Competition is a dissociate process of Social interaction. It is the most fundamental form of social struggle. It is based on non-cooperation. It is a natural result of the universal struggle for existence. It is a struggle between two or more individuals or groups to get some mutually desired objects. Competition is a contest among the persons or groups to obtain some things which are insufficient in quantity and not easily available to meet the demands of every one. It is caused by things which are in short supply. Ogburn and Nimkoff say that competition occurs when demand out turns supply.
There is no competition for sunshine and air which are unlimited. But, competition occurs only for those things which are not easily available and people cannot get according to their own desire. In our society, competition takes place for getting job. Similarly, Political parties compete for acquiring power; students compete each other for obtaining highest mark in examination. In this way; people compete for power, social position, money, luxury, status, popularity and all other things which are not easily available. The aim of competition is not to banish or destroy the opponent. It is not coercion. The competitors observe rules of competition which eliminates force and fraud. When these rules are broken it becomes conflict.
Definitions:
Park and Burgess: “Competition is an interaction without social contact”.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
E. S. Bogardus: “Competition is a contest to obtain something which does not exist in a quantity sufficient to meet the demand”.
Biesanz and Biesanz: “Competition is the striving between two or more persons for the same goal which is limited so that all cannot share it”.
Suther land, Woodward and Maxwell: “Competition is an impersonal, unconscious, continuous struggle between individuals or groups for satisfaction which, because of their limited supply, all may not have”.