Social Conflict and the Theory of Social Change Lewis A ...

1 Social Conflict and the Theory of Social ChangeLewis A. CoserThe British Journal of Sociology, Vol. 8, No. 3. (Sep., 1957), pp. URL: British Journal of Sociologyis currently published by The London School of Economics and Political use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtainedprior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content inthe JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printedpage of such JSTOR Archive is a trusted digital repository providing for long-term preservation and access to leading academicjournals and scholarly literature from around the world.

2 The Archive is supported by libraries, scholarly societies, publishers,and foundations. It is an initiative of JSTOR, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to help the scholarly community takeadvantage of advances in technology. For more information regarding JSTOR, please contact Jul 13 15:25:02 ,morespecificallywithitsrelationtoinstit utionalrigidities,technicalprogressandpr o-ductivity, centralobservationofGeorgeSorelinhisRefl ectionsonViolencewhichhasnotasyetbeenacc ordedsufficientattentionbysociologistsma yserveusasa :Wearetodayfacedwitha ,bytheiruseofviolence,restoretothemiddle classsomethingofitsformerenergy.!Sorel' (whichSorelcallsviolence,usingthewordina veryspecialsense) 'scalltoactionwasaddressedtotheworkingcl assanditsinterests,heconceivedittobeofge neralimportanceforthetotalsocialsystem; ,hefelt, ,thetensionbetweenwhatisandwhatsomegroup sfeeloughttobe, ,wealthandstatus,havebeenproductiveofvit ality;noteforexamplethecontrastbetweenth e'frozenworld' ,ineffect,theapplicationofJohnDewey'sthe oryofcon-sciousnessandthoughtasarisingin thewakeofobstaclestotheinter-actionofgro ups.

3 'Confli< , '2 Conflictnotonlygeneratesnewnorms,newinst itutions,asI havepointedoutelsewhere, " ,'goadingmanagementintotechnicalimprove- mentandincreasedcapitalinvestment'.Verym uchthesamepointwasmaderecentlybytheconse rvativeBritishEconomistwhichreproachedBr itishunionsfortheir'moderation'whichit declaredinpartrespon-sibleforthestagnati onandlowproductivityofBritishcapitalism; 'humanrelations' 'humanrelations'approachstresses,the'col lectivepurposeofthetotal organization'ofthefactory, ,understandingand'unity' ,withitsinstitutionalizationofscienceasa ninstrumentformakingandremakingtheworld, wasmadepossiblewiththegradualemergenceof a ,' stableindustry.'loInthemodernWesternworl d,justasinthemedievalworld,vestedinteres tsexertpressureforthemaintenanceofestabl ishedroutines; , ,aswellasitsapplicationandutilization,is furtheredthroughtheever-renewedchallenge tovestedinterests, ,theclashofconflictinginterestsandvalues ,nownolongerconstrainedbytherigidityofth emedievalstructure, 'spontaneous'processeswasrequiredinmilit aryandpolitical, ,methodicalanddisciplinedbehaviour12aros eatroughlythesameperiodinwhichtheunitary medievalstructurebroke 'trialthroughbattle'areunpredictableinth eiroutcome, ,'peoplemaybeunfittedbybeingfitinanunfit fitness', :'Thecustomaryistakenforgranted; ;itforms"consciousness".

4 '14 Agroupora systemwhichnolongerischallengedisnolonge rcapableofa ,weddedtotheeternalyesterdayofprecedenta ndtradition, 'Onlyahitchintheworkingofhabitoccasionse motionandpro-vokesthought.' ,thoughapparentlydysfunctionalforhighlyr ationalizedsystems, 'occupa-tionalpsychosis'alwaysthreatenin gthebureaucraticofficeholder, , polemicagainstProudhon:Feudalproductiona lsohadtwoantagonisticelements,whichweree quallydesignatedbythenamesofgoodsideandb adsideoffeudalism, , ,enthusiasticoverthevirtuesofchivalry,th edelightfulharmonybetweenrightsandduties ,thepatriarchallifeofthetowns,theprosper ousstateofdomesticindustryinthecountry,o fthedevelopmentofindustryorganizedincorp orations,guildsandfellowships,infineofal lwhichconstitutesthebeautifulsideoffeuda lism,hadproposedtothemselvestheproblemof eliminatingallwhichcastashadowuponthislo velypicture-serfdom,privilege,anarchy-wh atwouldhavebeentheresult?Alltheelementsw hichconstitutedthestrugglewouldhavebeena nnihilated, ,conflictleadsnotonlytoever-changingrela tionswithintheexistingsocialstructure, ,therelationsbetweenserfandlord(be-tween burgherandgentry, 'scontentionthatthenegativeelement,theop position,conditionsthechangewhenconflict betweenthesub-groupsofa systembecomessosharpenedthatata ;ifintheanalysisofthesocialstructureofa systemtheseelementsareignored,iftheadjus tmentofpatternedrelationsistheonlyfocuso f200 SOCIALCONFLICTANDSOCIALCHANGE attention, , ,inMarx'sview, ,infact,saysMarx,bethefirstbirthpangofa newonetocome; 'matters-of-fact'ofa'givenstateofaffairs 'whenviewedinthelightofMarx'sapproach,be comelimited,transitory.)

5 Theyareregardedascontainingthegermsofa , ,thepatternsofsocialmobility,ofascribing andachievingstatusandofallocatingscarcep owerandwealth,aswellasthedegreetowhicha specificformofdistributionofpower, ,withinanysocialstruc-ture,thereexistsan excessofclaimants overopportunitiesforadequatereward, ,ofcourse,a present,ora presentanda futuresocialsystem;societiesdonotdiethew aybiologicalorganismsdo, ;butfromonepersp~c ,describingthefunctionofearthquakes,rece ntlystatedadmirablywhatcouldbeconsidered thefunctionofconflict.' 'swayofmaintainingitsequilibrium,a ,themoreviolentthequake,andthemorefreque nttheshifts,themo~efrequentaretheshocks. '20 Whetherthequakeisviolentornot, ,ortheymaybechangesinthestruc-turalrelat ionsbetweenlandandwater, , ,capitalism, ,forex-ample,mayundergoconsiderablechang ewithin-videtheeffectsoftheBlackDeathont hesocialstructureofmedievalsociety;andev enanabolitionofserfdommaynotnecessarilyb esaidtomarktheendofanoldandtheemergenceo fanewsystem, 'itisnecessarytodistinguishclearlybetwee ntheprocesseswithinthesystemandprocesses ofchangeofthesystem',asProfessorParsonsh aspointedout,21anattemptshouldbemadetoes tablisha ,itsbasicinstitutionsanditspre-vailingva luesystemhavebeendrasticallyaltered.

6 (Incaseswheresuchachangetakesplaceabrupt ly,as,forexample,theRussianRevolu-tion, ,however, ,bymutualadjustment,anditisonlyoveraperi odoftimethattheobserverwillbeabletoclain lthatthesocialsystemhasundergonea basictransformationinitsstructuralrelati ons.)Inconcretehistoricalreality, (orthesumtotal) ' newsystemwilldependontherigidityandresis tancetochange, ,however, ,whichallowtheopenanddirectexpressionofc onflictwithinthemandwhichadjusttotheshif tingbalanceofpowerwhichtheseconflictsbot hindicateandbringabout, ,conflictsanddisturb-anceswithina systemwhichleadtoa re-establishmentofequilibrium,andconflic tswhichleadtotheestablishmentofnewsystem sandnewtypesofequilibria, 'VestedInterests'.24 Anysocialsystemimpliesanallocationofpowe r, ,thereisnevercompleteconcordancebetweenw hatindividualsandgroupswithin-a 'vestedinterest'ina givenformofdistribu-tionofhonour, , givensystemofallocationofstatus, ,mere'frustration'willnotleadtoa questioningofthelegitimacyofthepositiono fthevestedinterests, ,butlimitaccesstothesegoalsforcertainmem bersofthesociety,'departuresfrominstitut ionalrequire-ments' ,ifcertaingroupswithina socialsystemcomparetheirshareinpower,wea lthandstatushonourwiththatofothergroupsa ndquestionthelegitimacyofthisdistributio n, , 'innovation' 'rebellion''involvesa genuinetransvaluation,wherethedirectorvi cariousexperienceoffrustrationleadstoful ldenunciationofpreviouslyprizedvalues'.

7 28 Thusitwillbewelltodistinguishbetweenthos edeparturesfromthenormsofa societywhjchconsistinmere'deviation' , ,technological, ,moreover,thatconflictmaybea resultjustasmuchasa ,theintroductionofa newculturaltraitthroughdiffusion,thedeve lopmentofnewnlethodsofproductionordistri bution,etc.,willhavea , ,nomatterwhatitssource, ,itmaybewelltorepeatthatmere'frustration 'andtheensuingstrainsandtensionsdonotnec essarilyleadtogro-upconflict~Individuals understressmayrelievetheirtensionthrough 'actingout'inspecialsafety-valveinstitut ionsinasfarastheyareprovidedforinthesoci alsystem;ortheymay'actout'inadeviantmann er,whichmayhaveseriousdysfunctionalconse quencesforthesystem, ,however, ,ontheotherhand,thestrainleadstotheemerg enceofspecificnewpatternsofbehaviourofwh olegroupsofindividualswhopursue'theoptim izationofgratification~29bychoosingwhatt heyconsiderappropriatemeansforthemaximiz ationofrewards, ~ontheotherhand,thesocialsystemisnotable toreadjustitselfandallowstheaccumulation ofconflict,the'aggressive'groups,imbuedw itha newsystemofvalueswhichthreatenstosplitth egeneralconsensusofthesocietyandimbuedwi thanideologywhich'objectifies'theirclaim s, , classasagainstcapital,butnotforitsel( (whichunfortunatelyhedidn'telaborateupon inlaterwritingsthoughitinformsallofthem- ifnotthewritingsofmostlatter-day'marxist s'),Marxilluminatesa mostimportantaspectofgroupforma-tion:gro upbelongingnessisestablishedbyanobjectiv econflictsitua-tion-inthiscasea conflictofinterests.)

8 32butonlybyexperiencingthisantagonism,th atis,bybecomingawareofitandbyactingitout ,doesthegroup(orclass) societyleadtotheformation204 SOCIALCONFLICTANDSOCIALCHANGE ofnewgroupingsortothestrengtheningofexis tinggroupingsthatsetthemselvesthegoalofo vercomingresistanceofvestedintereststhro ughconflict,changesinstructuralrelations ,asdistin'Ctfromsimple'mal-adjustment', :Theystrikemeasnaturalandwholesomedistur bancesofthesocialroutine,theeffectofwhic histoarouseinthoseinvolveda 'oppressed' , ,ontheotherhand,islikelytoresultina'devi ancy' , ,insteadofbeingsuppressedordivertedareal lowedexpressionagainst'vestedinterests', andinthiswaytoleadtotheformationofnewgro upingswithinthesociety, :'Wewanttodevelopsymptoms,wedon'twanttos uppressthem.' ;onlya :If[themenwhoaremostattachedtothereignin gorderofthings]hadalargerfaithinthestabi lityforwhichtheyprofesssogreatananxiety, theywouldbemorefreealikeinunderstandinga ndtempertodealgenerously, ,ReflectionsonViolence, , ,HumanNatureandCon-duct, ,TheModernLibrary,1930,P ,TheFunctionsofSocialConflict,Glencoe,Il l.

9 ;London,RoutledgeandKeganPaul, ,AlenandCoal, ,FarrarandRinehart, 'sEarnings,Syracuse, , ,'WhenSocialScientistsViewLabor',Comment -ary, ,XII,6, ,DynamicFactorsinIndustrialProductivity, Oxford,Black-well,1956, ,'AdjustingMentoMachines',Commentary, , ; ,'TheCon-tributionofSociologytotheStudyo fIndustrialRelations',ProceedingsoftheIn dustrialRelationsResearchAssociation,194 8, , , ,'TheMachine,TheWorkersandTheEngin-eer', SocialTheoryandSocialStructure,Glencoe,I ll.,1949, ;GeorgesFriedmann,IndustrialSociety,Glen coe,Ill., ,seeRoethlisberger&Dickson,Alanagementan dtheWorker,Cambridge,1939, ;forformalorganization,seeSeligPerlman,T heTheoryoftheLaborMovement;ongeneralrela tionsbetweentechnologyandlabour, ,TechnologyandLabor,NewHaven, , ,EconomicandSocialllistoryofMedievalEuro JJe,London,RoutledgeandKeganPaul,1949, ,SocialChange, ,1923,forthetheoryof'culturallag'dueto'v estedinterests'. \Veber,'Bureaucracy',FromMaxWeber,Gertha ndMills,ed.

10 , , ,'Bureau-craticStructureandPersonality', SocialTheoryandSocialStructure,Opecit., ,PermanenceandChange, ,NewRepublic,1936, ,ThePublicandItsProblems,Chicago,Gateway Books,1946, ,ofcourse,acentralthesisofArnoldToynbee' smonumentalAStudyofHistory, ,HumanNatureandConduct,Opecit., , ,MelvilleDalton,'ConflictsBetweenStaffan dLineManagerialOfficers', ,XV(1950), ,yethisdataclearlyindicatethe'inno-vatin gpotential' ,ThePovertyofPhilosophy,Chicago, ,1910, 19 ForanunderstandingofMarx'smethodologyand itsrelationtoHegelianphilosophy,seeHerbe rtMarcuse,ReasonandRevolution, , , \vey'sthought:'Wherethereischange,therei sofnecessitynumericalplurality,multi-pli city,andfromvarietycomesopposi-tion, ,or"othering" ,anddivisionmeanstwosidesandtheirconflic t.'ReconstructioninPhilosophy, ,MentorBooks,1950, 'sociologicaltheoriesbyDavidLockwood,B.] .S.,June, ,'ScienceinReview',NewrorkTimes,July27, ,TheSocialSystem,London,TavistockPublica tions:1951,P ' is used,asbySchumpeter,asapointofreferencep ermittingmeasurementofdeparturesfromit.