Conflicts in Modern Society

Abstract

Conflicts are inherent in any society. They are products of social life and unavoidable. Where people live collectively conflicts arise both inter-personal and inter-group, although people are mutually dependent and live together for the common good. Conflict could be traced to the time of ancient feudal society down to agricultural and further to industrial society. However, the factors contributing to it differ and the way it is manifested also varies. Conflicts arise from structural inequalities and resulting differential distribution of power and resources. Inequalities give way to competition and competition results in conflict. In ancient feudal societies huge concentration of land in the hands of a few led to subservience by the serfs and vassals before the landlords. In agrarian societies, the utilization of land and evolving relations determined social life. Combined with the complex nature of the caste system it became an oppressive instrument to establish the supremacy of the land-owning class. This battle kept the groups in constant confrontation. In industrial societies capital and mode of production divided society into two opposing classes always conflicting with each other. Slowly a pattern of urban social life evolved that command time, speed, and quality of life. These became a key concern, ushering in a new social order of the modern era.  Nevertheless, the undercurrents of conflict that pervaded throughout continued to induce change as well as restore stability.  Conflicts in modern society are displayed at work and workplace as well as between hierarchies of professions and political processes. Institutions keep constantly struggling for securing power, gaining interest, or establish ideology. The present study aims to analyze the dimensions of conflict in modern society and its implications. Three forms of conflict namely power conflict, interest conflict, and conflict of ideologies are discussed as they apply to various groups or institutions.