"The history of all hitherto existing societies is the history of class struggles." Critically comment on this Marxian thesis.

(1) In primitive community, tribal leaders are present but still there is natural equality enjoyed by all as virtually no segregated classes are present.

(2) Ancient or slave society emerged due to war between tribal societies leading to accumulation

of private property and thus two classes of masters and slaves emerged involved in dialectical class relationship. master exploiting to slaves in every possible way.

(3) It gave rise to feudalism whereby feudal lords exploited to farmers, thus economic exploitation was driving all other forms of discrimination.

(4) Then came the ruthless form of mode of production ie. capitalism which created bourgeoisie and proletariats classes. It led to appropriation of surplus value of labour, pauperization of masses, homogenisation, realisation of true class consciousness, polarisation & revolution.

(5) thus giving way to socialism & communism.

Hence all hitherto societies are product of class struggle, which according to Marx gives rise to egalitarian society through revolution.

CRITICISM: This theory of class conflict is criticised by :

(1) P. Bourdieu advocates that that classes are present universally in form of cultural, symbolic & economic capital but class struggle is not universal in modern societies. Thus marxian theory is not true in present context.

(2) MAx Weber advocates that class relationship is universal and subject matter of sociology is not class conflict rather the degree, form and intensity of such conflict.

(3) Critical theorist advocate that source of power is the source of conflict. Ruling class dominate over masses. Thus class conflict is not always economic deterministic.

(4) Noam chomsky advocates that today conflict is between those having established knowledge and those having alternate knowledge.