Genocide

Discuss how strain theory, social learning theory, and conflict theory help explain the act of genocide and apply one of those theories to a characteristic of a perpetrator of genocide.

Introduction

Genocide is a process of killing an immense range of people, especially a whole nation, political group, or ethnic group. Genocide is a systematic destruction of people or any cultural group. Interestingly, Genocide has been triggered by many social theories. Genocide is an intentional action to kill a large group of people. This term originated in 1944.

Explaining through Strain Theory

The strain theory tells those social structures, or many other factors, can compel people to conduct a crime. In society, it has been revealed that people derive pressure from different social factors such as lacking education, income, and poor living standards.  To meet needs and adapt to better living standards, crime is a way for people. It is a fact that people in society contain different goals and objectives. Inability to meet these goals in society forces people to conduct crimes (Powell, 2011).

Interestingly, the act of Genocide is integrated with the strain theory. For instance, a group of people living below the poverty line in society is unable to achieve goals and objectives. The social structure has not been developed or relevant to this group. Thus, there is always a threat of rebellion in the society that may cause the Genocide.  These people may decide to kill a group of people to take benefits and reduce the frustration. Thus, the social strain theory defines the act of Genocide effectively. The string theory tells that social resistance may emerge by the time needs and wants are not met. Interestingly, this theory is also triggered by the political process, and the Genocide may be against the particular political group in the society (Powell, 2011).

Explaining through Social Learning Theory

The social learning theory is a learning process of people or individuals in society. The behavior of people can be changed or evolved with time by adopting or imitating others in society. This theory indicates that the learning process in society is a kind of cognitive process. Behaviors of people or individuals can be shaped through observations and instructions. Memory, attention, and motivation are some key factors which emerge in this learning process. In the social context, the learning behavior of people may be positive or negative, as it depends on different circumstances (Powell, 2011).

Genocide can be integrated with the social theory of learning. For Instance, in a society, a group of people may hate other ethnic groups due to their different race, color or religion. People from a different culture or religion may contain different values and traditions. Thus, the behavior of people may be changed when they see anything contradictory. It causes the act of Genocide in the society. People can tolerate the behavior of other people for a while and then show resistance. On the other hand, people who want to conduct the Genocide are also evolved regarding behavior and resistance. The learning process of the two groups may be different, and the group that has power and authority can cause major destruction.

Explaining through Conflict Theory

According to conflict theory, people are living in society, which is in a perpetual state due to some limited resources. There is a huge difference between rich and poor. Wealthy people usually suppress the needs and rights of poor and powerless people. The major social conflict emerges due to the division of resources. It seems destructive and makes people adopt illegal ways.

The term Genocide comes into the life due to the conflict in the society. Society can be in a state of war due to resource conflict. For Instance, powerful people may use the power to eliminate the resistance of the powerless. On the other hand, powerless people may be gathered to take resource back by killing people. Thus, the threat of Genocide is always in the society.

Applying Conflict Theory to a Characteristic of a Perpetrator of Genocide

There are many characteristics of a perpetrator of genocide. The conflict theory can be applied to all these characteristics. For Instance, the main characteristic of the perpetrator of genocide is a positive perception. These people perceive that they are good people and kill people for a noble cause. Being a powerful group of people in society, they portray conflicts over resources and use some unethical ways to manipulate different facts. Interestingly, conflict theory supports the argument of powerful people. However, powerless people may show their resistance to taking control over the resource. Thus, due to conflict, mass destruction is possible (Bbc.com, 2016).

Another characteristic of a perpetrator of genocide is that they like to prevent their reputation.  They justify their actions by presenting their good deeds in society. The theory of conflict comes into life, as they want to streamline the conflict to retain the reputation instead of ethically streamlining the division of resource.

Another characteristic is the authorized murder of people.  In a war situation, countries or a group of people may fight due to the competition of limited resources. It indicates the conflict theory, as it becomes the main cause of the mass murder. Both groups want to take control of the resources the society is always in a state of perpetual conflict, which ends with the death of millions. Powerful takes control of limited resources.

Examples

• Haiti Massacre

There are many examples of genocide. For Instance, the Haiti Massacre is a prominent example, which indicates the conflict theory as well. In 1804, Jean-Jacques wanted to get rid of its white population. He was afraid, as he thought that these white people could take control of the resources one day, he led a massacre at that time, which caused the death of 500 French Creoles, including males and females (Blackthen.com, 2017).

• The Holocaust

The Holocaust was the world’s famous act of genocide. Interestingly, it is also triggered by the conflict theory. For Instance, the Nazi government had to retain the control over different resources and wanted to exterminate the Jewish population. It has been revealed that more than 16 million people were killed, including other ethnic groups such as Romani and Slavs (Salkowitz, 2018).

The common thing these examples are the rebellion in the society due to different conflicts. People or groups of people, which contain the power do not like to talk or solve conflicts but use the power to gain an ultimate solution. Genocide is a big crime, as mass destruction or murder of people cannot be authorized or tolerated at any cost in this contemporary era.  The world believes in the people’s development process instead of reduction; all countries are looking to execute pertinent strategies.

References

Bbc.com. (2016, March 17). How do you define genocide? Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-11108059

Blackthen.com. (2017, November 27). Haitian Massacre: Organized Cleansing Against White Population In Haiti. Retrieved from https://blackthen.com/haitian-massacre-organized-cleansing-against-white-population-in-haiti/

Powell, C. (2011). Barbaric Civilization: A Critical Sociology of Genocide. McGill-Queen’s Press.

Salkowitz, R. (2018, August 16). When Comics Took On The Holocaust. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/robsalkowitz/2018/08/16/when-comics-took-on-the-holocaust/#6fd5ed5fa951