Dilemmas of Social Order: Collective and Positional Goods, Leadership and Political Conflicts

Abstract

A generally accepted and sufficiently tested theory of social order and social conflict does not yet exist.2 Instead, there are a number of contending approaches to the study of social order and conflict, one of which constitutes the topic of this paper. In my view, conflict is an essential ingredient in any type of social order. My point of departure in analyzing conflict is methodological individualism and utility theory.3 Methodological individualism requires an explanation of social behavior, including conflict behavior, by reference to individuals, their motives, and their aspirations. By and large, methodological individualism is much more popular among psychologists and economists than among sociologists. Value-expectation or utility theory is one of the research programs within methodological individualism.