Q.1 Who is considered the primary founder of Conflict Theory in sociology?
Emile Durkheim
Max Weber
Karl Marx
Talcott Parsons
Explanation - Karl Marx is considered the founder of Conflict Theory, emphasizing class struggle and the conflicts between the bourgeoisie and proletariat.
Correct answer is: Karl Marx
Q.2 Conflict Theory primarily focuses on which aspect of society?
Social consensus
Power struggles and inequality
Cultural traditions
Social integration
Explanation - Conflict Theory emphasizes the role of power struggles, economic inequality, and social conflict as the driving forces of societal change.
Correct answer is: Power struggles and inequality
Q.3 According to Conflict Theory, who benefits most from societal structures?
The working class
The ruling elite
Children
Minority groups
Explanation - Conflict Theory argues that social structures are designed to benefit those in power, typically the ruling elite, at the expense of others.
Correct answer is: The ruling elite
Q.4 Max Weber expanded Conflict Theory by emphasizing which additional form of inequality?
Age-based inequality
Power and status, not just class
Gender equality
Religious harmony
Explanation - Weber introduced multidimensional inequality, highlighting that social stratification includes power and status, not just economic class.
Correct answer is: Power and status, not just class
Q.5 Which concept refers to the process by which dominant groups maintain power by controlling ideas and beliefs?
Cultural hegemony
Social consensus
Structural functionalism
Role conflict
Explanation - Antonio Gramsci's concept of cultural hegemony explains how ruling classes maintain control by shaping ideology and beliefs to justify their dominance.
Correct answer is: Cultural hegemony
Q.6 Conflict Theory views social change as primarily resulting from:
Cooperation and compromise
Conflict and tension between groups
Religious movements
Technological progress
Explanation - Conflict Theory sees social change as emerging from struggles between competing groups with differing interests.
Correct answer is: Conflict and tension between groups
Q.7 Which of the following is a criticism of Conflict Theory?
It ignores inequality
It overemphasizes consensus
It focuses too much on power and neglects stability
It lacks historical perspective
Explanation - A key criticism is that Conflict Theory overemphasizes conflict and power struggles while underestimating social cohesion and stability.
Correct answer is: It focuses too much on power and neglects stability
Q.8 In Conflict Theory, the proletariat refers to:
Landowners
The working class
Political leaders
Merchants
Explanation - In Marxist terms, the proletariat is the working class that sells labor but does not own the means of production.
Correct answer is: The working class
Q.9 According to Marx, which institution helps maintain the dominance of the ruling class?
Education and religion
Healthcare
Sports and entertainment
Science and technology
Explanation - Marx argued that institutions like education and religion reinforce the ideology of the ruling class, maintaining their dominance.
Correct answer is: Education and religion
Q.10 Which sociologist extended Conflict Theory to focus on gender inequalities?
Harriet Martineau
Max Weber
Ralf Dahrendorf
Friedrich Engels
Explanation - Engels, collaborating with Marx, analyzed gender inequality as connected to class and economic structures, particularly within the family.
Correct answer is: Friedrich Engels
Q.11 Ralf Dahrendorf is known for which contribution to Conflict Theory?
Emphasizing class struggle exclusively
Introducing authority and conflict in organizations
Developing functionalist theory
Focusing on cultural traditions
Explanation - Dahrendorf expanded Conflict Theory beyond class, highlighting authority, social roles, and organizational conflict.
Correct answer is: Introducing authority and conflict in organizations
Q.12 Which term describes economic exploitation by one class over another according to Marx?
Alienation
Surplus value
Social solidarity
Division of labor
Explanation - Marx used 'surplus value' to describe the profit generated by laborers that is appropriated by capitalists, highlighting economic exploitation.
Correct answer is: Surplus value
Q.13 In Conflict Theory, laws and regulations are often seen as:
Neutral tools for justice
Mechanisms that maintain elite power
Unrelated to social structure
Expressions of collective conscience
Explanation - Conflict theorists argue that laws are designed to protect the interests of dominant groups rather than ensure equality.
Correct answer is: Mechanisms that maintain elite power
Q.14 Which form of conflict does Marx consider the most fundamental in society?
Ethnic conflict
Class conflict
Religious conflict
Generational conflict
Explanation - Marx viewed class conflict, between the bourgeoisie and proletariat, as the central driving force of historical change.
Correct answer is: Class conflict
Q.15 According to Conflict Theory, social inequality is:
A temporary imbalance
A natural outcome of human evolution
Structured and maintained by power relations
Rare in modern societies
Explanation - Conflict Theory asserts that inequality is systemic and sustained by those who hold power.
Correct answer is: Structured and maintained by power relations
Q.16 Which thinker highlighted that bureaucracy could be a source of social conflict?
Max Weber
Karl Marx
Émile Durkheim
Georg Simmel
Explanation - Weber argued that bureaucratic authority can create conflict, as it concentrates power and creates hierarchies.
Correct answer is: Max Weber
Q.17 According to Conflict Theory, why do marginalized groups often face social oppression?
Because of lack of talent
Because of inherent differences
Because those in power want to maintain dominance
Because of cultural misunderstandings
Explanation - Conflict Theory views social oppression as intentional, serving the interests of the powerful to maintain their dominance.
Correct answer is: Because those in power want to maintain dominance
Q.18 Which of the following is an example of social conflict as per Conflict Theory?
Community festival
Labor strikes demanding better wages
National holidays
Educational curricula updates
Explanation - Labor strikes exemplify conflict between workers and employers, reflecting economic and power struggles.
Correct answer is: Labor strikes demanding better wages
Q.19 Conflict Theory often contrasts with which sociological perspective?
Functionalism
Symbolic Interactionism
Feminist Theory
Postmodernism
Explanation - Functionalism emphasizes stability and consensus, which contrasts with Conflict Theory’s focus on tension and change.
Correct answer is: Functionalism
Q.20 Alienation, according to Marx, results from:
Workers’ control over production
The separation of workers from the products of their labor
Social harmony
Technological advancement
Explanation - Marx’s concept of alienation describes how labor under capitalism estranges workers from the results of their work, leading to social conflict.
Correct answer is: The separation of workers from the products of their labor
Q.21 Which theory suggests that conflict is inevitable in society due to competing interests?
Structural Functionalism
Conflict Theory
Symbolic Interactionism
Rational Choice Theory
Explanation - Conflict Theory posits that conflict arises naturally in society because groups have competing interests and unequal access to resources.
Correct answer is: Conflict Theory
Q.22 The term 'false consciousness' in Marxist theory refers to:
Awareness of exploitation
Belief that social inequality is fair
Class solidarity
Economic independence
Explanation - False consciousness occurs when the working class is misled to accept the ideology of the ruling class, obscuring their exploitation.
Correct answer is: Belief that social inequality is fair
Q.23 Conflict Theory views religion primarily as:
A source of moral consensus
An instrument that can justify social inequalities
A neutral cultural practice
A purely personal belief system
Explanation - Marx described religion as the 'opiate of the masses,' often used to legitimize social hierarchies and reduce resistance.
Correct answer is: An instrument that can justify social inequalities
Q.24 In addition to class, modern Conflict Theorists also examine inequalities based on:
Religion, gender, and race
Diet and exercise habits
Geography only
Weather patterns
Explanation - Contemporary Conflict Theory expands to include multiple axes of inequality such as gender, race, and religion, beyond class.
Correct answer is: Religion, gender, and race
Q.25 Which of the following best summarizes the main goal of Conflict Theory?
Promote social harmony
Understand and challenge power imbalances
Encourage cultural assimilation
Focus on individual behavior
Explanation - Conflict Theory seeks to highlight inequalities and provide a framework for understanding and challenging social power structures.
Correct answer is: Understand and challenge power imbalances