Conflict Theory Case Study The Occupy Central Protests in Hong Kong

Conflict theory is a way of framing and analyzing society and what happens within it. It stems from the theoretical writings of founding thinker of sociology,  Karl Marx. Marx’s focus, while he wrote about British and other Western European societies in the 19th century, was on class conflict in particular—conflicts over access to rights and resources that erupted due to an economic class-based hierarchy that emerged out of early capitalism as the central social organizational structure at that time. From this view, conflict exists because there is an imbalance of power. The minority upper classes control political power, and thus they make the rules of society in a way that privileges their continued accumulation of wealth, at the economic and political expense of the majority of society, who provide most of the labor required for society to operate. Marx theorized that by controlling social institutions, the elite are able to maintain control and order in society by perpetuating ideologies that justify their unfair and undemocratic position, and, when that fails, the elite, who control police and military forces, can turn to direct physical repression of the masses to maintain their power. Today, sociologists apply conflict theory to a multitude of social problems that stem from imbalances of power that play out as racism, gender inequality, and discrimination and exclusion on the basis of sexuality, xenophobia, cultural differences, and still, economic class. Let’s take a look at how conflict theory can be useful in understanding a current event and conflict: the Occupy Central with Love and Peace protests that happened in Hong Kong  during the fall of 2014. In applying the conflict theory lens to this event, we will ask some key questions to help us understand the sociological essence and origins of this problem: What is going on?Who is in conflict, and why?What are the socio-historical origins of the conflict?What is at stake in the conflict?What relations of power and resources of power are present in this conflict?    From Saturday, September 27, 2014, thousands of protesters, many of them students, occupied spaces across the city under the name and cause â€Å"Occupy Central with Peace and Love.† Protestors filled public squares, streets, and disrupted daily life.They protested for a fully democratic government. The conflict was between those demanding democratic elections and the national government of China, represented by riot police in Hong Kong. They were in conflict because the protestors believed that it was unjust that candidates for Chief Executive of Hong Kong, the top leadership position, would have to be approved by a nomination committee in Beijing composed of political and economic elites before they were allowed to run for office. The protestors argued that this would not be a true democracy, and the ability to truly democratically elect their political representatives is what they demanded.Hong Kong, an island just off the coast of mainland China, was a British colony until 1997, when it was officially handed back to China. At that time, residents of Hong Kong were promised universal suffrage, or the right to vote for all adults, by 2017. Presently,  the Chief Executive is elected by a 1,200 member committee within Hong Kong, as are nearly half of the seats in its local government (the others are democratically chosen). It is written into the Hong Kong constitution that universal suffrage should be completely achieved by 2017, however, on August 31, 2014, the government announced that rather than conduct the upcoming election for the Chief Executive this way, it would proceed with a Beijing-based nomination committee.Political control, economic power, and equality are at stake in this conflict. Historically in Hong Kong, the wealthy capitalist class has fought democratic reform and aligned itself with mainland Chinas ruling government, the Communist Party of China (CCP). The wealthy minority have been made exorbitantly so by the development of globa l capitalism over the last thirty years, while the majority of Hong Kong society has not benefitted from this economic boom. Real wages have been stagnant for two decades, housing costs continue to soar, and the job market is poor in terms of available jobs and quality of life provided by them. In fact, Hong Kong has one of the highest Gini coefficients for the developed world, which is a measure of economic inequality, and used as a predictor of social upheaval. As is the case with other Occupy movements around the world, and with general critiques of neoliberal, global capitalism, livelihood of the masses and equality are at stake in this conflict. From the perspective of those in power, their grip on economic and political power is at stake.The power of the state (China) is present in the police forces, which act as deputies of the state and the ruling class to maintain the established social order;  and, economic power is present in the form of the wealthy capitalist class of Hong Kong, which uses its economic power to exert political influence. The wealthy thus turn their economic power into political power, which in turn protects their economic interests, and ensures their hold on both forms of power.  But, also present  is the embodied power of the protestors, who use their very bodies to challenge social order by disrupting daily life, and thus, the status quo. They harness the technological power of social media to build and sustain their movement, and they benefit from the ideological power of major media outlets, which share their views with the global audience. It is possible that the embodied and mediated, ideological power of the protestors may turn into political power if other national governments begin to exert pressure on the Chinese government to meet the protestors demands. By applying the conflict perspective to the case of the Occupy Central with Peace and Love protest in Hong Kong, we can see the power relations that encapsulate and produce this conflict, how the material relations of society (the economic arrangements) contribute to producing the conflict, and  how conflicting ideologies  are present (those who believe that it is  the right of a people to elect their government,  versus those who favor the  selection  of the government by a wealthy elite). Though created over a century ago, the conflict perspective, rooted in Marxs theory, remains relevant today, and continues to serve as a useful tool of inquiry and analysis for sociologists around the world.

Civil Rights And Civil Liberties - 1251 Words

Powell Amelia Powell Professor Sharifian Government 2305 1 October 2017 Americas Best Gift: 1 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties As American citizens, we have many rights and liberties, all of which stem from civil rights and civil liberties. Although we do not know everything about them, most of us know the basics: the freedom of speech, life, liberty, property, and much more. These can be described as civil liberties, or specific individual rights. Civil liberties are protections for the people, against the government. They are listed in the Bill of Rights, and their purpose is to put limitations on the government to protect the people and their liberty. They are freedoms the people have, that the government can not take away. In contrast,†¦show more content†¦deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws† and in its equal protection clause. Civil rights can be found in The 1964 Civil Rights Act, which ended and banned discrimination by private parties and focused on public accommodations and jobs. Civil rights are also seen in A ffirmative Action which provides disadvantaged groups, such as minorities and women, with greater opportunities. Daily life as an American citizen is much different from the life of citizens in other counties because of civil rights and liberties. Due to this different life, Americans are held accountable under the law in my aspects. Along with having civil rights and liberties in their own life, citizens must protect and respect others civil rights and liberties. When they do not abide by them, the courts weigh in. There have been many different historical court cases due to the infringement of civil rights and liberties. One of the most well known is the Civil Rights 1954 court case Brown v. Board. This court case is important for being the first time the supreme court applied the equal protection clause, forcefully in court. In this case, it was concluded that â€Å"separate educational facilities are inherently unequal† (Brown v. Board 1954) and in violation of the equal protection clause. This led to the diversification of public schools in the south. When it comes to civil libertie s, there are many court cases as well, one of which being the 1963Show MoreRelatedCivil Liberties And Civil Rights1081 Words   |  5 Pages1 McGahey 3 Megan McGahey Sherry Sharifian GOVT 2305 71430 20 September 2017 Civil Liberties vs. Civil Rights In the U.S. most use the terms Civil Liberties and Civil Rights interchangeably; although they both protect the freedom of citizens they do this in different ways. 2 Civil Liberties are limitations placed on the government. These are things the government is restricted to do, by the constitution. 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Lawyer free essay sample

Deli Computer, Dell Laser Printer 5310, Smartphone Software: MSWord, MSPowerPonit, MSExcel, MSPublisher, Keyboarding, Software. List the type of business documents you know how to create using MSWord, MS PowerPoint, MSExcel, MSPublisher, Keyboarding Software, Smartphone etc. * Create memos, letters, and reports * Mail merge, Outlines, Business Presentations * Flyers, Brochures * Clip art, Smart Art, Word Art, Shapes, Text Boxes * Internet, Search Engines HONORS OR AWARDS ANY CLUB OR ACTIVITY Work with my Italian’s teacher after school. 1st Reference Ms. Novella Jones Business Teacher Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High 7977 W 12 Avenue Hialeah, FL 305-823-1339 2nd Reference Mr. Michael Russo Italian-Spanish Teacher Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High 7977 W 12 Avenue Hialeah, FL 305-823-1339 3rd Reference M s. Yenilen Cabanas English Teacher Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High 7977 W 12 Avenue Hialeah, FL 305-823-1339 Statement of Qualifications I am qualified because I speak three languages and now I started learn French. I like to read and I read many books about law and lawyers. We will write a custom essay sample on Lawyer or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My aunt is a lawyer and she has taught me many things about law and the good expressions that I should use when I become a lawyer.

My Destiny in Life free essay sample

After much thought, I have come to the conclusion that everyone in the world has a destiny to fulfill. Some people think they know their destinies, but sometimes it doesn’t work out. For example, in one of my favorite movies, Forrest Gump, Lt. Dan thought he knew his destiny until he lost both his legs. He was extremely upset because he thought that his destiny was to die on the battlefield; instead he was saved by Forrest, but lost his legs. It wasn’t until later in the movie that he finally thanked Forrest for saving his life, realizing perhaps he had another destiny to become a successful businessman, and that he wasn’t meant to die in the field. I have used the movie Forrest Gump and this particular scene in my everyday life to be able to better deal with challenges, try to figure out who I am as a person, and my destiny. We will write a custom essay sample on My Destiny in Life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This life-long process of self-discovery has helped me to learn more about my strengths and weaknesses, and how they can influence my success. At the age of five I was diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder known as Asperger Syndrome. It has made it hard for me to do things most people take for granted, notably being able to communicate and adjust to change. Additionally, I want every person and item around me to be in an order, my order. If my order is not maintained, I become annoyed or distressed. In being around people, it is difficult for me to feel empathy, recognize how others are feeling, and understand non-verbal cues. Holding basic conversations is harder for me than for other people. For most of my young life, I didn’t think I was unusual. I could walk, talk, hear, and speak; I believed I was perfectly fine. But as I grew older and made transitions, I began to notice that I found it hard to relate with other kids in my class, and I was being treated in a wa y that made me think I was incapable of understanding myself. In middle school I realized that I really wasn’t like the other kids in my class, although I didn’t know for sure what it was that made me unlike the other kids in my class. It seemed my destiny wouldn’t shape up the way I hoped it would. I first saw Forrest Gump when I was a sophomore in high school. I wasn’t content with the way that things were turning out at school and with me personally. I had just finished a year that left me feeling annoyed, troubled, and sorry for myself. I was determined that the next year would be a better one. As I watched the movie, I was fascinated with the music, culture, and historical events that Forrest encounters. But what really impacted me was the way Forest and Lt. Dan dealt with their destinies. While watching the scene in Forrest Gump when Lt. Dan and Forrest discuss the idea of destiny, I began to realize maybe I did not yet know my destiny. Maybe I was n’t meant to be selected for the groups of which I wanted to be a part of. This scene is inspiring to me because it taught me that I should not worry about the times when something I wanted passed me by, it is just a part of life. Even though sometimes situations in life don’t turn out the way we want them to, it doesn’t mean they won’t turn out well, or that the order of the universe is not the order it should be. Over the years I have also learned that I am more than just someone who has Asperger Syndrome. I even defied many of the odds for someone with this disorder. I am good at communicating through writing. Reading, writing, and spelling have become some of my biggest strengths, and I have become better at adjusting to changes. My interests are broader in range, and I discovered that I enjoy learning about a variety of topics. I acknowledge people’s differences and make efforts to empathize with them, and I’ve been able to make friend s with my classmates. As I overcame each of these challenges, my destiny began to take shape. What I learned is that I can be successful with the strengths I have. I am the one who defines who I will become. My decisions will influence my destiny, but my ultimate destiny is a surprise yet to be unfolded, and I have learned that seizing opportunities to learn more about myself takes me one step closer to knowing just what my destiny may be.