BA 1st Year The Main Characteristics of Society Notes Study Material in English

BA 1st Year The Main Characteristics of Society Notes Study Material in English: In common parlance, the term ‘society’ stands for the members of a group. But in sociology, the term ‘society‘ stands not for a group of people, but for the complex pattern of the norms of interaction growing among them. The most significant aspect of society is the system of relationships, the pattern of norms of interaction by which the members of society maintain themselves. Some sociologists emphasize for the inclusion of only those relations among human beings in a society that have been integrated with associations and enjoy certain structures and organizations.

But this notion of society is not appropriate for the reason that unorganized personal relations cannot be taken lightly while studying sociology. There is still another group of sociologists stressing that society emerges only when the members know each other and enjoy some common interests and objects. Thus, the two passengers merely travelling in a bus would not constitute a society even though they are occupying the same seat and heading for the same destination, unless and until they come to know each other.

Some of the important definitions of society may be given below:

Society is the union itself, the organisation, the sum of formal relations in which associating individuals are bound together.” –Giddings

” A 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.” –Ginsberg

“Society includes not only the political relations by which men are bound together but the whole range of human relations and collective activities.” –Leacock

“Society is any permanent or continuing. group of men, women, and children, able to carry on independently the process of racial perpetuation and maintenance on their cultural level.” –Harking

”Society is a complex of forms or processes each. which is living and growing by interaction with the other, the whole being so unified that what takes place in one part affects all the rest.’ –Cooley

” society may be defined as the group of people who have lived long enough to become organized and to consider themselves and be considered as a unit more or less distinct from other human units.” -Cuber

“Society is not a group of people, it is the system of relationships than exists between the individuals of the group.

–Wright

The above definitions of society reveal that it is an arrangement of social relations. Social relations are changeable, hence, the society made of such relations is also changeable. The relations creating society are not uncertain and unorganized. Contrarily, every relationship is bound by some cultural norms.

Characteristics of Society

Society is abstract

The term ‘society’ refers to a system of social relationships that is invisible and abstract. Society is called abstract for the reason that it cannot be touched, but can only be realized. Reuter is of the view that ” Just as life is not a thing but a process of living, so society is not a thing but a process of associating.”

Mutual Awareness

This is the most significant characteristic of a society that its members, in their relations are mutually aware of each other. Relations may be mainly divided into two i.e. physical relations and social relations. There: is no mutual awareness- as far as physical relations are concerned, for example, the relation between the cloud and the rain, or between the sky and the moon. In physical relations, one is not aware of the existence of the other. The cloud does not understand in what relation it stands with rain.

Likewise, the sky does not know its relationship with the moon. Contrary to physical relations, social relations are mutually aware of each other. Social relations are in nature of the relations between father and son, between brothers and sisters, between mother and her sons and daughters etc. The father knows very well in what relation he is related with his son, and so on. This mutual awareness is the essential condition of social relations and the essential characteristic of society.

 Society is in Life

Society is possible only where there is life. In other words, if there is no life, there cannot be any society. The existence of social relations is an essential requirement for the creation of society.

Similarities and Dissimilarities in Society

Society is a mixture of both similarities and dissimilarities. This is only based on similarities that social relations are developed. In other words, mutual awareness is developed only on account of similarity in society whereby social relations are grown. Similarity denotes likeness in approach and objects. This is true that all the members of society are not physically and mentally alike, but this is also true that their approaches and objects on most issues are almost the same. Dissimilarities in society are equally important as similarities.

Dissimilarities denote differences in interests, abilities and habits etc. These dissimilarities have their own significance in society. It is because of the dissimilarities that society moves on the path of progress. If all the members of society are similar in traits, society can neither be stable nor progressive. We cannot even imagine a society where all are similar. There cannot be any society where all of its members are teachers or doctors or follow any other profession.

Importance of Cooperation and Conflicts

Cooperation and conflict may outwardly appear to be opposing each other, yet as a matter of fact, both of them are the essential characteristics of an organized society. The sense of cooperation among the members of society is an essential requirement for the survival of society. If the members lack such feelings, not only their life would become difficult they would almost become impossible. There is no individual who can satisfy all of his wants on his own. That is the reason why he needs the cooperation of others.

Like cooperation, social conflicts have their own importance in society. It is because of social conflicts that there are social, mental, and cultural differences in society. In fact, Society is made of two sorts of forces. One kind of force helps in their unification, and the other works for their separation.

We see the people working lovingly and cooperatively. At the same time, we also see the people merged in mutual hatred, struggles and conflicts. There are husband and wife in the family usually living lovingly, but sometimes there are also conflicts between them. The same is true of close friends who may live lovingly. but sometimes also fighting. These examples show that cooperation and conflict are not separate from each other.

Mutual Dependence:

All the members of society are mutually dependent upon each other, and society is born only because of this characteristic. Every human being has certain physical, mental, and economic needs. One man becomes dependent upon the other only because of such needs and because he cannot satisfy all of his needs on his own.

Society is Always Changing

Society is not a stable concept, but it is always changing. The main reason behind this changing society is that with the change of time, the needs of human beings and the social laws governing society also change, consequently, the nature of relations also changes. This changing of relations is the cause behind changing form of society. We see the relationship between the teacher and his pupils has not remained of the same intensity as it used to be in ancient India.

Society is not Confined to Human Beings Alone

Wherever there is mutual awareness there is society. Even the birds and animals are found mutually aware. Hence, according to some sociologists, even they have their society. Ants and termites are specifically seen as mutually aware creatures. But sociology’s peculiar characteristic is that it studies merely human society.

Nature of Sociology

Scope of Sociology

Relationship of Sociology with Other Social Science

Humanistic Orientation of Sociological Study