to try and look classier is portrayed as ridiculous in the eyes of Fussel. Later, Fussel goes on to talk about food. Even food is considered a way of judging a person. People compete in the way they serve their food. It’s part of the competition of class status, based on the way one serves the food. “ Among upper-middles there’s a general belief that sliced bread is, ipso facto, horrible, although some allowance may be made for brands pledging a degree of archaism, like Arnold’s Brick Oven or Pepperidge “Farm”.”(102) Of course it has to be known that there are exceptions, the competition for popularity in advertising, and throughout the homes of these classy people. Even such things as the drinks whether it be alcoholic, or just a soft drink matters. The sports a certain person plays can also determine their class, and are competed for. What were the more popular sports that would be the one to play? Whatever recreation was popular this is what would be competed for. “Because it’s the most expensive, yachting beats all other recreations as a theater for upper-status exhibition.”(112) Fussel begins to compare the boat to a car, saying a “Chris-Craft” is equivalent of a Mercedes. Still one sees the competition for a name, anything to show your class. Next comes the competition of which class is smarter. The better university one is associated with has all to do with how much class they have. “The lust of all classes to acquire status by attaching themselves to universities, learned societies, “science,” and the like- anything but commerce and manufacturing and “marketing”- can be seen in the way, for example, the Morgan Library attracts contributors of money by designating them not Donors or Benefactors, but “Fellows.”(128) This here says just how much it mattered to have some association to a university of high standings. Who came from the best? Whoever was considered to be the “smarter” class. These are all examples from Fussel which all can be associated with the conflict theory. All the competition for class, with garages, to cars, television’s, the sports you played, and how you serve your food, and the university which one came from. All of these are actually scarce resources if one thinks about it. Education, food, supplies, all which can be related to causing problems. Bibliography:

Word Count: 701