Mechanical and organic solidarity: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Latest revision as of 20:01, 15 November 2023

In sociology, mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity^[1] are the two types of social solidarity that were formulated by Émile Durkheim, introduced in his Division of Labour in Society (1893) as part of his theory on the development of societies. According to Durkheim, the type of solidarity will correlate with the type of society, either mechanical or organic society. The two types of solidarity can be distinguished by morphological and demographic features, type of norms in existence, and the intensity and content of the conscience collective.^[2]

In a society that exhibits mechanical solidarity, its cohesion and integration comes from the homogeneity of individuals—people feel connected through similar work; educational and religious training; age; gender; and lifestyle. Mechanical solidarity normally operates in traditional and small-scale societies (e.g., tribes).^[2] In these simpler societies, solidarity is usually based on kinship ties of familial networks.

Organic solidarity is a social cohesion based upon the interdependence that arises between people from the specialization of work and complementarianism as result of more advanced (i.e., modern and industrial) societies.^[2] Although individuals perform different tasks and often have different values and interests, the order and very solidarity of society depends on their reliance on each other to perform their specified tasks. Thus, social solidarity is maintained in more complex societies through the interdependence of its component parts. Farmers, for example, produce the food that feeds the factory workers who produce the tractors that allow the farmers to produce the food.

Features

Mechanical vs. organic solidarity^[3]
Feature	Mechanical solidarity [edit]	Organic solidarity [edit]
Morphological (structural) basis [edit]	Based on resemblances (predominant in less-advanced societies) Segmental type (initially based on clan, later territorial) Little interdependence (social bonds relatively weak) Relatively low volume of population Relatively low material and moral density	Based on division of labor (predominately in more advanced societies) Organized type (fusion of markets and growth of cities) Much interdependency (social bonds relatively strong) Relatively high volume of population Relatively high material and moral density
Types of norms (typified by law) [edit]	Rules with repressive sanctions Prevalence of penal law	Rules with restitutive sanctions Prevalence of cooperative law (i.e., civil, commercial, procedural, administrative, and constitutional law)
Formal features of conscience collective [edit]	High volume High intensity High determinateness Collective authority is absolute	Low volume Low intensity Low determinateness Greater room for individual initiative and reflection
Content of conscience collective [edit]	Highly religious Transcendental (superior to human interests and beyond discussion) Attaching supreme value to society and interests of society as a whole Concrete and specific	Increasingly secular Human-orientated (concerned with human interests and open to discussion) Attaching supreme value to individual dignity, equality of opportunity, work ethic, and social justice Abstract and general

References

^ Steven, Lukes; Scull, Andrew (2013). Durkheim and the law. p. 1. ISBN 9781137031815. OCLC 857109661.
^ ^a ^b ^c Collins Dictionary of Sociology. p. 405–06.
^ Lukes, S. 1973. Emile Durkheim: His Life and Work. London: Allen Lane, as adapted by Collins Dictionary of Sociology, p. 406.

[1] Steven, Lukes; Scull, Andrew (2013). Durkheim and the law. p. 1. ISBN 9781137031815. OCLC 857109661.

[dict2-2] Collins Dictionary of Sociology. p. 405–06.

[dict3-3] Lukes, S. 1973. Emile Durkheim: His Life and Work. London: Allen Lane, as adapted by Collins Dictionary of Sociology, p. 406.

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Types of social solidarity formulated by Durkheim}}
-In [[sociology]], "'''mechanical solidarity'''" and "'''organic solidarity'''" refer to the concepts of [[solidarity]] as developed by [[Émile Durkheim]]. They are used in the context of differentiating between '''mechanical and organic societies'''.
+In [[sociology]], '''mechanical solidarity''' and '''organic solidarity'''<ref>{{Cite book|title=Durkheim and the law|last=Steven|first=Lukes|author2=Scull, Andrew|year=2013|isbn=9781137031815|pages=1|oclc=857109661}}</ref> are the two types of [[solidarity|social solidarity]] that were formulated by [[Émile Durkheim]], introduced in his ''[[The Division of Labour in Society|Division of Labour in Society]]'' (1893) as part of his theory on the development of [[Society|societies]]. According to Durkheim, the type of solidarity will correlate with the type of society, either '''mechanical''' or '''organic society'''. The two types of solidarity can be distinguished by [[morphology (biology)|morphological]] and [[demography|demographic features]], type of [[Norm (sociology)|norms]] in existence, and the intensity and content of the [[Collective consciousness|''conscience collective'']].<ref name="dict2" />
-According to Durkheim, the types of social solidarity correlate with types of society. Durkheim introduced the terms "mechanical" and "organic solidarity" as part of his theory of the development of societies in ''[[The Division of Labour in Society]]'' (1893). In a society exhibiting mechanical solidarity, its cohesion and integration comes from the homogeneity of individuals—people feel connected through similar work, educational and religious training, and lifestyle. Mechanical solidarity normally operates in "traditional" and small scale societies.<ref name="dict2">''Collins Dictionary of Sociology'', p405-6.</ref>  In simpler societies (e.g., [[tribe|tribal]]), solidarity is usually based on [[kinship]] ties of familial networks. Organic solidarity comes from the interdependence that arises from specialization of work and the complementarities between people—a development which occurs in "modern" and "industrial" societies.<ref name="dict2"/> Definition: it is social cohesion based upon the dependence individuals have on each other in more advanced societies. Although individuals perform different tasks and often have different values and interests, the order and very solidarity of society depends on their reliance on each other to perform their specified tasks. Organic here is referring to the interdependence of the component parts.  Thus, social solidarity is maintained in more complex societies through the interdependence of its component parts (e.g., farmers produce the food to feed the factory workers who produce the tractors that allow the farmer to produce the food).
+In a society that exhibits ''mechanical solidarity'', its cohesion and integration comes from the [[Homogeneity and heterogeneity|homogeneity]] of individuals—people feel connected through similar work; educational and religious training; age; gender; and lifestyle. Mechanical solidarity normally operates in [[Traditional society|traditional]] and [[Small-scale society|small-scale]] societies (e.g., [[tribe]]s).<ref name="dict2">''Collins Dictionary of Sociology''. p. 405–06.</ref> In these simpler societies, solidarity is usually based on [[kinship]] ties of familial networks.
+''Organic solidarity'' is a [[social cohesion]] based upon the [[interdependence]] that arises between people from the [[Specialization of labor|specialization of work]] and [[complementarianism]] as result of more advanced (i.e., [[Modern society|modern]] and [[Industrial society|industrial]]) societies.<ref name="dict2" /> Although individuals perform different tasks and often have different values and interests, the [[Social order|order]] and very solidarity of society depends on their reliance on each other to perform their specified tasks. Thus, social solidarity is maintained in more complex societies through the interdependence of its component parts. [[Farmer]]s, for example, produce the food that feeds the [[factory workers]] who produce the [[tractor]]s that allow the farmers to produce the food.
-The two types of solidarity can be distinguished by [[morphology (biology)|morphological]] and [[demography|demographic features]], type of [[Norm (sociology)|norms]] in existence, and the intensity and content of the [[Collective consciousness|''conscience collective'']].<ref name="dict2"/>
+== Features ==
 {| class="wikitable"
-|+ Mechanical vs. organic solidarity<ref name="dict3">''Collins Dictionary of Sociology'', p406 adapted from S. Lukes, ''Emile Durkheim: His life and Work'' (1973) London:Allen Lane</ref>
+|+Mechanical vs. organic solidarity<ref name="dict3">Lukes, S. 1973. ''Emile Durkheim: His Life and Work''. London: [[Allen Lane]], as adapted by ''Collins Dictionary of Sociology'', p. 406.</ref>
-! width="18%"|Feature
+! width="18%" |Feature
-! width="41%"|Mechanical solidarity
+! width="41%" |
+=== Mechanical  solidarity ===
-! width="41%"|Organic solidarity
+! width="41%" |
+=== Organic solidarity ===
 |- valign="top"
+!
-! Morphological (structural) basis
-| Based on resemblances (predominant in less advanced societies) <br/> Segmental type (first clan-based, later territorial) <br/> Little interdependence (social bonds relatively weak) <br/> Relatively low volume of population <br/> Relatively low material and moral density
+==== Morphological (structural) basis ====
-| Based on division of labor (predominately in more advanced societies) <br/> Organized type (fusion of markets and growth of cities) <br/> Much interdependency (social bonds relatively strong) <br/> Relatively high volume of population <br/> Relatively high material and moral density
+|
+* Based on resemblances (predominant in less-advanced societies)
+* '''Segmental type''' (initially based on [[clan]], later [[Territory|territorial]])
+* Little [[Systems theory|interdependence]] (social bonds relatively weak)
+* Relatively low volume of [[population]]
+* Relatively low material and moral density
+|
+* Based on [[Division of labour|division of labor]] (predominately in more advanced societies)
+* '''Organized type''' (fusion of markets and growth of cities)
+* Much interdependency (social bonds relatively strong)
+* Relatively high volume of population
+* Relatively high material and moral density
 |- valign="top"
+!
-! Types of norms (typified by law)
-| Rules with repressive sanctions <br/> Prevalence of penal law <br/>
+==== Types of norms (typified by law) ====
-| Rules with restitutive sanctions <br/> Prevalence of cooperative law (civil, commercial, procedural, administrative and constitutional law)
+|
+* Rules with [[Repression (psychology)|repressive]] [[Sanctions (law)|sanctions]]
+* Prevalence of [[Penal Law|penal law]]
+|
+* Rules with [[Restitution|restitutive]] sanctions
+* Prevalence of cooperative law (i.e., [[Civil law (legal system)|civil]], [[Commercial law|commercial]], [[Procedural law|procedural]], [[Administrative law|administrative]], and [[Constitutional law|constitutional]] law)
 |- valign="top"
+!
-! Formal features of conscience collective
-| High volume <br/> High intensity <br/> High determinateness <br/> Collective authority absolute
+==== Formal features of [[Collective consciousness|conscience collective]] ====
-| Low volume <br/> Low intensity <br/> Low determinateness <br/> More room for individual initiative and reflection
+|
+* High volume
+* High intensity
+* High [[Property (philosophy)|determinateness]]
+* Collective authority is absolute
+|
+* Low volume
+* Low intensity
+* Low determinateness
+* Greater room for [[Individualism|individual]] initiative and reflection
 |- valign="top"
+!
-! Content of conscience collective
-| Highly religious <br/> Transcendental (superior to human interests and beyond discussion) <br/> Attaching supreme value to society and interests of society as a whole <br/> Concrete and specific
+==== Content of conscience collective ====
-| Increasingly secular <br/> Human-orientated (concerned with human interests and open to discussion) <br/> Attaching supreme value to individual dignity, equality of opportunity, work ethic and social justice <br/> Abstract and general
+|
+* Highly religious
+* [[Transcendentalism|Transcendental]] (superior to human interests and beyond discussion)
+* Attaching supreme value to society and interests of society as a whole
+* Concrete and specific
+|
+* Increasingly secular
+* Human-orientated (concerned with human interests and open to discussion)
+* Attaching supreme value to individual [[dignity]], [[equality of opportunity]], [[work ethic]], and [[social justice]]
+* Abstract and general
 |}
@@ Line 32: / Line 76: @@
 {{Émile Durkheim}}
 [[Category:Sociological terminology]]

v t e Émile Durkheim
Books	The Division of Labour in Society (1893) The Rules of Sociological Method (1895) Suicide (1897) The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life (1912)
Founded	Academic sociology L'Année Sociologique
Conceptualized and defined	Social integration Collective consciousness Mechanical and organic solidarity Social fact Sociology of knowledge Sacred–profane dichotomy Quantitative methods in criminology Statistical social research Collective effervescence Anomie
Related	Positivism Totemism History of sociology