Is cooperation always voluntary or is it enforced? If enforced, is it sanctions or is the strength of norms that ensure cooperation? Discuss with examples.
Cooperation is not always voluntary. As the text clearly states, cooperation can be enforced and thereby serve to conceal conflict within society.
From a Marxist perspective, in a society where class exists, cooperation is not voluntary. The cooperation of different individuals arising from the division of labour appears to them not as voluntary but as enforced by the existing social structure.
Enforced cooperation often operates through the strength of norms and patterns of socialisation rather than merely through sanctions. Sociological studies show how norms ensure that a particular social order persists, even when it is skewed in the interests of one section of society.
A relevant example is that of women cooperating with the given norm of male inheritance. They may cooperate not voluntarily, but because of normative compulsions and the fear of losing the affection of their brothers if they behave otherwise. This shows how cooperation can be enforced through social norms.
Thus, the relationship between cooperation, competition and conflict is complex and not easily separable. Enforced cooperation helps reproduce social structures while often concealing deeper conflicts.
Explanation
The textbook context explicitly addresses this question. It states that cooperation can be enforced and cites Marx's view that in class-based societies, cooperation is not voluntary. The example of women cooperating with male inheritance norms due to normative compulsions illustrates how norms enforce cooperation. The answer integrates both theoretical perspectives (Marx) and concrete examples from the text.