What is society?
As the name suggests, sociology is the science that studies society. Hence, it is clear that society is the main subject of this science and therefore without understanding society, we cannot any form of sociology.
Society is a term used in everyday life with a particular meaning such as aggregation or collection of individuals.
But in sociology, the term society is used not just as congregation or collectivities of individuals, but it refers to the sum total of the relationships existing between them.
That is why when we use the words ‘Bharat Yuvak Samaj’, ‘Harijan samaj’, Arya Samaj etc. we mean a group of individuals
Definitions of society
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According to August Comte: – “society is a social organism possessing a harmony of structure and function.”
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According to Mr. Reuter: -While defining society, Mr. Reuter has written that “society is an abstract word that gives an understanding of the complex mutual relations found between the members of a group.”
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According to Talcott Parsons: – Society is a total complex of human relationships in so far as they grow out of the action in terms of means-end relationship intrinsic or symbolic.
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According to Morris Ginsberg: – “society as a collection of individuals united by certain relations or mode of behavior which mark them off from others who do not enter into these relations or who differ from them in behavior.”
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According to Cooley: – “Society as the complex of organized associations and institutions with a community.”
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According to MacIver and Page: – “society is a system of customs and practices of authority and mutual co-operation of a number of groups and divisions, of controls and liberty of human behavior.”
General Characteristics or Essential Elements of Society
Some elements contribute in the formation of any society and these elements reveal certain characteristics of society or social life. The essential elements or the characteristics of society are as follows-
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Mutual awareness –The most important elements or characteristics of society is mutual awareness. We know that society thrives on the basis of social relations, but these social relations cannot flourish in the absence of mutual awareness. We can broadly divide relations into two parts –
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Physical relations, such as relation between clock and wall, relation between smoke and fire, relation between earth and sky etc. Since there is no mutual awareness of any kind in these relations, therefore these relations do not constitute the society.
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Social relations, such as father and husband and wife relations, teacher and student relations, etc. Since mutual awareness is definitely found in these relations, therefore these relations constitute the society. For example the father knows who his son is and the son is also aware of who his father is. In fact, this reciprocity found in both the parties is the basis of social relations and society is formed only by social relations.
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Co-operation and Conflict: – Although both co-operation and conflict are opposite to each other, yet both of them are found together in the society. As a social creature, man has many needs. Man cannot fulfil these needs alone. That’s why he needs the co-operation of other people. Along with this, he also provides co-operation to other people. This co-operation can generally be of two types –
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Direct co-operation: – in which many people can work together for a common purpose like playing cards, playing in football team etc.
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Indirect co-operation: – the persons co-operating in this do different works keeping the same objective.
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Society is in living – Wherever there are living beings, society can be possible there. Society is very important especially for human beings. Society is absolutely necessary for a human child, because it has been proved by the behavior of human child raised in solitary form. Whatever he is, he is the gift of the society. Its form is the result of the process of socialization and since it has to live among its similar creatures, its needs are fulfilled among them.
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It is Uniform: – Uniformity is an important feature of society. Its existence is possible only in similar bodies and similar thoughts, not elsewhere. If this does not happen, then the person cannot fulfil his objectives. Along with this, if the person is not thoughtful, then friendship, closeness and contact will not be possible without understanding each other. With the help of his intelligence and resources, man searches for similar people.
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It is asymmetry: – Asymmetry is the helper of symmetry. Symmetry means homogeneity in the purposes of all human beings such as reproduction, child-protection, gathering food and protecting the body etc. Means, method and demand can be different for each to fulfil the main objective such as a person can do farming, other can do the work of a carpenter, someone can do business and similarly other people can do other things. But the main objective of all these persons is to earn money and fill their stomachs, while the methods of all are different. If these methods are similar, then chaos and disturbance will spread in the society. Then if all human beings start doing the same type of work, then their needs cannot be fulfilled. Therefore, this asymmetry of means should not come, otherwise there can be dire consequences.
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It is Interdependent: – There is no doubt that the society is interdependent because from birth the human child is dependent. Nature also forces him to remain dependent. That’s why interdependence is the natural tendency of human beings. Man can arrange for food and shelter, but for the satisfaction of physical lust, men and women are dependent on each other by nature. From this the family is born and the person goes for family shelter. So, it is interdependent.
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It is co –operative in nature: – Co-operative is born from society or family. The woman takes care of the house, and the man arranges for the food.
This also brings efficiency in work.
On the basis of this division of labour, civilization and culture have spread and propagated in the world.
In fact, the division of labor is co-operative. Co-operative is born along with the society.
Therefore, as the world moves towards progress, the spirit of co-operation will also flourish.
- It is Abstract – In simple sense many people consider it as a human group.