Societal Norm or Sociological Phenomenon?

As in the case of cooperation, discussions on the concept of competition often proceed with the idea that Contesting is universal and natural. But going back to our discussion on how sociological explanations are different from naturalistic ones.

In the contemporary period it is a predominant idea and often we find it difficult to think that there can be any society where competition is not a guiding force.

Competition as a Universal Phenomena: Societal Shifts and Capitalism’s Impact

• Sociological Perspectives on Competition: While many perceive Contesting as a universal and natural phenomenon, it’s essential to understand it from a sociological perspective. 
  • In some parts of Africa, children are reluctant to participate in a competitive race with a prize, which underscores that competition is not always a default human inclination. 
  • For these children, the idea of winners and losers contradicted their understanding of fun, emphasizing cooperation over Contesting.
• Rise of Competition in Modern Society: In today’s world, Contesting is a dominant norm. 
  • Capitalism’s Influence on Individualism and Contesting: Pioneering sociologists like Emile Durkheim and Karl Marx pinpointed the rise of individualism and competition in modern societies, largely due to capitalism’s influence. 
    • Capitalism emphasizes trade expansion, division of labour, specialization, and increased productivity, with the competitive individual in a free market striving for maximum profits.
    • This competitive ideology predicts that the market ensures optimal efficiency, the most efficient firms thrive, and the highest-scoring students enter top colleges, and subsequently secure the best jobs. 
    • In this system, “best” typically denotes the highest material rewards.

Criticisms and Limitations: Critics and Unseen Inequalities

• Contesting the Ideology of Contesting: The ideology of Contesting, while instrumental in 19th-century capitalist economic growth, has its critics. 
  • Example: the rapid progress of the American economy may be linked to its competitive nature, yet it’s challenging to draw precise correlations between Contesting intensity and economic growth across societies. 
• Inequality Overlooked: Contesting presumes equal opportunities for all, it often overlooks societal inequalities. 
  • Example: In India, many children don’t attend school or drop out early, thus excluding them from the Contesting altogether.

Criticisms and Limitations: Critics and Unseen Inequalities

• Contesting the Ideology of Contesting: The ideology of Contesting, while instrumental in 19th-century capitalist economic growth, has its critics. 
  • Example: the rapid progress of the American economy may be linked to its competitive nature, yet it’s challenging to draw precise correlations between Contesting intensity and economic growth across societies. 
• Inequality Overlooked: Contesting presumes equal opportunities for all, it often overlooks societal inequalities. 
  • Example: In India, many children don’t attend school or drop out early, thus excluding them from the Contesting altogether.

Sociological Insights: Deconstructing Social Dynamics

• Deconstructing Societal Dynamics: This article emphasises the need to approach the concepts of cooperation, Contesting, and conflict not as ‘natural’ occurrences but as sociological phenomena. 
• Societal Interconnections: These processes are interconnected with other social developments, such as technological advancements and economic production systems.

Expressed and Unexpressed Conflict: Expressions and Silent Tensions

• Expressed Conflicts: These are overtly visible when they are openly expressed, such as in the form of a peasant movement. 
  • However, unexpressed conflict is the absence of such movements. 
  • In fact, there’s a close relationship between conflict, involuntary cooperation, and resistance.

Family and Land Conflicts: Harmony, Covert Conflicts, and Gender Dynamics

• Rethinking Family Harmony: Families were traditionally perceived as harmonious units. 
  • Recent feminist critiques question this assumption, highlighting possible enforced cooperation within families. 
•  Amartya Sen’s Perspective on Family Cooperation and Conflict: Amartya Sen notes that while families show overt cooperation, covert conflicts often exist beneath the surface. 
  • Within families, especially in patriarchal structures, women might covertly resist male power by engaging in clandestine activities, like secret lending or relying on trusted allies. 
  • Such covert resistance stems from the lack of external options and the high risks associated with overt conflict.
• Gender Dynamics in Overt Cooperation: Sociological studies have shown that women, particularly in certain cultures, might prioritise their sons to ensure their own future security, subscribing to gender-biased societal norms. 
  • This is an example of how overt cooperation can mask underlying conflict.