Lewis Coser (1913-2003) sinh ra trong mot gia dinh Do Thai ci Diic. Do tham gia vao phong trao xa hoi chu nghia cua sinh vien nen trong thdi ky Quoc xa Coser da phai lanh nan sang Phap song nhiing thang nam rat vat va, kho nhoc. Ong vao hoc van hoc so sanh cl trUdng Dai hoc Sorbonne, sau do viet luan van tot nghiep ve van hoc the ky 19 cua Phap, Anh va Diic. Ong tu coi do la xa hoi hoc chii khong phai la van hoc so sanh. Khi xay ra The chien thii hai, Coser xin dUdc ti nan
1 David Harvey. The Condition o f Postmodernity, trong Steven Seidman and Jeffrey C. Alexander (eds). The N ew Social Theory Reader. New York:
Routledge. 2001. Tr. 179-181.
chinh tri b New York, My. Sau chien tranh, ong dUdc nhan vao lam giang day d trUdng Dai hoc Tong hdp Chicago mot thdi gian, roi lam luan an tien sy d Dai hoc tong hdp Comlumbia, sau lam viec d trUdng Dai hoc tong hdp Brandeis.
Tti 1968 den 1988 ong la giao sU xa hoi hoc d trUdng Dai hoc Tong hdp Quoc gia New York.
Tac pham chinh: Cdc chiic nang cua mau thuan xa hoi (The Functions o f social Conflict) (1956) va dac biet la cuon Cdc bac thay td ttidng xa hoi hoc (Masters o f Sociological Thought) xuat ban lan dau nam 1971. Cuon sach nay dUdc R.
Merton coi la mau mUc ve lich sti cac ly thuyet xa hoi hoc.
Khac v6i mot so" nha mau thuan luan, Coser tim nguon goc cua mau thuln trong cac hien tUdng tam ly nhat la trong trang thai xuc cam cua con ngUdi. Ong cho rang con ngUdi co nhting “xung Itic” hieu chien, xam kich va vi vay mau thuan, xung dot la mot phan tat yeu cua hanh vi va quan he xa hoi.
Mau thuan khong phai la dau hieu cua sU bat on dinh hay sU ran ntit quan he ma la mot yeu to" gan lien vdi sU on dinh, trat tu xa hoi.
Coser cung chi ra sU phu thuoc cua cac hinh thtic va cac mtic do bieu hien khac nhau cua mau thuan, xung dot doi v6i cac tinh huong xa hoi. Dua vao tinh muc dich cua mau thuan, ong phan biet hai loai mau thuln nhu sau:
Loai mau thuan “thiic te” , “hdp ly” xay ra khi cac ca nhan hay cac nhom sti dung mau thuln lam phUdng tien co hieu qua de dat dUdc muc tieu ma ho dat ra. Neu ho co the dat dUdc muc dich ma khong can phai gianh giat hay dau tranh thi ho se loai bo ngay mau thuan nay.
Loai mau thuan phi thuc te hay mau thuan “tiC than” . Do la trUdng hdp ma mau thuan la muc dich du dieu do co dUdc chap nhan va dUdc thiia nhan hay khong. Loai mau thuan nay co vai tro lam giam bdt tinh trang cang thing hay gop phan khang dinh ban s ic cua chu the mau thuln. Vi du kinh dien b day la hanh vi lay bieu hien cua mau thuln nay thay cho mau thuln khac theo kieu “gian cd chem th&t” .
Coser, co ve giong nhu mot nha chiic nang luan, rat quan tam tdi he qua cua mau thuan. Ong cho rang mau thuan co vai tro bien doi xa hoi, kich thich sU doi mdi va tang cUdng sU tap trung, gin bo xa hoi. NhUng ong khang dinh, dieu do khong co nghia mau thuan la chiic nang cua nhom ma sU doan ket, sU nhat tri la nhiing san pham co the co cua mau thuan.
Diia vao pham vi mau thuan, Coser phan biet hai loai mau thuan nhu sau:
• Mot la, loai mau thuan trong nhom (mau thuan noi bo nhom) giup cac ca nhan thanh vien biet dUdc ho phai lam gi, co nghia la no dieu chinh hanh vi cua ca nhan trong nhom. NhUng mau thuln trong nhom chi co tac dung thuc day sii co"
ket nhom khi no khong dong cham tdi nhiing gia tri nen tang cua nhom.
• Hai la, loai mau thuan ben ngoai nhom gan lien v6i sii khang dinh ban sac cua nhom. Mau thuan nay giup xac dinh dUdc ranh gidi giiia cac nhom trong mot he thong gom cac nhom xa hoi khac nhau, giup cung cd y thiic nhom va tinh doan ket
cua nhom dong thdi lam tang mCtc do tham gia cua cac thanh vien vao hoat dong chung cua nhom. Coser cho rang mau thuan se cang thang hdn neu cac thanh vien tham gia cam thay ho dau tranh vi ldi ich chung cua nhom chii khong phai vi ldi Ich cua ca nhan minh.
Coser cho rang do ca nhan tham gia vao nhieu nhom xa hoi khac nhau nen moi nhom theo duoi ldi ich rieng va phai giai quyet nhiing mau thuan rieng. Do vay, ho kho co the cung tham gia vao mot mau thu ln chung nao khac trong xa hoi. Dieu nay giai thich phan nao viec mau thuan 16n khong bung no b nhiing ndi co nhieu nhom, hoi, to chtic khac nhau.
Tuy nhien, co the thay quan niem nay chua tinh den tam quan trong cua luat phap va he nhiing gia tri, chuan mUc chung trong viec dieu tiet va giai quyet mau thuan.
10. Sii hinh dung xa hoi hoc va ly thuyet nhom tinh hoa-quyen ltfc cua Wright Mills
Mills (1916-1962) la nha xa hoi hoc ngUdi My noi tieng vdi cuon sach Sii hinh dung xa hoi hoc (The Sociological Imagination) (1959). TrUdc do, ong da viet cuon sach Co trdng (White Collar) (1951) va da noi tieng vdi ly thuyet Nhom tinh hoa quyen liic (The Power Elite) (1956).
Sii hinh dung xa hoi hoc. Theo Mills, muon nghien ciiu xa hoi hoc tiic la muon hieu cau true cua mot xa hoi, cd che bien doi xa hoi va ban chat con ngudi trong xa hoi ta c&n co
“sii hinh dung xa hoi hoc". Do la nang luc cua nha xa hoi hoc trong viec chuyen tii cach tiep can nay sang cach tiep can
khac, la kha nang xay dung mot cai nhin ve tong the xa hoi va cac thanh to" cua no. Do la cach tim hieu boi canh lich sii, tieu sii va moi quan he gitia chung trong xa hoi, la xem xet con ngUdi trong khung canh lich sii xa hoi ma ho dang song va hoat dong, la n&m b i t y nghia cua thdi ky lich sii doi vdi cuoc song va nhting trai nghiem cua cac ca nhan1.
Co the noi, vdi tac pham nay, Mills da dat nen mong phat trien trao lUu xa hoi hoc nhan van trong viec xem xet mot cach tong hdp cac khia canh van hoa, xa hoi, lich sti, nhan cach cua ddi song con ngUdi. Khi nhan manh sU hinh dung xa hoi hoc, thUc chat Mills da dat cach tiep can xa hoi hoc khoa hoc doi lap vdi cach lam xa hoi hoc theo “chu nghia kinh nghiem tritu tiicfng” {Abstracted Empiricism) nang ve dieu tra xa hoi2 va chu nghia chtic nang he thong kieu Parsons tach rdi khoi bang chting khoa hoc.
Theo Mills, mot cong cu cd ban cua su hinh dung xa hoi hoc la phan biet nhting moi quan tam, lo lang ca nhan vdi nhting van de xa hoi. Nhting lo lang ca nhan la nhting trai nghiem va nhting khd khan cua ca nhan, do vay chung khong thuoc doi tudng nghien ctiu cua xa hoi hoc. Nhting van de xa hoi la nhting cai lien quan tdi boi canh, moi trUdng song cua ca nhan ttic la can he tdi cac thiet che xa hoi va cau true xa hoi ma moi sU thay doi cua chting deu tac dong tdi toan bo he thong va cac ca nhan. Do do, van de xa hoi la doi tUdng nghien ctiu cua xa hoi hoc. Mills lay vi du minh hoa nhu sau:
1 C. W right Mills. The Sociological Imagination. Oxford University Press.
1959. Tr. 5, 7 ,2 1 1 .
2 C. W right M ills. The Sociological Imagination. Oxford University Press.
1959. Tr. 50-75.
trong mot thanh pho co 100.000 ngUdi ma co mot ngiidi bi that nghiep thi do chi la van de kho khan ca nhan. Nhiing neu mot quoc gia co 50 trieu lao dong nhiing 15 trieu ngUdi bi that nghiep thi do la van de xa hoi lien quan tdi thiet che kinh te va chinh tri cua xa hoi1.
Nhom tinh hoa quyen liic. Giong nhu mot so nha ly thuyet mau thuan, Mills coi xa hoi la mot cau true quyen liic.
Theo quan niem cua ong, quyen liic gan lien vdi viec ra quyet dinh, vdi ngUdi ra quyet dinh va ngUdi tham gia vao quyet dinh.
Mills cho rin g khi noi tdi quyen liic, ta can phai phan biet ro ba hinh thai cua quyen liic: (1) quyen liic cUdng che (Coercion) - kha nang b it ngUdi khac phai tuan theo, phai lam theo y chi, nguyen vong cua minh; (2) quyen liic thong tri (Authority) - quyen liic dUdc nhiing ngUdi dudi quyen tii nguyen tin la chfnh dang, la dung dan va (3) quyen liic thao tung (Manipulation) - quyen liic dUdc thiic thi ma ngUdi khong cd quyen liic khong he biet2.
1 C. W right M ills. The Sociological Imagination. Oxford University Press.
1959. Tr. 9.
2 M ills viet: “Quyen liic lien quan tdi bat ky quyet dinh nao cua con ngiidi ve bo'i canh ma ho dang song va ve nhiing sii kien tao thanh lich sii cua cac thdi dai cua ho. Co nhiing sii kien xay ra nam ngoai sii quyet dinh cua con ngiidi; co nhiing boi canh xa hoi thay doi ma khong dinh dang gi tdi ket qua cua mot quyet dinh ro rang nao. Nhung mot khi ra dUdc cac quyet dinh, thi van de ai tham gia vao quyet dinh la van de cd ban cua quyen liic. Trong trUdng hdp cd the ra quyet dinh nhung lai khdng lam , thi van de la ai la ngiidi da that bai trong viec ra quyet dinh?” C. W right M ills. The Structure o f Power in American Society, trong Jam es M . Henslin. D ow n to Earth Sociology: Introductory Readings. The Free Press. A Division M acm illan Inc. 1991. Tr. 439-440.
Mills cho rin g cau true quyen luc da bien xa hoi thanh mot cau true gom hai nhom la: (1) nhom ngUdi co quyen lUc va (2) nhom ngUdi khong co quyen luc. Loai cau true xa hoi- quyen luc nay the hien ro trong xa hoi My hien dai. Doi vdi cau hoi: "Ai lanh dao nUdc My?”, Mills tra ldi qua quyet:
"Khong mot ca nhan nao ca ma la mot nhom tinh hoa quyen lUc" (Power Elite)1.
Mills dung khai niem “tinh hoa quyin liic” de chi sU hdp thanh cua ba thiet che chinh tri, quan sU va kinh te co kha nang ra cac quyet dinh chi phoi cac thiet che khac con lai trong xa hoi. Mills chi ro la “bo ba” hay “tam giac quyen liic”
chinh tri-quan sU-kinh te tao thanh gidi tinh hoa quyen luc trong xa hoi tu ban hien dai the ky 20 ma dien hinh nhat la d xa hoi My.
Mills vach ro su thong nhat cua gidi tinh hoa quyen luc dua tren ba cd sd la2: su giong nhau ve mat tam ly, su giong
1 C. Wright M ills. The Sociological Imagination. Oxford University Press.
1959. Tr. 31.
2 Ve ba cd sd cua sii thong nhat cua gi6i tinh hoa quyen hie, M ills viet: “ 1.
De hieu sii thong nhat cua gidi tinh hoa quyen luc, ta can phai chu y t6i tam ly cua mot so' thanh vien cua no... V i gi6i tinh hoa quyen liic bao gom nhiing ngiidi co nguon goc va hoc van gio'ng nhau, co sii nghiep va loi song gio'ng nhau, nen sii thong nhat cua ho co the noi la diia vao mot thiic te la ho thuoc ve mot kieu xa hoi gio'ng nhau dan den mot thiic te la ho de dang tho'ng nhat v6i nhau...”. “2. Dang sau sii tho'ng nhat tam ly va xa hoi la cau true va cd che cua kien true thang bac thiet che ma tren d6 la sii ngii tri cua bo may chinh tri, sii giau c6 cua cac tap doan va s ic manh quan sii”. “3. Sii tho'ng nhat cua ho, tuy nhien, khong chi diia vao mo'i hen ket cau true cua cac vi tri lanh dao va cac ldi ich chung. M a sii tho'ng nhat do bao gid cung la sii tho'ng nhat cua sii phoi hdp ro rang”. C. W right M ills. The Structure o f Power in American Society, trong James M . Henslin. Down to Earth
nhau ve mat xa hoi va su phoi hdp chat che cua nhom chop bu dai dien cho moi mot the luc chinh tri, quan sU, kinh te.
Su thong nhat kieu “lien minh than thanh” cua cac the lUc chinh tri-quan sU-kinh te la nhan to' thuc day va duy tri sU phat trien mot nen kinh te sac mui chien tranh. Nhom tinh hoa-quyen luc vdi tu cach la mot to hdp thong nhat gom the lUc chinh tri, quan sU va kinh te n lm givi vi the va vai tro lanh dao, chi huy xa hoi, do vay chiu trach nhiem ve nhiing bat hanh, nhiing bat on va nhiing mau thuan, xung dot tren toan xa hoi.
Mills phe phan cach to chCfc theo kieu nhiem sd {Bureaucracy) va chu nghia tu ban quan lieu hien dai dang lam tha hoa lao dong, lam con ngUdi cam thay xa la vdi chinh qua trinh lao dong va san pham do minh tao ra. Ong chi ra rin g , ngUdi lao dong ke ca cong nhan “co trdng” - tiic la nhiing ngUdi cd trinh do chuyen mon va tay nghe cao trong luc lUdng lao dong, deu bi bo may quyen luc, bo may quan lieu nhao nan, bien doi thanh hang hoa va phUdng tien trong he tho'ng san xuat xa hoi. Ho trd nen bi dong, mat quyen luc, bat luc.