Concept of Society
Introduction : In sociology & anthropology, refers not just to a group of people but to a complex pattern of norms of interaction that arises among them. Thus It is largest distinguishable unit of interacting individual who share a pattern of social organisation that regulates interaction b/w them.
Definition of society – given by various scholar ; some are as follow
- Mclver defined it as, “ Web of social relationships .”
- Ginsberg: Society is a collection of individuals united by certain relations or modes of behaviour which mark them off from others who do not enter into these relations or who differ from them in behaviour.
- Parsons: Society may be defined as the total complex of human relationships in so far as they grow out of action in terms of mean- end relationship, intrinsic or symbolic.
Thus there are two types of definition of society, the functional definition and structural definition.
- From the functional point of view, society is defined as a complex of groups in reciprocal relationships interacting up on one another, enabling human organisms to carry out their life activities and helping each other to fulfil their wishes.
- From the structural point of view, society is total social heritage of folkways, mores, institutions, habits, sentiments and ideals.
- Ginsberg, Gidding, Cole, Cuber etc. take a structural view of society while McIver, Parsons, Lapiere, Leacock etc. have given functional definition of society.
The society is to be interpreted in a wider sense. It is both a structural and functional organisation. It is a pattern, system and not the people those who define it as a group of people.
Characteristics of society
- web of social relationships: the family -have as many as 15 relationships based on age, sex and generation.
- means likeness, the sense of likeness was focused in early society on kinship.
- Also implies difference : as this sense of likeness does not include diversity or variations. Society which is based exclusively on likeness and uniformity is bound to lose in socialites.
- For ex family rests upon biological differences b/w sexes. Besides the differences in sex, there are other natural differences of aptitude, interest, capacity. But the difference is subordinate to likeness.
- Interdependence: essential elements. Family, the first society, which we all are closely associated with, is based on the biological interdependence of the sexes. None of the two sexes is complete by itself and therefore each seeks fulfilment by the aid of another.
- Cooperation : also essential to constitutes. Without corporation no society can exist. Unless people co-operate with each other they cannot live a happy life.
Nature of society
This qus is closely connected with qus of r/l of man & society. There are mainly two theories of relationship of man and society
- The social contract theory (Hobbes, Locke)
- It views society as an entity deliberately set up by man for certain ends. Acc to this theory, all men were born for certain ends and were born free and equal. Individual precedes society. Individuals have made a mutual agreement and created society.
- Acc to Hobbes, man is in a perpetual conflict with his neighbours on a/c of his essentially selfish attitude. To protect himself against the evil consequences, man organised himself in the society in order to live in peace with all.
- Acc to Locke, believed that state of nature was not state of war. It was state of peace, good will mutual assistance & preservation. But only disadvantage – no recognised law & justice→ to make good this deficiency & ensure the existence of his liberty → contract
- Acc to Rousseau – equal self sufficient, contented → growth in no. → quarrels → necessitated the est of civil society.
- Organic theory (Proponents: Plato,Aristotle, Herbert Spencer)
- Acc to this theory, there is resemblance b/w individual & society in terms of starting as small aggregate, growth from simplicity to complexity and mutual dependence.
- Thus Spencer concluded that society is organism, it is a social organism. The individuals are limbs of society that behave as the cells of the body whose activity and life is meant for the sake of whole. Individuals without society have no value as limbs without body have no value.
- But there are also differences b/w society and an organism as units of Society are not fixed, there is no form like body of individuals in society, society has no common sensorium etc.
As these theories doesn’t explain clearly the relationship b/w man and society, anthropologists came to following conclusion about true r/l b/w man and society:
- Man is social by nature: Man’s nature is such that he cannot afford to live alone.
- Necessity makes man social: Many of man’s needs may remain unfulfilled if he does not have cooperation with his fellow beings in society.
- Society determines personality of individual by transmission of culture.
Conclusion: Thus though there are differences about nature of society, there is consensus to about necessity of society for existence of human being as human being is a social animal. In words of Mclver, “No ones can really be an absolute individualist, any more than anyone can be an absolute socialist. For the individual & society interact on one another & depend on one another.” Both are complementary & supplementary to each other.
Society & Culture
Concept of culture : Culture is defined as sum total of all group habits developed by a person as a member of the group. E. B. Tylor defines it as knowledge, belief, art, morals, customs etc. acquired by man as a member of society.
Concept of society: Society is an association of individuals. It is a permanent population of people acting in accordance with its culture. It organises the activities of people and the establishment of standardised behaviour is social imperative.
Society and culture : There are different views among anthropologists about relationship b/w society and culture.
- Culture as all-embracing including society. (Malinowski)
- Acc to this view culture is wider concept than society & it includes social org of social structure of people.
- Also this view says that culture comes before existence of society.
- Society and culture are two different things. (Radcliffe Brown, Evans Pritchard, Edmond Leach and most of the British anthropologists.)
- Acc to them, society concerns with social, interpersonal & intergroup r/l while culture is an overall design and prescription for a great variety of human behaviour.
- While elements of sociability can be traced to sub human species, culture is exclusively human prerogative.
- Hoebal put forward the distinction in more clear-cut manner by describing society as people and culture as ways of acting. Acc him, we may say that one belongs to society but not to culture.
- Culture is based in society : as edifice of culture has base in society and human living.
- We cannot imagine the emergence of culture without a basis of human life.
- Here Levi-Strauss says that society existed prior to culture while Krober puts that society do exist without culture but culture doesn’t exist without society.
- Acc to modern view, Evolution of society played, important role in human survival & for running the society, certain, rules, norms & traditions are developed specific to certain environment → evolution of culture.
- Society & Culture as interrelated and inseparable. – Civilisationist used the terms as synonyms
- culture & society are two aspects of social realities viewed from different dimensions i. e. culture is action and behaviour while society is relationship and grouping. E.g. Levi-Strauss.
- Acc to this view culture and society are interwoven and interdependent concepts which can’t exist without each other.
Some examples (in support of Society → culture) : Every society has its specific, material & Non material aspect eg.
- Simple agrarian society is based upon agriculture, festivals, fairs , customs are often related with harvesting season like Baisakhi in Punjab, Bihu in Assam etc
- Nuer – Patrilineal society → presence of rites of male line necessary → evolution of Ghost & women – women m’age.
Thus to conclude we can say that culture & society are two complimentary ways of looking at same reality each illuminating different aspect.
