Bütünleştirici Bir Perspektifle Marx ve Simmel’in Toplumsal Çatışma Kuramı ve Güncel Yansımaları

Öz

Bu çalışma, toplumsal çatışma kuramını Karl Marx ve Georg Simmel’in yaklaşımlarını bir araya getirerek bütüncül bir bakış açısıyla ele almaktadır. Sosyolojik düşüncede çatışma, yalnızca yıkıcı değil, aynı zamanda toplumsal değişim ve dönüşümün yapıcı bir unsuru olarak da değerlendirilir. Marx, çatışmayı üretim ilişkilerine dayalı sınıf mücadelesi çerçevesinde ele alırken; ekonomik eşitsizliklerin tarihsel süreçteki dönüşümün motor gücü olduğunu savunur. Buna karşılık Simmel, çatışmayı sosyal etkileşimin evrensel bir biçimi olarak görür ve onun grup içi dayanışmayı güçlendirme, sınırları yeniden tanımlama gibi işlevlerine dikkat çeker. Çalışmada, Marx’ın yapısal ve ekonomik düzeydeki analizleri ile Simmel’in etkileşimsel ve biçimsel yaklaşımı karşılaştırmalı olarak incelenmiş; bu iki kuramın birbirini dışlamayan, aksine tamamlayıcı açıklama olanakları sunduğu ortaya konmuştur. Ayrıca günümüzde kapitalizm, para ekonomisi, metropol yaşamı, küreselleşme ve sosyal hareketler bağlamında çatışmanın çağdaş biçimleri değerlendirilmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Marx
• Simmel
• toplumsal çatışma
• ekonomik eşitsizlik
• sosyal etkileşim

INTEGRATING MARX AND SIMMEL ON SOCIAL CONFLICT: THEORETICAL SYNTHESIS AND MODERN-DAY IMPLICATIONS

Öz

This article examines social conflict theory through an integrative lens by combining the perspectives of Karl Marx and Georg Simmel. Rather than viewing conflict solely as destructive, it highlights its constructive and transformative roles in shaping social structures. Marx interprets conflict as a class-based struggle rooted in economic relations, emphasizing historical materialism and structural inequality as engines of social change. In contrast, Simmel conceptualizes conflict as a universal and functional form of social interaction, central to group cohesion and identity formation. The article presents a comparative analysis of these two approaches—Marx’s macro-level structural focus and Simmel’s micro-level formal perspective—arguing that they are theoretically complementary. It also explores the relevance of their theories to contemporary issues such as capitalism, the money economy, metropolitan life, globalization, and social movements. The study concludes that a combined reading of Marx and Simmel offers a richer framework for understanding conflict as both a product of inequality and a driver of social integration.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Marx
• Simmel
• social conflict
• economic inequality
• social interaction

Kaynakça

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