RESEARCH PAPER RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary

e-ISSN: 2455-3085 | Vol.08 | No.07 | Jul 2023 | pp. 21-25

Double-Blind Peer Reviewed/Refereed Journal

Conflicts in Modern Society

*P.M.Suresh Kumar

Department of Social Work, Priyadarshini Arts and Science College, Malappuram -- 676517 India

Abstract Article Publication

Conflicts are inherent in any society. They are products of social life and unavoidable. Published online: 15-July-2023
Where people live collectively conflicts arise both inter-personal and inter-group,
although people are mutually dependent and live together for the common good. *Author's Correspondence
Conflict could be traced to the time of ancient feudal society down to agricultural and P.M.Suresh Kumar
further to industrial society. However, the factors contributing to it differ and the way Department of Social Work,
it is manifested also varies. Conflicts arise from structural inequalities and resulting Priyadarshini Arts and Science
differential distribution of power and resources. Inequalities give way to competition College, Malappuram -- 676517 India
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 sureshkumarpmsk@gmail.com
landlords. In agrarian societies, the utilization of land and evolving relations
10.31305/rrijm.2023.v08.n07.004
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
© 2023 The Authors. Published by
battle kept the groups in constant confrontation. In industrial societies capital and RESEARCH REVIEW International
mode of production divided society into two opposing classes always conflicting with Journal of Multidisciplinary. This is an
each other. Slowly a pattern of urban social life evolved that command time, speed, open access article under the CC BY-
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 NC-ND license
continued to induce change as well as restore stability. Conflicts in modern society are (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/
displayed at work and workplace as well as between hierarchies of professions and by-nc-nd/4.0/)
political processes. Institutions keep constantly struggling for securing power, gaining
interest, or establish ideology. The present study aims to analyze the dimensions of Scan and access Online
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.

Keywords: Conflict, Power, Interest, Ideology, Modern Society

Introduction
Conflict is a product of human life and it is unavoidable. Where human beings live, conflicts arise both inter-
personal and between groups despite being mutually dependent and exist together for common goals. The forces
that propel conflict are different at different periods in history and vary according to the stage of development and
organization of social life.

Historical Overview
The feudal society of ancient times was characterized by a land-owning class namely lords and a vast majority
comprising serfs and vassals who worked in their farms. The feudal lords owned the bulk of the land and vassals
were servants of their masters and remained in subservience to them. Subservience served as an unconscious form
of accepting oppression by consciously agreeing to the factors responsible for it. The feudal lords succeeded in
establishing an ownership-occupational role to convince the subservience. Social relations were dictated by the
notion of acceptance of reality as a fact. Hence conflicts existed in a very latent form.

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The agrarian society was also characterized by a huge concentration of land among a few and the vast majority of
the population worked for livelihood in the name of agricultural labourers. What prevailed was a conflict of
subsistence. Fragmentation of land, increased awareness, and desire for freedom from deprivations helped the
growth of peasant movements and agrarian revolts. Thus, conflicts became manifest. The agricultural society was
relatively loosely bound contrary to the rigid feudal society.

With the advent of industrial society, the scenario changed. The concept of wealth transformed from land to
manufacturing. The ownership of the means of production is vested with capitalists. A class of wage earners
emerged. This has led to polarization between them into opposing and conflicting groups constantly struggling to
secure their interests.

Modern society presents a complex scenario characterized by greater sophistication. The introduction of time and
labor-saving devices resulted in improved quality of life. Advancement in technology has made one-time luxuries
into affordable utilities. Dispersion and diversification of industries have thrown open gainful avenues resulting in
increased purchasing power of people. There is greater institutionalization in all walks of life. The rift between
capital and labor was further reduced with the emergence of a new class of entrepreneurs. Polarisation of classes
diluted with the expanding base of an active middle class. Political parties representing the working classes have
become business houses with expanded assets and diversified businesses. Labor unions have become more reliant
on political masters. Digital and information technology is replacing conventional technology. Self-employment
avenues created more independence at work. It is against this backdrop that we connect the present scenario of
conflict that prevails in modern society.

Power Conflict
Many institutions in society are built in a way that power is at its epicenter. They are characterized by a power
quotient between the interacting groups such that any disharmony may result in a power conflict. Power conflicts
are frequently encountered in politics, bureaucracy, and industry.
1. Politics: Politics represent the form of organization of government in any country and the processes leading
to it. Where multiple political parties compete for Government conflicts do arise. Government is a
centralized form of power-- to rule, make laws, or amend laws applicable to its citizens. It decides the future
of any citizen and the destiny of a nation. In a democracy like India having many national parties and
innumerable regional parties, each competing for power, sometimes compromising and sometimes
disagreeing on issue-based, time-based, or leadership-based considerations, the spectrum of conflict
becomes wide. Instances of power brokering, political horse-trading, vote-for-money, corruption, and bribe
also enter into the picture that fuels the conflict. Political power conflicts can destabilize nations.
2. Bureaucracy: The term bureaucracy is associated with a hierarchical and orderly arrangement of superiors
and subordinates in administration. In modern forms of Government, bureaucracy is inevitable.
Bureaucrats execute the powers of the Government. Conflicts arise in a bureaucracy at two levels-- among
the bureaucrats or between superiors and subordinates. Encroachment into the power for decision-making
leads to conflicts between bureaucrats and the political bosses in the government. Superior-subordinate
conflicts as a fallout of exercising power can lead to estrangement of workplace relations or consequent
insubordination. The primary source of conflict in bureaucracy is due to ambiguities or overlapping
challenges in their performance. Bureaucratic power conflicts paralyze administration and impact civic life.
3. Industry: Industry is an umbrella term to denote any organized collective endeavor where human beings are
engaged to manufacture, create, produce, or consume products, or disseminate services for purposes that
will serve the needs of a section or sections of the population who constitute its beneficiaries.
Manufacturing firms like factories are industries, whereas tourism or film-making is also an industry.
Similarly, the coir or beedi industries are also certain classes of industries. Since multiple stakeholders are

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involved in any industry power conflict for existence or monopoly remains latent. Industrial conflicts affect
the economic stability of nations.

Conflict of Interests
Human beings are bound by interests and common identities. Institutions of profit or identity are built around the
primacy of interest that it serves. Conflict of interest is prevalent in professions, businesses, and social classes.
1. Professions: Professions are institutions that are characterized by specialized services carried out in
established ways. Professions are the cutting edge of a civilized society. The level of expertise of a profession
indicates the extent of scientific advancement of society. A professional has three fronts to address. One is
his fellow professionals, secondly, the clients whom he serves, and finally the larger society which grants him
approval. Among fellow professionals, the interest is to maintain the status which he enjoyed, while among
clients the interest is to gain acceptance, and in the larger society it is to establish fame and recognition. Any
challenge to any of these results in conflict. Similarly, professions are in constant conflict with other
professions. In a dynamic society, professions conflict with other social institutions also.
2. Business: Businesses exist in a larger environment comprising of a physical environment, natural
environment, and social environment. The physical environment comprises soil, water, air, terrain, etc. The
physical environment comprises the flora and the fauna. Together it constitutes the ecology of a place. It is
the social responsibility of businesses to avoid causing harm or minimizing the damage to serve the interest
of the community as well as the general public. The social environment consists of all stakeholders of the
business namely suppliers, distributors, consumers, the local community, and society at large. The interest
of business per se does not match the interests of the business groups resulting in conflict. Corporate
businesses are demonstrating social responsibility by earmarking huge funds for compensating the damages
caused to the environment and minimizing conflict.
3. Social Classes: Social classes represent economic groups in society based on their possession of wealth. The
two extremes are the rich and the poor. In the industrial society, the rich owned the means of production,
and the poor sold their labor for wages. Hence, they were termed capitalists and proletariats. The
proletariats are the absolute poor who lived on their labor. The ardent greed of the capitalists to generate
surplus and add to their wealth turned out to be called exploitation. Consequent class consciousness is an
indication of a conflict of interest. The capitalist in the absolute sense of the word used in the past may not
exist now. But economies are distinguishable as capitalistic based on the predominance of private capital.
Economic classes are socio-economic in the sense that the status they enjoy in society is higher than the
lower class. They have access to power and control of the resources. Modern-day capitalists are those who
not only invest for profit but who use their power to access resources, follow lifestyles different from others,
and utilize the amenities in life which are exclusively affordable to them. They are the prime beneficiaries of
modern technology may it be medicine or engineering. Social segregation makes the distinction between
classes more prominent.

Conflict of Ideology
Certain institutions such as the Caste system, Religion, etc. are backed by ideology. The confrontations arising from
ideologies can be a cause for conflict. A few such instances are discussed below.
1. Caste System: The caste system is founded on a hierarchy of unequal groups in terms of their position in
society. In typical caste societies, a person's rights in all walks of life including spatial and social mobility were
determined by the caste to which he belongs. Ingrained in the caste system is a notion of purity and
pollution that has become the core ideology. Lower castes are treated low because they are impure. They
are driven to the periphery of social interactional life, yet inevitably not to be excluded due to the functional
specialization for menial jobs. Caste barriers were reduced through reforms, legislation, conscientization,
education, and reservations yet they do exist and give way to perpetual conflict. Even in a secular
democracy, caste considerations influence the win or loss of the candidate. Top positions in public bodies

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are informally shared on caste representation lines. Castes entering into apparent conflicts are not too rare.
The recent armed conflict between two caste groups in the hill state of Manipur taking a heavy toll on lives is
just an example. Extremist movements such as the Maoist movement in India have genesis in caste
discrimination.
2. Religion and Conflict: Religion has been a source of conflict in society since ancient times. Indian history
shows that the Persian invaders and Christian missionaries all entered the subcontinent to propagate
religion. Invaders used fear and punishment while missionaries used persuasion and appeasement. The
present-day world is facing aggression and conflict in the name of religion and faith. India has become the
hotbed of religious conflicts affecting peace, the sovereignty of the nation, and free social life. Religion itself
is an ideology about the supreme divine and worship practices associated with it. It helps in the
consolidation of human interactions to build unity of thoughts and beliefs and provide values to attain
peace. But the run for supremacy of one's religion as against others generates conflicts. These conflicts are
manifested through hatred. The world over is witnessing religious extremism in the form of terror,
annihilation, and destruction.
3. Migrants vs Settlers: Migrants are groups or populations driven from their homeland out of exigencies such
as natural calamities, disasters, or facing discrimination and loss of dignity due to persecution by oppressive
regimes. While these are the negative factors, many positive factors such as lucrative employment, better
living conditions, availability of land, and incentives offered also lead to migration. The case of Indian
Professionals migrating to the Middle Eastern nations for lucrative jobs or those to European countries for
better living conditions is a few examples from the present. In the past, the Christian community migrated to
high ranges in Kerala due to the availability of land. They prospered through the cultivation of rubber and
cash crops and became planters with large estates. Many countries like Canada and Australia are attracting
migrants to gain the required human resources for the development of their countries. However, in many
instances, there has been a feud developing between migrants and settlers. The concern of migrants
outnumbering the native population is a worry for many nations and this is brought to control by
progressively reserving sectors of occupation to protect them.
4. Urban vs. Rural: Rural populations form a vast chunk of the world's population. Yet there is a considerable
imbalance between rural and urban in terms of economic prosperity and infrastructure. Urban growth is
rapid. Urban life affords amenities for enjoyment in life. While at the same time, it is rural agriculture that
feeds the urbanites. The distinction between producers and consumers is further pronounced with low
consumer potential among rural people. The rural workforce is largely unskilled or semiskilled. Urbanism and
urbanization have an ideological connotation also. This rural-urban divide emerges as an ideology
manifesting in conflicts cutting across occupational groups, consumers, and beneficiaries of urban facilities.
5. Territory and Conflicts: Borders and boundaries of nations and independent states have been seen to be a
source of conflict. Between nations, the India-China border row is over territory. Conflict leading to clashes
between troops is common. Nations in the world maintain huge armed forces with heavy expenditure and
investment in ammunition only to protect their territorial integrity. The resources in a certain place may
often lead to conflict over territories. The disputes between the South Indian states over sharing Cauvery
waters or the row over Mullaperiyar in Kerala are examples of such conflicts.
6. Subalterns and Ethnic population: The term ethnic is connected to a different cultural group of people
usually minorities because they do not live in the country where they actually belong to. The Jews in India
are an example of an ethnic group. The Tibetans who flee their homeland and took refuge in India or the
Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh are refugees. The difference is due to their status of domicile granted by
the residing country, history of migration, and extent of stay. Ethnic minorities are characterized by feelings
of isolation, abandonment, and discrimination. They suffer from an identity crisis. The Srilankan crisis that
ended up with a full-scale war was based on the conflict over the ideology of freedom for the ethnic
Tamilians due to the discrimination they faced historically.

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Conclusion
The prime factor that organizes social life is economic activity. It becomes the basis for deciding the pattern of
social life. All social life is organized around economic activity and resulting give-and-take relations. Institutions
have evolved to synchronize human adaptation in conjunction with this. Yet they display conflicts of various sorts
arising out of power, interest, or ideology.

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Author’s Biography: ______________________________________________________________________

Dr. Suresh Kumar received his Master degree in Social Work from Loyola College, Trivandrum
and Ph.D in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He has vast experience of
18 years in teaching and research and served as Professor at Srinivas University, Mangalore and
CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore. He has published extensively on wide range of
topics in peer reviewed journals. Currently serving as Head of Department of Social Work at
Priyadarshini Arts and Science College, Malappuram (Kerala).

How Cite this article? _______________________________________________________________________

P.M, S. K. (2023). Conflicts in Modern Society. RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of
Multidisciplinary, 8(7), 21–25. https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2023.v08.n07.004

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