LS101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Social Order, Thorsten Sellin
20 Apr 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Assumption: society is held together by a system of common values. Basic principles: (1) people are committed to a unifying set of values. The pluralistic model interests theory of social order: recognizes the existence of a multiplicity of social groups, which have competing interests and values. People don"t agree on definitions of right and wrong but agree on conflict resolution mechanism for resolving disputes (aka legal system) social order evolves through cooperation with others. Social order is the result of power and coercion. People are compelled to conform to laws because of threats and coercion. Conflict and disorder due to competition for power and scarce resources. Legal system is not an impartial tool for dispute settlement but rather it is a mechanism used by those with political and economic power to advance their own interests. Law represents the interests of those with power to make and enforce the law.
