Originally published in England in 1959, this book evolves a new theory of conflict in industrial society. By way of illustrating and testing this theory, the book provides detailed analyses of various social phenomena. The author carries out a full critique of Marx in the light of history and modern sociology and discusses the theories of class-conflict of James Burnham, Fritz Croner and Karl Renner.
Biography
Ralf Dahrendorf was a German-British sociologist, philosopher, political scientist and liberal politician. He was director of the LSE and Research Professor at the Berlin Social Science Research Center.
‘Mr. Dahrendorf is concerned with large and truly important questions, and he has an impressive command of the literature of his subject.’ Political Quarterly
‘Professor Dahrendorf has, with dazzling erudition, examined the principal attitudes to questions of class from Marx to Shelsky, Weber to Riesman and, mostly found them wanting.’ W. John Morgan, New Statesman
‘One of the most provocative contributions to social theory that has appeared in recent years. No sociologist concerned with ongoing social theory can afford to ignore this book.’ American Journal of Sociology.
