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examBoard: Cambridge
examType: IGCSE
lessonTitle: Debate between consensus and conflict views - Marxism
Every day, we follow rules and norms without really thinking about it. But have you ever wondered why? Sociologists have different views on how society controls us and why we generally follow the rules. Two major perspectives are the consensus view and the conflict view, with Marxism being a key conflict theory.
Key Definitions:
According to the consensus view, society functions because most people agree on basic values and rules. Social control exists to maintain harmony and protect everyone. Rules are created democratically and reflect what most people want.
Functionalists like Durkheim believe social control helps society run smoothly. They see laws and norms as things most people agree on that help us all live together peacefully.
The conflict view argues that society is divided by inequality and power differences. Social control exists to protect the interests of powerful groups. Rules are created by those with power to maintain their position.
Marxists believe social control is used by the ruling class (the bourgeoisie) to keep the working class (the proletariat) under control and maintain the capitalist system.
Karl Marx (1818-1883) developed his ideas during the Industrial Revolution when he observed extreme inequality between factory owners and workers. He argued that throughout history, society has been shaped by class conflict.
Marxism is based on several core ideas that help explain how society functions and how social control operates:
Marx believed that economic systems (how goods are produced and distributed) form the foundation of society. Everything else politics, culture, religion is built on this economic base.
Society is divided into two main classes: the bourgeoisie (who own the means of production) and the proletariat (who sell their labour). These classes have opposing interests that create conflict.
The history of society is the history of class struggles. The ruling class exploits the working class, taking the surplus value of their labour as profit.
According to Marxism, the ruling class uses various methods to maintain their power and prevent the working class from recognising their exploitation. These methods of social control include:
Marx argued that the state isn't neutral but serves the interests of the ruling class. Laws protect private property and criminalise actions that threaten capitalism. The police and courts enforce these laws, maintaining the status quo.
Example: Laws that severely punish theft of property while giving lighter sentences to white-collar crimes like fraud that often harm more people.
Schools prepare young people for their future roles in the capitalist system. They teach obedience to authority, acceptance of hierarchy and the skills needed for work. The hidden curriculum teaches working-class children to accept their position.
Example: Streaming and setting in schools can reinforce class differences, with working-class children often placed in lower sets with less academic expectations.
Marx's collaborator Friedrich Engels developed the concept of "false consciousness" to explain why workers accept their exploitation. Later Marxists expanded on this idea:
The ruling class controls the media and cultural institutions, using them to spread ideas that justify inequality. News, films and TV shows often portray capitalism as natural and inevitable while demonising alternatives.
Example: Media ownership is concentrated among a few wealthy corporations that rarely challenge the economic system that benefits them.
Antonio Gramsci developed the concept of hegemony to explain how the ruling class maintains control through consent rather than force. They persuade the working class to accept their worldview as common sense.
Example: The idea that anyone can become rich through hard work (meritocracy) makes people blame themselves rather than the system for their economic struggles.
French Marxist Louis Althusser (1918-1990) distinguished between two types of social control:
Althusser argued that in modern capitalist societies, ISAs are more important than RSAs for maintaining control. People follow rules because they've internalised the values of capitalism, not because they fear punishment.
Example: Most people don't steal not because they fear arrest but because they've internalised the idea that stealing is wrong and private property should be respected.
While Marx wrote in the 19th century, many sociologists argue his ideas remain relevant for understanding social control today:
| Issue | Consensus View | Marxist (Conflict) View |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of laws | Protect everyone and maintain social order | Protect the interests of the ruling class |
| Role of education | Teach shared values and useful skills | Prepare workers and maintain class divisions |
| Media function | Inform and entertain the public | Spread ruling class ideology |
| Why people follow rules | They share society's values | They've been influenced by false consciousness |
The debate between consensus and conflict views represents two fundamentally different ways of understanding social control. While consensus theorists see social control as arising from shared values that benefit everyone, Marxists view it as a tool used by the powerful to maintain their dominance.
Marxism provides a powerful framework for analysing how different aspects of society from laws and education to media and culture work together to maintain the capitalist system and class inequality. While it has limitations, it continues to influence sociological thinking about power, control and inequality in modern societies.
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