Elements of the conflict theory explain the precipitating factors that contribute to the organization and focus of the Women’s Movement. The Women’s Movement can be directly explained by conflict theory. According to the Openstax textbook, “conflict theory looks at society as a competition for limited resources” (16). This basically means that society is defined by the struggle for dominance between social groups that compete for resources. In relationship to gender, Conflict theory explains that gender inequality came to exist because the men are trying to maintain power and privilege at the cost of the women’s benefit. Women can be seen as the submissive (proletariat), while the men can be seen as the dominant (bourgeois). This is due to
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Before the 1800s, women were not allowed to work for wages; women were in-home housewives that had the duty to take care of the children and prepare a meal for the man, when he came home from work. In this case, the gradual conflict between the “thesis” (working men” and the “antithesis” (housewives) lead to compromises, such as the Women Suffrage Movement that allowed the woman to finally work for her own wages (and vote) in the mid-1800s. However, now that a compromise has been found (i.e. the woman begins to work for her own wages), a new conflict appears: gender inequality in the work place. Gender inequality exists in the workplace due to the ongoing conflict between the man, who wants to express his control, and the woman, who wants to express her equality. In the 21st century, where the women have found a compromise with the men to obtain her own wages, Conflict theory states that there is a new struggle. This struggle is the difference in wages between men and women, which eventually will also reach a compromise. Such is evident in the case where women are making 90 cent for every dollar a man makes (described in BBC news). So, of course gender inequality persist in society today (not just the workplace); Conflict Theory tells us that there is always a battle between “good-and-evil”, “men-and-women”, and that a compromise will eventually be found. But in the end, another conflict will
Before the 1800s, women were not allowed to work for wages; women were in-home housewives that had the duty to take care of the children and prepare a meal for the man, when he came home from work. In this case, the gradual conflict between the “thesis” (working men” and the “antithesis” (housewives) lead to compromises, such as the Women Suffrage Movement that allowed the woman to finally work for her own wages (and vote) in the mid-1800s. However, now that a compromise has been found (i.e. the woman begins to work for her own wages), a new conflict appears: gender inequality in the work place. Gender inequality exists in the workplace due to the ongoing conflict between the man, who wants to express his control, and the woman, who wants to express her equality. In the 21st century, where the women have found a compromise with the men to obtain her own wages, Conflict theory states that there is a new struggle. This struggle is the difference in wages between men and women, which eventually will also reach a compromise. Such is evident in the case where women are making 90 cent for every dollar a man makes (described in BBC news). So, of course gender inequality persist in society today (not just the workplace); Conflict Theory tells us that there is always a battle between “good-and-evil”, “men-and-women”, and that a compromise will eventually be found. But in the end, another conflict will