Ralf Dahrendorf replaces Marx’s economic conflict model with a sociological conflict theory centered on authority and institutional structures. He shows that class and conflict persist in post-capitalist societies but in new forms. His theory focuses on organization, authority, and the institutional context in shaping conflict.

In part one of this classic book, Dahrendorf presents Marx’s theory of class society as built on ownership of the means of production. Marx saw class conflict as the engine of historical change, rooted in the opposition between bourgeoisie (capitalists) and proletariat (workers). Dahrendorf critiques Marx's blending of philosophical speculation and empirical analysis, and outlines class interests, class consciousness, and the classless society.

Dahrendorf analyzes how industrial society has changed since Marx’s time. He discusses the separation of ownership from control (i.e., managerial capitalism), the diversification of labor, the rise of a “new middle class,” increased social mobility, and how class conflict has become institutionalized rather than revolutionary.

Post-Marxist class theories include those by theorists like Burnham, Schumpeter, and Bell. Theories of managerial and bureaucratic elites see conflict without clear class structures. Dahrendorf critiques the dilution of class concepts in favor of vague stratification models.

Dahrendorf agrees with Marx on the importance of structural conflict in social change but rejects Marx’s predictions of proletarian revolution, the inevitability of class conflict, and the economic determinism underpinning the theory. He proposes that Marx’s theory needs to be replaced, not just revised, for modern sociological use.

In part two, Dahrendorf introduces his alternative theory: conflict arises not just from economic positions but from structural authority relations. He differentiates between "quasi-groups" (unorganized people with latent interests) and "interest groups" (organized for conflict). Authority and coercion, rather than ownership alone, shape class divisions.

Dahrendorf expands on the dynamics of conflict, arguing that conflict has functional roles in society (à la Simmel). Class conflict varies in form and intensity. Pluralistic societies manage conflict better than hierarchical ones. Class structure affects and is affected by mobility and authority. Conflict leads to social change when institutionalized.

Dahrendorf then examines authority structures within enterprises and critiques "industrial democracy" as limited. Dahrendorf introduces the idea of "institutional isolation," arguing that confining conflict to specific sectors (like industry) contains but does not eliminate class antagonisms.

Finally, Dahrendorf applies conflict theory to political life. He compares authority in state institutions with that in industry, critiques bureaucratic rule, and explores the persistence of ruling classes in both democratic and totalitarian systems. He concludes that political and industrial class conflicts must be analyzed distinctly although they are structurally linked.

Source:

Dahrendorf, R. (1959), Class and Class Conflict in Industrial Society, Stanford: Stanford University Press.