To What Extent is Class Conflict Inevitable - Essay Example

 To what extent is class conflict inevitable? Introduction Class conflict has been an issue for in many societies for centuries and this has raised questions among Marxist and non-Marxists concerning its inevitability. This form of conflict is especially prominent within capitalist societies where only a few individuals control the means of production while the rest of the society works for them. From a Marxist perspective, conflict between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat is inevitable because the former always use all means necessary to ensure that the control the latter in a manner that ensures that they become wealthier. The ability to exploit others to ensure that more wealth is in their hands is the reason why the bourgeoisie remain dominant in society and it is only a matter of time before the proletariat, as a result of their despair, rise against the bourgeoisie. While this may be the case, class struggle is existent in modern society and this is mostly as a result of the elite not only controlling the means of production but also most political authority to ensure that they secure their economic positions. Through having political power, they can pass laws that are against the masses in such a way that the latter provide cheaper labour so that the bourgeoisie can make more profits. Furthermore, the masses, or workers, have created unions so that they can have the advantage necessary to help them in reversing the policies of the bourgeoisie through such actions as strikes as well as making deals that are favourable for them, such as good working conditions and better pay. This paper seeks to show that class struggle within society is inevitable and it is a situation that takes place constantly. Literature Review Maavak (2012, p.15) states that while in the past the term social conflict was used mainly in socialist circles, in the modern world, it has come to be used within the context of a growing gap between the wealthy and the rest of society. The capitalist system has come to be at the centre of the new divisions according to classes, with those who own big business forming the elite while the rest of society being categorised as less privileged because their economic strength is not secure. From this point of view, owners and workers to control not only the means of production but also labour which ends up creating class divisions manifest class struggle through the attempt or contest. A result of this contest is that happens on a regular basis as the two classes work towards outmanoeuvring each other on an almost unending process. While these conflicts may happen at an extremely low level that it is actually hardly ever recognised, it is essential to note that in certain circumstances, it can grow in such intensity that it leads to open confrontation. Such direct confrontation between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat only ends when one of these groups is destroyed and the remaining one ends up becoming dominant. Class conflicts in the contemporary world are taking a new dynamic and confrontations between the classes have taken different dimensions than in previous periods. Thus, through such agencies as social media, classes can vent their frustrations or spread their propaganda between the goodness and evils of their different points of view. Chomsky (2013) states that among the most well known and discussed forms of class conflict is based on capitalism, which occurs because of conflicts concerning working conditions as well as wages. In the contemporary world, it has become essential for there to be some form of conflict especially where economic matters are involved. Governments have come under fire from the public for adopting policies that favour the wealthy over them despite the former owning a large percentage of the economy. Economic inequality has become a new avenue for class conflict because individuals have come to believe that the elite also retain political power for the sake of ensuring that their privileged economic status is protected against the interests of the rest of society. Parliament and bureaucracy have come to be viewed as instruments that are used to ensure the subservience of labour towards those who own the means of production so that labour can continue to be exploited in order to produce more wealth for the economic elite. Kaps (1997, p.52) states that labour disputes have become the most common forms of class conflicts as employees and managements try to create working conditions that are favourable for them and that puts one of the other party at a disadvantage. The long struggle of economic entities against unions is an example of class conflict as the former uses its influence as a means of weakening the latter to such an extent that they are able to exploit labour as they wish. The control of labour is crucial in ensuring that wealth continues to be generated and the attempts to do so have been vigorously resisted by organised labour. It is essential to note that class conflict can turn into volatile situations especially during periods of crisis that involve politics or the economy because these often lead towards either attempts to overthrow long established elites or elites attempting to repress the masses in a bid to retain their political and economic power. Korotayev and Zinkina (2011, p.139) state that under such circumstances, class conflict might lead to such actions as extreme repression, the restriction of freedoms, and extreme violence that might result in the deaths of many individuals within society. Long-held grievances come to the fore during these situations and it is necessary to ensure that studies be conducted on these grievances before they explode into real conflicts. A better understanding of problems that lead to class conflict can be achieved through the survey method. Surveys conducted in the United States have shown that a large number of individuals within that society believe that class conflict has surged as a result of government policies that are favourable to the economic elite. The ability of economic elites to influence government policy in their favour is based on their sponsoring of powerful lobbies that ensure their interests are well protected. American masses cannot afford these actions and it results in their being taken advantage of by the economic elite. Under these circumstances, class conflict is inevitable because in a society that prides itself in equality, the gap between the wealthy and the poor is fast increasing, making even government policies ineffective in curbing it. Castells-Quintana and Royuela (2012, p.153) it is stated that in most developed societies, it is acknowledged that wealth inequality is part of their societies and that it needs to be addressed early to ensure that serious conflicts do not arise as a result. However, despite the welfare programs governments in developed countries to ensure that the disadvantaged also enjoy the benefits of capitalism, they have not succeeded in addressing inequalities run that. This is especially the case when during serious economic crises, like the recent banking industry meltdown, a large number of individuals in the developed world ended up not only losing their savings, but also their homes and this to such an extent that the number of poor people within society actually increased. Despite government efforts to correct these occurrences, very little has been done to help those who had slipped into poverty to recover and the rising number of disadvantaged people in society might well lead to class conflict that might result in serious confrontations. Marxists in the contemporary world have come to consider capitalism to be transitory condition where some individuals in society gain the upper hand in controlling wealth and that class conflict will eventually be the determining factor that will ensure that there is real equality in society (Roemer 1985, p.30). However, this will likely be a long struggle because the economic elite will not easily give up their wealth since it is not only the source of their comfort, but also their power and privileges in society. Therefore, while the workers strive to overthrow the dominance of the economic elite, the latter will in turn attempt to turn the tide using all means at their disposal. Analysis The literature above has shown that class conflict within capitalist societies is inevitable essentially because such societies are based on inequality. Under such circumstances, it is difficult for there to be social cohesion since the classes within it will be in a state o continuous struggle to ensure that they are able to achieve their interests. Class interests are for the most part conflicting and this leads to struggles against each other not only to achieve their goals, but also to ensure that what they achieve is retained at all costs. Such struggles can be seen through the events leading to the Arab Spring and its aftermath where individuals in societies such as Egypt tired of years of corruption and mismanagement by its elite, took to the streets in protests that eventually led to the overthrow of their elite (Korotayev and Zinkina, 2011, p.139). However, within a year, the elite and its supporters fought back and by 2014, Egypt was back in the hands of men who had held powerful positions among the overthrown elite. In capitalist societies like Syria, the majority of the population is fighting against a government that has favoured only a small portion of the population over others and this has resulted in a civil war that is still ongoing. This can be related to class conflict theory where capitalists accumulate their wealth through the exploitation of the masses while at the same time, the latter protect themselves through offering resistance to the efforts of capitalists to exploit them. Class conflict has therefore come to be reflected in various aspects of modern life including efforts by workers to unionise, as well as immigration policies developed to safeguard the privileges enjoyed by the economic elite. Conclusion This discussion has set forth to determine whether the statement that class conflict is inevitable is true. In order to achieve this objective, a literature review of various authors has been conducted and the results show that class conflict is a basic part of human societies, especially those that practice capitalism. The analysis of this problem has shown that class conflict is indeed inevitable because despite government efforts to fight inequality, these efforts are not strong enough to bring about changes in society. Furthermore, since governments are either headed or controlled by economic elites, it would be most difficult for these individuals to give up some of their privileges for the sake of the masses. Therefore, this scenario has all the ingredients necessary for the inevitability of class conflict in society. References Castells-Quintana, D. and Royuela, V. 2012, "Unemployment and long-run economic growth: The role of income inequality and urbanisation". Investigaciones Regionales, vol. 12, no. 24, pp. 153–173. Chomsky, N., 2013, “Business Elites Are Waging a Brutal Class War in America.” alternet.org [Online] Available at: [accessed 13 Dec. 2014] Kaps, R.W., 1997, Air Transport Labor Relations. Section 3: Major Collective Bargaining Legislation. Chicago: Southern Illinois Press. p. 51. Korotayev, A. &, Zinkina, J., 2011, "Egyptian Revolution: A Demographic Structural Analysis". Entelequia. Revista Interdisciplinar vol. 13, pp. 139–165. Maavak, M., 2012, "Class Warfare, Anarchy and the Future Society", Journal of Futures Studies, vol.17, no. 2, pp.15-36 Roemer, J. E. 1985, “Should Marxists be Interested in Exploitation.” Philosophy & Public Affairs, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 30-65 Read More