Society

OBJECTIVES
1. Define Society
2. Discuss Gerhard Lenski’s Theory of Sociocultural
Evolution
3. Examine how Karl Marx see society evolve due to
Conflict
4. Look into Max Weber’s Rationalization of Society
5. Discuss Society and Function as asserted by
Emile Durkheim
6. Compare and Contrast the Four Visions of Society
 Society
Society refers to people who interact together and share a culture

A society is a body of humans generally seen as a community or group of

humans- or other organisms of a single species - that is outlined by the bounds
of cultural identity, social solidarity, functional interdependence, or sociality.

More broadly, a society is an economic, social or industrial infrastructure,

made up of a varied multitude of individuals. Members of a society may be
from different ethnic groups. A society may be a particular ethnic group, such
as the Saxons ; a nation state, such as Bhutan; a broader cultural group, such
as a Western society or even a social organism such as an ant colony.
 Society
Society refers to people who interact together and share a culture

 The word society may also refer to an organized voluntary

association of people for religious, benevolent, cultural,
scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes. Sociology is the
study of society and social behavior.
THEORIES OF SOCIETY
PROPONENT THEORY

GERHARD & Sociocultural Evolution

JEAN LENSKI Technology

KARL MARX Class Conflict

Capitalists (Bourgeoisie) vs
Proletariat (Working Class)

MAX WEBER Rationalization of Society

From Tradition to
Rationality

EMILE DURKHEIM Division of Labor

From Mechanical to
Organic Solidarity
 THEORIES OF SOCIETY

PROPONENT THEORY
GERHARD AND JEAN Sociocultural Evolution
LENSKI Technology
KARL MARX Class Conflict
Capitalists (Bourgeoisie) vs
Proletariat (Working Class)

MAX WEBER Rationalization of Society

From Tradition to
Rationality

EMILE DURKHEIM Division of Labor

From Mechanical to
Organic Solidarity
1. SOCIOCULTURAL EVOLUTION: LENSKI

SOCIETY TECHNOLOGY*
1. HUNTING & Primitive tools, Spear, bow and arrow,
GATHERING stone knife

2. HORTICULTURAL & Hand tools, Hoe and Digging Stick

PASTORAL

3. AGRARIAN Animal-drawn Plows

4. INDUSTRIAL Large machinery driven by water

and steam boilers

5. POST INDUSTRIAL Information based Computers and

Other electronic devices
 2. CLASS CONFLICT: KARL MARX
CONFLICT AND HISTORY
TYPES OF SOCIETY CHARACTERISTIC

1. HUNTING & GATHERING No Conflict: COMMUNISM, a system by which

people share roughly equally in the production of
food and other material goods

2. HORTICULTURAL & Conflict: Masters Vs Slaves

PASTORAL

3. AGRARIAN Conflict: Nobles Vs Serfs

4. INDUSTRIAL Conflict: Bourgeoisie Vs Proletariat

BOURGEOISIE (capitalists) people who own
factories in pursuit of profits
PROLETARIAT (working class) people who sell
their productive labor for wages
 CLASS CONFLICT
SOCIAL CONFLICT – struggle between segments of society
over valued resources.
CLASS CONFLICT (or Class Struggle) – conflict over the
distribution of society’s wealth and power; the engine of history
ALIENATION, the experience of isolation and misery resulting from
powerlessness
FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS, explanations of social problems as the shortcomings
of individuals rather than the flaws of society
CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS, workers recognition of themselves as a class unified
in opposition to capitalists and ultimately capitalism itself
REVOLUTION
The only way out of the trap
of capitalism is to remake
society.
Rationalization of society – the historical change from
3. RATIONALIZATION OF SOCIETY: MAX WEBER

tradition to
rationality as the dominant mode
PRE-INDUSTRIAL of thought or idea
INDUSTRIAL-CAPITALIST
SOCIETIES OR MODERN SOCIETIES
TRADITIONAL, sentiments RATIONAL, deliberate, matter-of fact
and beliefs passed from calculation of the most efficient
generation to generation means to accomplish a particular
task

Bureaucracy arose along with

capitalism as an expression of the
rationality that shapes the modern
society
4. DIVISION OF LABOR:EMILE DURKHEIM
DIVISION OF LABOR – specialization of economic activity
PRE-INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES
MECHANICAL SOLIDARITY social
bonds based on common
sentiments and shared moral value
that are strong among members of
pre-industrial societies
(likeness)
INDUSTRIAL-CAPITALIST or
MODERN SOCIETIES
ORGANIC SOLIDARITY social
bonds based on specialization
and interdependence that are
strong among members of
industrial societies
ANOMIE, a condition in which
society provides little moral
guidance to individuals
(differences)