Society is the largest group to which an individual belongs. "Society" refers to a self-replenishing sustainable social system that consists of people different ages and gender and forms economic, political and cultural aggregates. You can talk about Finnish society, Western society, etc.
A clear definition of this concept is very difficult and its use is very diverse.
According to Rene Konig (1958), society can be understood as: 1) a different type of lifestyle; 2) unity formed by peoples or 3) economic and ideological associations based on treaties; 4) an integral society, i.e. wide social education, a set of different social units. In addition, the concept of "society" is used: 5) when describing a certain historical form social life, for example, "bourgeois society" and 6) as a synonym for "social", "society", when we are talking about the relationships of individuals and the structures and social processes based on these relationships.
Robertson (1977) defines a society as a group of individuals who live in the same territory, are in a relationship of mutual influence and have common culture. This definition contains some essential features of the concept of "society" ("culture" and "territory"), which should, however, be understood in a broad sense.
Rudhard Stollberg (1983) considers the main task of sociology to be the study of society. Subjects of sociology -- social phenomena and processes. At the same time, society is understood as a set of social relations and as all manifestations of human life up to leisure and living conditions, as well as how social groups and relationships between individuals. Thus, "society" is a very broad concept that can be defined as a system or set of social phenomena.
It can be considered that social relations manifested and realized in human activity. Therefore, one subject of sociology is the study of this activity. The second subject of sociology is social structure society, its division into social groups, classes, professional groups, etc. That is, at an abstract level, society is a structure and a function.
Szczepanski (1970) uses the concept of "public life", by which he understands all phenomena caused by the interaction of individuals and communities located in a certain limited area. Main factors public life he considers biological, territorial, demographic, economic and cultural factors.
Society is a group of people created thanks to a purposeful and reasonably organized joint activities, and the members of such a group are not united by such a deep principle as in the case of a true community.
Society rests on a convention, an agreement, an identical orientation of interests. Individuality individual person changes much less under the influence of his inclusion in society than depending on his inclusion in the community. Society is often understood as the sphere that lies between the individual and the state.
After attempts to explain the essence of the concept of "society" in antiquity (Aristotle) and in the Middle Ages (Augustine and Thomas Aquinas), this question became, especially in the 18th century, a political and philosophical problem, the exhaustive solution of which Comte tried to give in his sociology; therefore, society became the subject of consideration and the central point of the new science - sociology.
Exist various interpretations society: subjective, which considers society as a special amateur team of people; active, which believes that society should be considered not so much the collective itself, but the process of the collective existence of people; organizational, which considers society as an institutional system sustainable ties between interacting people and social groups.
Society as an extremely broad concept for designating that part material world, which is isolated from nature and interacts with it in a certain way. This isolation consists in the following: in contrast to the elemental natural forces in the center community development stands a man with consciousness and will. Nature, on the other hand, exists and develops according to its own laws, independent of man and society. In this sense, society is the totality of all forms of association and ways of interaction between people, both among themselves and with the natural world around them.
This last definition is considered in this paper as the main one.
Signs of society E. Shilz
The American sociologist E. Shils identifies the following criteria for society:
- it is no longer part of major system;
- Marriages are concluded between representatives of this association;
- It is replenished mainly at the expense of the children of those people who are already its recognized representatives;
- the association has a territory that it considers its own;
- The society has its own name and own history;
- It has its own control system;
- association has been around for a long time medium duration the life of an individual;
- It unites general system values (customs, traditions, norms, laws, rules) which is called culture.
In sociology, attempts have been made more than once to give a final definition of society and highlight its essential features - the most typical, stable and repetitive moments of its life. Thus, Emile Durkheim sees the fundamental principle of the stability and unity of society in the signs of the presence of a collective consciousness, a common will that prevents the destructive power of human egoism. Neil Smelser defines the presence of geographical boundaries, a common legal system and a certain national identity as the hallmarks of a society as an association of people. The American sociologist Edward Shils believes that the basis of society is such a characteristic as the functioning of public authority, which ensures control over the entire territory and spreads a common culture.
E. Shils highlights the following signs societies:
- marriages are concluded between representatives of this association;
- it is replenished mainly at the expense of the children of those people who are already its recognized representatives;
- the association has a territory that it considers its own;
- the society has its own name and its own history;
- it has its own control system;
- the association exists longer than the average life expectancy of an individual;
- it is united by a common system of values (customs, traditions, norms, laws, rules), which is called culture.
And yet, by what signs can one judge a society?
The first sign of a society is usually called the territory on which the consolidation of social ties takes place. Our planet has provided an opportunity for many communities to find their ecological niche to ensure the satisfaction of the vital needs of people and to give the life of individuals their own unique features, due to the variety of climatic conditions and natural landscape. The territory is the basis of the social space in which relations and interactions between individuals are formed and developed.
The second distinguishing feature of society is its ability to maintain and reproduce the high intensity of internal relationships. Noting stability as the most important characteristic of society, sociologists disagree in explaining its fundamental causes. E. Durkheim saw the fundamental basis for the stability and unity of society in the "collective consciousness", in the presence of a common will that prevents the development of the destructive power of human egoism. R. Merton believes that society is preserved thanks to the "fundamental values" assimilated by the majority of the population and orienting each individual to the observance of the norms of joint life. E. Shils is convinced that society as such exists only under the influence of "general power", which ensures control over the entire territory and promotes a common culture.
The third distinguishing feature of society is its autonomy and high level of self-regulation. The autonomy of society is achieved by its multifunctionality, that is, the ability to create the necessary conditions to meet the various needs of individuals and provide the latter with ample opportunities for self-affirmation and self-regulation. Only in society can a person engage in narrow professional activities, knowing that he can always satisfy his needs for food and clothing. Only in society can he acquire the necessary skills and get acquainted with the achievements of culture and science. Only society can give him the opportunity to make a dizzying career and rise to the top of the social hierarchy. In other words, society has that self-sufficiency that allows it, without outside interference, to fulfill its main purpose - to provide people with such forms of life organization that make it easier for them to achieve their personal goals.
The autonomy and self-sufficiency of society are manifested precisely in the absence of external managerial impulses. Society is regulated and managed exclusively by those institutions and organizations and on the basis of those norms and principles that arise and are created within itself. Self-regulation is an important property of a society that ensures its independence, regardless of size.
Fourthly, society is distinguished by a great integrating force. It socializes each new generation of people, includes it in the existing system of relations, subordinates it to generally accepted norms and rules. Thanks to this quality, society is receptive to innovations, because it organically absorbs new social formations, institutions, norms, thereby ensuring renewal and continuity of development. And the people themselves, connected with society by invisible threads of common language, culture, origin, gravitate towards it. It gives them the opportunity to use the usual patterns of behavior, follow established principles, creates a unique atmosphere of spiritual unity.
The main feature of society is its organic integrity, systemicity, since people are united in it on the basis of the common mode of existence necessary for them. However, in the process of historical development, the secondary signs of society changed, which was analyzed by me in this paragraph.
1. The concept of society
A systematic approach to the analysis of society
Today, there are two approaches to understanding society. In the broad sense of the word society- This set of historical forms life together and activities of people on earth. In the narrow sense of the word society- this is a specific type of social and state system, a specific national-theoretical formation. However, these interpretations of the concept under consideration cannot be considered sufficiently complete, since the problem of society has occupied the minds of many thinkers, and in the process of developing sociological knowledge, various approaches to its definition have been formed.
So, E. Durkheim defined society as supra-individual spiritual reality based on collective ideas. From the point of view of M. Weber, society is the interaction of people who are the product of social, i.e., focused on other actions. K. Marx presents society as a historically developing set of relations between people that develop in the process of their joint actions. Another theorist of sociological thought, T. Parsons, believed that society is a system of relations between people based on norms and values that form culture.
Thus, it is easy to see that society is a complex category characterized by a combination of various features. Each of the above definitions reflects some specific features characteristic of this phenomenon. Only taking into account all these characteristics allows us to give the most complete and precise definitions concepts of society. The most complete list characteristic features society was identified by an American sociologist E. Shiels . He developed the following features characteristic of any society:
1) it is not an organic part of any larger system;
2) marriages are concluded between representatives of this community;
3) it is replenished at the expense of the children of those people who are members of this community;
4) it has its own territory;
5) it has a self-name and its own history;
6) it has its own control system;
7) it exists longer than the average life span of an individual;
8) it is united by a common system of values, norms, laws, rules.
Considering all these features, we can give the following definition of society: it is a historically formed and self-reproducing community of people.
Aspects of reproduction are biological, economic and cultural reproduction.
This definition makes it possible to distinguish the concept of society from the concept of "state" (the institution of management social processes, which arose historically later than the society) and "country" (territorial and political formation, formed on the basis of society and the state).
The study of society within sociology is based on a systematic approach. The use of this particular method is also due to characteristic features society, which is characterized as: a social system of a higher order; complex system education; complete system; self-developing system, because the source is within society.
Thus, it is not difficult to see that society is a complex system.
System- this is a certain way ordered set of elements interconnected and forming a kind of integral unity. Undoubtedly, society is a social system, which is characterized as a holistic formation, the elements of which are people, their interaction and relationships, which are stable and reproduced in historical process passing from generation to generation.
Thus, as the basic elements of society as social system the following can be distinguished:
2) social connections and interactions;
3) social institutions, social strata;
4) social norms and values.
As with any system, society is characterized by close interaction of its elements. Given this feature, within the framework of the systems approach, society can be defined as a large ordered set of social processes and phenomena more or less connected and interacting with each other and forming a single social whole. Society as a system is characterized by such features as coordination and subordination of its elements.
Coordination is the consistency of elements, their mutual functioning. Subordination is subordination and subordination, indicating the place of elements in an integral system.
The social system is independent in relation to its constituent elements and has the ability to self-develop.
On the basis of a systematic approach to the analysis of society, functionalism was developed. The functional approach was formulated by G. Spencer and developed in the works of R. Merton and T. Parsons. In modern sociology, it is complemented by determinism and an individualistic approach (interactionism).
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The use of the word "society" is ubiquitous, but not everyone can clearly articulate the essence of this concept. The definition of this phenomenon and the concept that denotes it is given by sociology, as well as social science. The latest science in this issue has the most significant weight, since it is society that is the subject of its study. Unlike all other sciences, it deliberately considers all possible aspects of society. The remaining sciences single out only one specific side of the phenomenon.
However, we will focus on the view that sociology gives us, since in our article we are going to consider the question: "What are the main features of society?" - as well as some related aspects. They will help us to more consciously operate with this concept and in general will be useful for expanding knowledge in this area.
A look at the concept of society
Here are some data from sociology that reflect the essence of society. So, this science considers the concept from two main sides, respectively, presenting diverse meanings. Let's talk about each separately, while touching distinctive features society.
Historical and economic aspect
The first side of the study is to consider society, taking into account historical, economic, geographical and political factors. According to this aspect, societies are identified as structures that are larger than just groups of people or communities.
Most often, such quite specific types are distinguished in this vein, such as primitive, slave-owning, feudal and others. They differ in the level of technological development,
When considering the same historical and economic aspect, the societies that have formed on the territory of a certain country or continent are singled out. This is both Russian and American, and western world in general, and oriental.
Based on the above facts, let's summarize this block of information with a definition: society is a system limited in time and territory. Any era with its values and level of technology development is such a society.
Main features
The scientist E. Shils gives us a number of features by which a society stands out, based on the shaping factors under consideration:
As a holistic functioning, it is not included in any major systems);
Has its own well-defined territory;
Has a name, history of formation and development;
The replenishment and growth of society occurs due to human resources who are its own representatives (with rare exceptions);
As a sign complementary with the previous one, representatives of one association enter into marriage;
There is a functioning own control system;
Characteristic is the presence of norms and traditions common to representatives that form culture;
The lifetime of a society is necessarily longer than the lifetime of an individual.
- territory - it also plays the role of the main material base for the existence and development of social relations;
- autonomy - self-sufficiency, allowing to exist without economic and other ties with other societies;
- integrativity - the unification of all individuals in the process of social life, the maintenance and reproduction of generations;
- universality - all-encompassing (for individual participants).
Sociological and philosophical aspect
So, we have already learned what are the main features of society in accordance with the economic-geographical aspect of the study. It is time to consider the second aspect of the study of this topic in sociology.
The second meaning of society is purely sociological and philosophical when considered as a whole. In research in this area, sociology relies on the results practical observations and experiments on smaller structures - small communities (families, clans, peoples). A kind of hierarchy of structures is built, from smallest to largest. As a result, we obtain the functional unity of the communities.
Considering the various institutions of society from this practical point of view, sociology touches on the problems of the universe - the origin of society, the single goal of its existence. Every society has its own history. Thus, the American theory of "the beginning of beginnings" takes as its basis certain founding fathers. Reflections on this topic by sociologists of the times of the Soviet Union revolve around October revolution 1917
Let us briefly summarize what has been said within the framework of the sociological aspect: society is the largest, covering all the others, making them its part. We continue to consider further the question of what are the main features of society.
in a sociological context
The researcher of sociological issues R. Koenig ascribes the following features to society:
- a certain way of life of individuals;
- economic and ideological associations formed on the basis of agreements;
- the presence of social unities (different peoples);
- the integrity of social units, i.e. smaller structures;
- historical prerequisites for the formation and development of this particular society;
- social reality - the processes in which the relationships of individuals are tied.
Some fundamental properties
So far, we have already considered two aspects of the study of the society of sociology, mentioned some forms of society as examples. We also learned about the features inherent in society when studied from the economic and sociological sides. Now we consider it expedient to dwell in more detail on some of its most important properties. Sociology classifies autonomy and self-sufficiency as such.
Autonomy and self-sufficiency as properties
Earlier, we only briefly mentioned the autonomy property of the structure of society. Now more about this.
The ability of a society to exist separately from others, to support the functioning of smaller structures that make up its composition, is autonomy. This property, at first glance, somewhat fades into the background in the conditions of total globalization of absolutely all world processes at the moment. However, this impression is misleading: the strengthening of international contacts has some signs that autonomy is becoming less obvious, but this process is of a completely different kind.
A striking confirmation of the autonomy of societies, which include the population of the countries of the world, is the presence of their own systems of power in them. Within countries, there are smaller communities of people who, according to the principle of hierarchy, form part of society as a whole.
Studying further the institutions of society, let's say a few words about self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency is a property inherent in the people of a particular country that provides the ability to exist completely in isolation from all other societies. After the division of labor between the territories of the world (production specialization), self-sufficiency is not observed in any country. At modern societies a new inalienable quality has appeared - complementarity for economic reasons.
Other properties
An important part of any society is its cultural array. This concept includes many phenomena, there is no need to consider them within the framework of our topic. Let's just say that based on common traditions, self-awareness, moral values of individuals is formed cultural society. Its formation is preceded by a rich history.
Smaller communities are able to perform their functions in unified system society of the country independently. This is the main manifestation of the property of self-regulation.
Conclusion
As a conclusion, let us conclude: society and its features are considered in sociology in various aspects. This takes into account economic, geographical, historical, cultural and other factors. Societies of modernity appear mainly in the form of countries and their populations. The most important properties their autonomy and self-sufficiency.
Thus, we figured out the question of what are the main features of society that form it as a phenomenon. We hope that the information received will be useful for a conscious look at modern society.
Society existed in that distant era when there were no countries and states. Therefore, the concept of society is applicable to any historical era, to any size group or association of people. Society is the largest of the groups living in the area. The signs that E. Shils expressed in a concentrated form are applicable to it.
Both modern powers, numbering hundreds of millions of citizens, and ancient tribes, fitting in the territory of the present urban microdistrict, meet these criteria. Both have kinship systems (marrying and recruiting new members), their territory, name, culture, history, administration, and most importantly, they are not part of another whole. But many other human associations do not correspond to them, say, a village or a village, although at first glance they have everything necessary for this: a kinship system, territory, history, culture, name, administration.
The concept of society acquires a very definite meaning when we speak of<российском обществе>, which has geographical boundaries, a common legislative system and some kind of national unity. Approximately in this direction sociologists reason when they create a set specific definitions society. In 1967, R. Marsh tried to determine the conditions under which a social association should be considered a society:
1) permanent territory - for example, Spain in its state borders;
2) the replenishment of society mainly through childbearing, although immigration also plays a role in this;
3) highly developed culture - models of culture can be diverse enough to satisfy all the needs of social life;
4) political independence - a society is not a subsystem or part of any other system, therefore, colonial societies such as the Belgian Congo before independence could not be considered as such.
The author of this classification recognized the incompleteness and debatable nature of his criteria. For example, is it possible to apply the criterion<высокоразвитая культура>to a country inhabited by representatives of various religious beliefs and ethnic groups, be it the USA, India or the USSR. There are no common values and ideals accepted by the entire population. Their culture is more correctly called a set of subcultures, with great difficulty linked together by political and legislative power. Perhaps that is why it turned out to be so fragile Soviet Union. Criterion<политическая независимость>is no less controversial. On the territory of the USSR there were established and very ancient ethnic groups that had a highly developed culture, but did not have political independence, but existed on the rights of a union republic, in particular Armenia, Georgia, Estonia.
Shils Edward Albert
(1911) - amer. sociologist. In sociology, Shils is a supporter of the concept of equilibrium, in accordance with which society is viewed as a system that restores "social order" in conditions of violation of its equilibrium. Shils is one of the ardent supporters of the concept of de-ideologization. It was he who gave the name to this concept, putting forward the slogan "the end of ideology" as an attempt to justify a pure, value-free social science.
E. Shils singled out the following signs of society:
1. It is not an organic part of any larger system
2. Marriages are concluded between members of a given community
3. It is replenished by the children of those people who are members of this community
4. It has its own territory
5. It has a self-name and its own history
6. It has its own control system
7. It exists longer than the average lifespan of an individual
8. He is united by a common system of values, norms, laws, rules.
Related information:
- I. There were two trees in the Garden of Eden, one the tree of life, the other the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and this signifies that man has been given freedom of choice in spiritual matters.
