Discrimination within an Afro-American community in The United States in 1960s-1970s as depicted in Toni Morrison’s Paradise - USD Repository
DISCRIMINATION WITHIN AN AFRO-AMERICAN COMMUNITY
IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1960s - 1970s
AS DEPICTED IN TONI MORRISON’S PARADISE
A THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education
By Stanislaus Febri Atmaka
Student Number: 031214128
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
DEDICATION PAGE
This thesis is dedicated to;
My mother, father, little brother, lover, best friends and myself
Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it
shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he
that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
(Matthew 7 : 7-8)
Whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of
all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto,
but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
(Mark 10 : 43-45)
Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that
curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him
that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that
taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man
that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not
again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them
likewise.
(Luke 6 : 27-31)
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing.
(John 6 : 63)
ABSTRACT
Atmaka, Stanislaus Febri (2009). Discrimination within Afro-American
Community in the United States in 1960s
- – 1970s as Depicted in Toni Morrison’s Paradise. Yogyakarta: Faculty of Teachers Training and
Education, Department of Language and Arts Education, English Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University. This thesis deals with discrimination within Afro-American Community in the United States in 1960s
- – 1970s as depicted in Toni Morrison’s Paradise. Ruby is an Afro American community that has isolated themselves to avoid discrimination from white people. This situation changes when one family, the Morgans, dominates the community. Discrimination happens everywhere since there is no equality within a community.
In this thesis, there is one problem formulation that is how Toni Morrison depicts discrimination within an Afro-American community in the United States in 1960s - 1970s. In order to focus on the major topic deeper, the problem was divided into two sub divisions. The first one is the structure of Afro American Community in 1960s. Second is the fundamental problem why discrimination happens within Afro-American community.
To achieve the objectives of the study, the method used in this study is library research was used to gather the data. There were two kinds of sources that were used in this thesis. The primary source was obtained from the novel itself,
Paradise. The secondary source was obtained from the books related to the
theories and also history of Afro American people. The sociocultural-historical approach was applied in this study to get a clear pic ture of Afro American’s way of life consisted of culture, religion, and system of their community especially in
1960s-1970s. The information was important to reveal the life events developed in the novel. The theories were needed to analyze the social phenomenon happen within Afro American community which enabled discrimination.
The result of this study shows that discrimination happens because there is inequality within Afro American community. Ruby community is a picture of Afro American community. The system of stratification, class and power distribution legalize the inequality within Ruby community. Since the Morgans have all of the things, becomes the upper class family, has most of the assets in Ruby, and holds the power towards Ruby community, their domination is not stoppable. The Morgans as the most influential family becomes the main problem of discrimination that happens within Ruby community. Equality becomes the fundamental thing to erase discrimination within a community.
In the last part of this thesis, there are two suggestions. The first suggestion is for the future researcher(s) on Paradise. The second suggestion is to implement Paradise in teaching English, especially Intensive Reading II.
ABSTRAK
Atmaka, Stanislaus Febri (2009). Discrimination within Afro-American
Community in the United States in 1960’s – 1970’s as Depicted in Toni Morrison’s Paradise. Yogyakarta: Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu
Pendidikan, Jurusan Bahasa dan Seni, Program Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini berhubungan dengan diskriminasi di dalam komunitas Afro Amerika in Amerika Serikat pada tahun 1960an-1970an sesuai dengan apa yang digambarkan di dalam novel karangan Toni Morrison yang berjudul Paradise.
Ruby adalah sebuah komunitas orang Afro American yang mengisolasi diri untuk menghindari diskriminasi dari orang kulit putih. Situasi ini berubah ketika salah satu keluarga yaitu keluarga Morgan mendominasi komunitas ini. Diskriminasi terjadi dimanapun juga karena tidak adanya kesetaraan di dalam komunitas tesebut.
Di dalam skripsi ini, ada satu pertanyaan yaitu tentang bagaimana Toni Morrison menggambarkan diskriminasi di dalam komunitas Afro Amerika di Amerika Serikat pada tahun 1960an-1970an. Agar fokus kepada pokok bahasan utama mendalam, pertanyaan itu dibagi menjadi dua pokok pertanyaan. Yang pertama adalah struktur dari komunitas Afro Amerika di tahun 1960an. Kedua adalah masalah dasar mengapa terjadi diskriminasi di dalam komunitas Afro Amerika.
Untuk mencapai tujuan dari skripsi ini, digunakan metode studi pustaka untuk mengumpulkan data-data. Ada dua sumber yang akan digunakan dalam skripsi ini. Sumber utama diambil dari novel itu sendiri yang berjudul Paradise. Sumber kedua diambil dari buku-buku yang terkait dengan teori sekaligus sejarah tentang orang-orang Afro Amerika. Pendekatan sosial kebudayaan dan sejarah diimplementasikan di dalam skripsi ini dengan tujuan untuk mendapatkan gambaran jelas tentang cara hidup orang-orang Afro American yang terdiri dari budaya, agama, dan sistem dari komunitas Afro Amerika khususnya pada tahun 1960an-1970an. Informasi ini penting untuk menganalisa fenomena sosial yang terjadi di dalam komunitas Afro Amerika yang memungkinkan terjadinya diskriminasi.
Hasil dari studi ini memperlihatkan bahwa diskriminasi terjadi karena tidak adanya kesetaraan di dalam komunitas Afro Amerika. Komunitas Ruby adalah gambaran dari komunitas Afro Amerika. Sistem stratifikasi, kelas dan distribusi kekuasaan melegalkan ketidaksetaraan hak di dalam komunitas Ruby. Karena keluarga Morgan memiliki segala-galanya, menjadi keluarga kelas atas, memiliki sebagian besar aset Ruby, dan memegang kekuasaan terhadap komunitas Ruby, dominasi mereka menjadi tidak dapat dihentikan. Keluarga Morgan sebagai keluarga paling berpengaruh menjadi masalah utama terjadinya diskriminasi di dalam komunitas Ruby. Kesetaraan menjadi hal mutlak untuk menghilangkan diskriminasi dari sebuah komunitas.
Pada bagian akhir dari skripsi ini, terdapat dua saran. Saran pertama diperuntukkan bagi (para) peneliti Paradise selanjutnya. Saran kedua untuk penerapan Paradise dalam pengajaran bahasa Inggris, terutama untuk mengajar Intensive Reading II.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, I would like to thank Jesus Christ, my Lord for His guidance and blessing to me so I can finish this thesis. Without Him I would never have finished this thesis. What I always believe is that He always lives in my heart until the end of my life.
My greatest gratitude goes to my parents, my beloved father, Markus
Suwondo, A.Ma.Pd. and my loving mother, Yosepha Maria Eni Dwiningsih,
S.Pd. I would like to thank them for everything they give to me: love, prayer,
patience, and support. I really appreciate the life they have given to me and I will try as best as I can to make them happy and proud of me. They are the reason for me to be a better person day by day. I also would like to thank to my little brother, Yoannes de Ketty Rio Krismanuraga for his support and attention.
My next gratitude goes to my major sponsor Henny Herawati, S.Pd.,
M.Hum. and my co-sponsor Drs. L. Bambang Hendarto Y., M. Hum. for their
help, patience, suggestion and encouragement so I can finally finish my thesis. To all lecturers of English Language Education Study Program of Sanata Dharma University, I would also like to thank them for the time they taught and gave me knowledge. I wish God always bless them.
There are also my great friends I would like to thank. They are: Nina Setyorini, Priska Fitri Yuaningtyas, Upik, Putri, Qyer, Dono, Satrio
“Ji’i” Nugroho, Ozz ie, Tika, Nina “Ndut”, Andriana “Koki” Wahyu Saputra, Tri “Kentung” Aryanto, Wisnu “Kenthi”, Lukas, Djampez, mBud, “Angkatan Ad
Experimentum
1998 Seminari Menengah Mertoyudan “Here I am Lord!”, Bondan, Sony, Ernawati, Daru Pintoko, Mudika Aloysius Gonzaga
“The AlGonzAholic Lovers” for their friendship and care. I would like to thank them for coloring my life. I hope we always keep our friendship until the end of our life. My special thank goes to my beloved one, drh. Yovita Andriana Eva Kristanti. I would like to thank her for her love, patience, care and support. I thank her for her unending love. My gratitude also goes to other PBI students year 2003 that I cannot mention one by one.
Last but not least, I thank those who have supported and encouraged me to finish this thesis. May God bless all of them.
Stanislaus Febri Atmaka
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page TITLE OF PAGE ………………………………………………………..….… i PAGES OF APPOVAL ……………………………………………………… iiSTATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY …………………………….. iv
LEMBAR PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI…………………………………. v DEDICATION PAGE ……………………………………………………….. vi ABSTACT ……………………………………………………………………. vii
ABSTRAK …………………………………………………………………….. viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………. x TABLE OF CONTENTS ……………………………………………………. xiiCHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study
……………………………………... 1
B. Problem Formulation ………………………………………… 3
C. Objective of the Study ……………………………………….. 3
D. Benefits of the Study ………..………….……………………. 4
E. Definition of Terms …………………………………………... 4
CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Theoretical Review
………………………………………….. 7
1. Critical Approaches ……………………………………….. 7
2. Theory of Social Class …………………………………….. 9
a. History ………………………………………………….. 9
b. Aristotle ’s Theory of Class………………………………. 10
c. Karl Marx’s Theory of Social Classes ………………….. 12
3. Power and Status Relations ………………………………... 14
4. Theory of Stratification ……………………………………. 18
5. Theory of Discrimination …………………………………. 20 B. Socio-Historical Background
1. The Afro American Community in 1960s
- – 1970s ……… 22
2. American Class and Caste System ………………………… 22
3. Negro Community after the Slavery ………………………. 25
4. Classes in the Negro Community …………………………. 27
5. Distribution of Afro American People ……………………. 29
6. Afro
- – American Church ………………………………….. 30
a. Black and White Church ……………………………….. 30
b. From a Place to Worship to the Outstanding Social Institution …………………… 31
c. Problem of Denominations and Uneducated Preachers … 33
C. Theoretical Framework ………………………………………. 34
CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY A. Object of the Study
…………………………………………… 36
B. Approach ……………………………………………………... 37
C. Method of the Study ………………………………………….. 37
CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS A. Social Background of the Ruby Community
………………… 40
1. The Picture of Puritan Afro American Community ………. 41
2. The Role of Preachers in Afro American Community …….. 44
3. Living in Isolation ………………………………………… 47
B. The Fundamental Reasons of Discrimination within Afro American Community …………………………… 50
1. Stratification within Afro American Community …………. 51
a. The Morgan Family as the Upper Class Family ………... 52
b. The Hierarchical System of Afro American Church …… 54
2. Class System in Ruby Community ………………………… 56
b. Ruby as an “Oligarchical” Community ………………… 58
c. Morgan Family as the Ruling Class Family ……………. 60
3. Power and Status Relations of Morgan Family …………….. 62
a. Morgan Family Domination ……………………………. 63
b. The Twins as the Most Influential Persons in Ruby ……. 69
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS A. Conclusion
……………………………………………………. 76
B. Suggestions ………………………………………………...…. 78
1. Suggestion for Future Researcher(s) ………………………. 78 2. Suggestion for Teaching Intensive Reading II .
…………… 79
REFERENCES ……………………………………………………………… 84
APPENDICES ………………………………………………………………… 86
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION In the introduction, the writer divides the chapter into five parts; they are:
background of the study, problem formulation, objective of the study, benefits of the study, and definition of terms. Background of the study explains the reasons why the writer chooses Paradise, a novel by Toni Morrison, to discuss. Problem Formulation formulates the problems into a clear description in a form of question. Objective of the Study states the purpose of writing this. It is also related to the Benefits. Benefits reveal the advantages of this study for the students who learn literature and also everyone who wants to study literature especially Toni Morrison’s novels. The last part of this chapter, that is Definition of the terms, is meant to avoid ambiguous interpretations of the terms used in the study.
A. Background of the Study
Social status, job position, gender, skin color differentiate between one person and others. All of them, sometimes, bring problems in our social life. All of the differences can put human in a serious and dangerous problem. Ideally, we try to see this kind of differences as an opportunity for us to build our community stronger. The fact is that there are still social frictions that happen because of those differences, indeed. The differences cannot be avoided because they become parts of our life. Wherever we live, there will be differences.
As a social creature, we need other people to live. A simple example that we can take is that man needs woman and woman needs man. Both man and woman need each other to fulfill their life. Yet in social life, sometimes, the role of a woman is neglected. It is a fact that the positions of religious leader in the world are held by men. Most people will think that it is not discrimination because discrimination is thought to be bad and cruel. If we go deeper in that case, we can say that it is discrimination in the base of gender discrimination.
There is a lot of discrimination in the world and it will always happen. Discrimination becomes our social problem since it produces friction in our social life. A Nobel Prize Winner, Toni
Morrison’s Paradise, is one of her novels that was written in order to reveal to readers social problems, especially discrimination, which happened within an Afro-American community in the United States in 1960s - 1970s. Toni Morrison titles her novel Paradise although the situation is not the same as what we think about “paradise”. She creates a community of black families named Ruby. Ruby is a town that is built consists of eight family names; the eight rocks. The eight rocks is the founder of Ruby. This community tries to build a community which gives a better life to them since they have been slaves for many years. At the beginning, they create an ideal social life. They together build the town from generation to generation. The situation changes when one of the family founders tries to dominate. One of the family founders does the discrimination within the community of Ruby.
Discrimination between the Blacks and the Whites is an old song. Discrimination within a black community is an interesting topic to discuss since there are only several people discussing about it. That is the situation that Toni Morrison wants to tell through her novel Paradise.
This new point of view is the reason why the writer is interested in discussing discrimination within an Afro-American community in the United States in 1960s - 1970s as depicte d in Toni Morrison’s Paradise. Paradise gives the reader a critical point of view towards discrimination in the United States that we can use as reflection materials we can bring in our daily life situation.
Discrimination is still an actual problem to discuss and learnt because it can happen now or later.
B. Problem Formulation
Since the topic consists of several aspects, the writer formulates the problem into one question, that is: How does Toni Morrison depict discrimination within an Afro-American community in the United States in 1960s - 1970s?
C. Objective of the Study
The objective of this study is, of course, to answer the problem as the general objective of this study. In order to focus on the major topic deeper, the writer divides the general objective into two specific objectives. The first one is to reveal the structure of an Afro-American Community in 1960s. It provides information about social structure of Afro-American community which allowed the discrimination. The second one is to reveal the fundamental problem why discrimination happens within the Afro-American community.
D. Benefits of the Study
This thesis provides a reader with clear information about discrimination within an Afro-American community in the United States in 1960s - 1970s based on what is revealed in Paradise. Thus, this thesis is beneficial for those who study literature; students and lecturers. Many things in this novel are interesting to discuss. Discussion method will develop students
’ critical thinking; moreover the value of this discussion will bring the students to get in touch with their social life and give them new point of view towards their social life.
As we know, Paradise is not just a novel that gives the readers enjoyment of reading. Moreover, it gives the reader new point of views, enlightments or may be references for reflection of their social life. Thus, this thesis is beneficial for those who are interested in social life especially in social problem. Since Paradise is a historical novel, it means that it portrays the real events happening in the United States in 1960s - 1970s. It is also beneficial for those who are studying American history.
E. Definition of Terms
In order to avoid misunderstanding of the content of this thesis, there are three terms that must be clearly defined. The terms that must be clearly defined are discrimination, the Afro-American, and the caste system.
1. Discrimination
The terms of discrimination, based on the Longman Dictionary of
Contemporary English (508), is the practice of treating one particular group in
society in an unfair way. Banton says that it is not possible to determine that an action is discriminatory without indicating the basis of the differential treatment (Banton 19).
Since there are some definitions about discrimination, the writer defines discrimination as the practice of treating one particular group or person in society in an unfair way in this case in front of the law that was made by a group of people based on an agreement among them. Paradise portrays the discrimination that happens within an Afro American community in a small town named Ruby. One family name that is the Morgan family treats the other families in an unfair way in the basis of the law that was made by the community of Ruby itself.
2. The Afro-American
According to the The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (53) the Afro American refers to a black American person. In this study, the writer specify the term of the Afro American. Thus the Afro American here refers to the Blacks American people who live in America because of slavery trading. They live in a community of black people and after the slavery era, they try to maintain their own life in order to protect themselves from the Whites.
3. The Caste System
Here, the caste system refers to the rule of blood that was maintained by the Blacks and the Whites in order to protect them from intermarriage. This system was implemented by the Whites to emphasize the inferiority of the Blacks. The Whites said that all Negroes were alike and must be treated as the lower class people. Myrdal uses this term in his book because the term “class” is liable to blur a significant distinction between the lower class and the upper class so, a term to distinguish the large and systematic type of social differentiation from the small and spotty type is needed (Myrdal 667).
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE This chapter includes theories and reviews on related literature that
support the analysis of the novel. It consists of the theoretical review, the socio- historical background, and the theoretical framework. The theoretical review consists of critical approach, theory of social class, power and status relations, theory of stratification, and theory of discrimination. The sociocultural-historical background consists of the Afro-American history after the slavery era in 1960s - 1970s, the American class and caste system, Negro community after the slavery, classes in the Negro community, distribution of Afro American people, and Afro- American Church. The theoretical framework will explain how the theories mentioned answer the problem.
A. Theoretical Review
This part contains the literary theory related to the study. The theory is the theory of critical approaches.
1. Critical Approaches
According to Rohrberger and Woods Jr in Reading and Writing about
Literature (Rohrberger and Woods Jr 3), there are five approaches that can be
applied to analyze a work of literature. They are the formalist approach, the biographical approach, the sociocultural-historical approach, the mythopoeic approach, and the psychological approach.
The first approach is the formalist approach. It emphasizes on the total integrity of the literary piece. It focuses on its esthetic value and through how meaning is derived from structure and how matters of technique determine structure (Rohrberger and Woods Jr 6)
The second one is the biographical approach. This is the approach in which we consider the author‟s background to appreciate his work of literature. It insists that a work of art is a reflection of personality; therefore, it is necessary to appreciate the ideas and personality of the author to an understanding of the literary object. The basis of writing the literary work is the knowledge and sources about the author (Rohrberger and Woods Jr 8).
The third one is the sociocultural-historical approach. It insists that the attitudes and the actions are the “subject matter” of the literature. The critics are required to pay attention to the social environment in which the work of literature is written and to its influence towards the work of literature (Rohrberger and Woods Jr 9).
The fourth one is the mythopoeic approach. It seeks to discover universally repeated structures are structures that found first expression in ancient myths and folk rites and they are so basic to human thought that they have meaning to all men (Rohrberger and Woods Jr 11).
The last one is the psychological approach. This approach pays attention to the certain repeated structure but the attention is from the different knowledge‟s point of view, namely psychological theories. This approach leads to the exploration of the unconscious area of the human mind, which led to the conclusion that it was this area that was wellspring of man rich imagination, his capacity for creation and the complexity of his thought, behavior, and that the contents of this region of the mind found expression in symbolic words, thoughts and action (Rohrberger and Woods Jr 13)
2. Theory of Social Class
Talking about social status, the division of social life, and stratification, the first thing that we have to now is about social class. It is one of the fundamental things that we have to know in order to get a clear picture of social problem discussed.
a. History
It is difficult to define the word “class” because it occurs across a range of disciplines
- – sociology, politics, cultural studies, and „literary criticism‟. Related to the social analysis, in a broad term, the word „class‟ refers to divisions of people in society.
The word class is from the Latin classis (plural classes). According to Charlton Lewis and Charles Short, compilers of the Standard Latin Dictionary, this term is variant of Calare, meaning to call out, proclaim, or summon a religious assembly. It had two main senses (Day 3). The first refers to an armed gathering, either on land or water, while the second and most important, refers to the divisions of the Roman people according to their estates and age.
The result of this division was the creation of two major groups in Roman society, the patricians or aristocrats and the plebeians or commoners. The codification of Roman law stipulated that while rich and poor were entitled to its protection, a slave was not. As in Greek society, there was a clear division between a free man and a slave.
In the seventeenth century, the word “class” entered into the English language for the first time. In natural sciences, the word class refers to an equality of different types of, say, plants or animals. Yet, it was not how it applied in social description. The entry of “class” into the English language in the mid-seventeenth century refers to a decisive moment in the development of capitalism. The appearance of the word “class” is linked to fundamental changes in the economy and to their effect on social relations. The new idiom of class is an expression of social conflict.
b. Aristotle ’s Theory of Class
Aristotle (384 BC
- – 322 BC) was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, ethics, biology and zoology. Aristotle has a point of view toward the understanding of class. He divides the society into three classes. The first one is
Based on his opinion, the middle class is the best class who takes the rule. He wrote:
…moderation and the mean are best and therefore it will clearly be best to possess the gifts of fortune in moderation; for in that condition of life men are most ready to follow rational principle. But he who greatly excels in beauty, strength, birth, or wealth, or on the other hand who is very poor, or very weak, or very much disgraced, finds it difficult to follow rational principle… Those who have too much of the goods of fortune, strength, wealth, friends and the like, are neither willing nor able to submit to authority. The evil begins at home; for when they are boys, by reason of the luxury in which they are brought up, they never learn, even at school, the habit of obedience. On the other hand, the very poor, who are in the opposite extreme, are too degraded. So that the one class cannot obey, and can only rule despotically; the other knows not how to command and must be ruled like slaves. (Aristotle 1) The class that is in charge of ruling will build the characteristics of a country and also a community. Aristotle wants to show that middle class will bring a community into a good one. Living in a middle class situation enables a person to understand the situation of a rich man or a poor man. This situation will also enable the person to act rationally towards two “extreme” classes; the rich one and the very poor one. Wisely then did Phocylides pray -
“Many things are best in the mean; I desire to be of a middle condition in my city (Aristotle 1) .”
The role of the middle class also has a great contribution in building whether a country is democratical or oligarchical (controlled by a small group of people). When there are numbers of the middle class in a government, the government will be democratic. In the other hand, if the rich one or the poor one takes the chance, it can be predicted that the governmental will be oligarchical. Democracies are safer and more permanent than oligarchies, because they have a middle class which dominates and has a greater share in the government; for when there is no middle class, and the poor greatly exceed in number, troubles arise, and the state soon comes to an end (Aristotle 2).
c. Karl Marx ’s Theory of Social Classes
Karl Marx based his theory in an economic point of view. According to Marx history may be divided into several periods, for example, ancient civilization, feudalism, and capitalism. Each of these periods is characterized by a predominant mode of production and, based upon it, a class structure consisting of a ruling and an oppressed class. The struggle between these classes determines the social relations between men. In particular, the ruling class, which owes its position to the ownership and control of the means of production, controls also, though often in subtle ways, the whole moral and intellectual life of the people. According to Marx, law and government, art and literature, science and philosophy; all serve more or less directly the interests of the ruling class (Bendix 6).
The social classes are built based on the position which the individual occupies in the social organization (Bendix 8). Therefore, the income or occupation does not always determine his/her class position. For example, if two men are carpenters, they belong to the same occupation, but one may run a small shop of his own, while another works in a plant manufacturing pre-fabricated housing; the two men belong to the same occupation, but to different social classes.
In the production world where people earn for living, conflict is not avoidable. The experience of economic, conflict would prompt the members of a social class to develop common beliefs and common actions. According to Marx, there are five variables which would facilitate this process (Bendix 8): firstly, the conflicts over the distribution of economic rewards between the classes; secondly, easy communication between the individuals in the same class-position so that ideas and action-programs are readily disseminated; thirdly, growth of class- consciousness in the sense that the members of the class have a feeling of solidarity and understanding of their historic role; fourth, profound dissatisfaction of the lower class over its inability to control the economic structure of which it feels itself to be the exploited victim; and fifth, establishment of a political organization resulting from the economic structure, the historical situation and maturation of class-consciousness.
Thus, the organization of production provides the necessary but not a sufficient basis for the existence of social classes. The five points; repeated conflicts over economic rewards, the growth of class consciousness, the growing dissatisfaction with exploitation which causes suffering in psychological as much as in material term, etc are the conditions which help to overcome the differences and conflicts between individuals and groups within the class and encourage the formation of a class conscious political organization.
The conflict or competition between or among classes make the classes are solid within themselves. The individual conflict is avoidable. A social class can be understood as a condition of group life which was constantly generated by the organization production. This class formation is important, moreover essential, in order to keep the existence of a common „class enemy‟, because without it competition between individuals would prevail.
The situation within classes as communities will be good if the competition was brought in a fair condition. If there is domination/monopoly of a specific number of people, the situation will be worst as what Marx had ever written:
“Accumulation of wealth at one pole is, therefore, at the same time accumulation of misery, agony of toil, slavery, ignorance, brutality, mental degradation, at the opposite pole ” (Bendix 10).
3. Power and Status Relations
The role of power in a society becomes one of the main things in status relation and how the community will be built. Maintaining power in a society is a must but needs consequences in practice. Power is needed in maintaining the management of a community in order to bring this community into a better future.
But, an unmanageable or uncontrollable power will lead into great destruction of a community.
Talcot Parsons says that power is one of the key concepts in the great western tradition of thought about political phenomena (Parsons 240). To know the roles of power in a society, it is important to know the nature of power. The nature of power explained is based on the book titled Power and Society, An
Introduction to the Social Sciences written by Thomas R. Dye. It is important for
us to know the nature of power in order that we can see the way power “works” in a society. Dye has proposed seven elements related to the nature of power.
Firstly, power is the capacity to affect the conduct of individuals through the real or threatened use of rewards and punishments (Dye 4). It means that power is exercised over individuals or groups by offering them some things they value or by threatening to deprive them of those things. We can use power as a tool to rule the situation and persons. The rulers manage power by offering people some specific values so that they can build their society stronger. Power also offers punishment if the “followers” do not obey or live the value they agreed.
Secondly, we see power as a special form of influence. Influence is the production of intended effects (Dye 4). When people can produce intended effects by any means, we can say that they are influential. It is logic that someone who has power also has influential effect in his/her society. Someone can be said to be powerful if he/she can produce intended effects by the real or threatened use of rewards and punishments.
Thirdly, power can rest on various resources (Dye 4). It means that the exercise of power assumes many different forms
- – the giving or withholding of many different values. Yet power bases are usually interdependent
- – individuals who control certain resources are likely to control other resources as well. This situation is next, to be one of the main problem that occur in a society related to the misuse of power.
“Power holder” must control some values in his/her society in order to get his/her influence. This situation urge for one domination. By controlling the values, the power holder is in a position to offer these values as rewards to others or to threaten to deprive others of these values. There is no power if power is equal.
Fifth, power is a relationship among individuals, groups, and institutions in society (Dye 4). When someone is isolated from his/her society, he/she is powerless. We can say that power is not really a “thing” that an individual possesses. Instead, power is a relationship in which some individuals or groups have control over certain resources. When someone wants to be powerful, he/she has to manage his/her relationship well.
Sixth, power is exercised in interpersonal relations. Psychologist Rollo May wrote that “power means the ability to affect, to influence, and to change other persons” (Dye 4). In a society, interpersonal relation is the first step to “conquer” the mass as a whole community.
The last one, power is exercised in large institutions
- – governments, corporations, schools, the military, churches, newspapers, television networks, law firms, and so on. Power that stems from high positions in the social structures of society is stable and far-reaching (Dye 5).
Sociologist C. Wright Mills observed: “No one can be truly powerful unless he has access to the command of major institutions, for it is over these institutional means of power that the truly powerful are, in the first instance, powerful (Dye 5)