Types of Societies

1
Types of Societies

• Chapter 4, section 3
• Pgs. 73-77

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Types of Society

• A Group is a set of people who interact on the
  basis of shared expectations and who possess some
  degree of common identity.

• Sociologists classify societies according to
  Subsistence strategies the way a society uses
  technology to provide for the needs of its members

Sociologists group societies in three broad
categories preindustrial, industrial, or
postindustrial.
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Preindustrial Societies

• Preindustrial societies food production- which
  is carried out through the use of human and
  animal labor- is the main economic activity.
• These societies can be subdivided based on the
  method of producing food.
• Hunting and gathering
• Pastoral
• Horticultural and
• agricultural

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Hunting and Gathering Societies

• Hunting and Gathering the daily collection of
  wild plants and the hunting of wild animals.
• Hunter-gatherers move around constantly in search
  of food.

• Such societies generally consist of less then 60
  people.
• Statuses within the group are relatively equal
  and decisions are reached through general
  agreement.
• The family is the main social unit, with most
  societal members being related by birth or
  marriage.
• This type of organization requires the family to
  carry out social functions such as education.

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Pastoral Societies

• Pastoral Societies are a slightly more efficient
  form of subsistence. Rather the searching for
  food on a daily basis members rely on
  domesticated animals to meet their food needs.

• Pastoralists live a nomadic life moving their
  herds from pasture to pasture.
• Pastoral societies can support larger
  populations.
• Since there is food surpluses, fewer people are
  needed to produce food.
• Therefore you see a Division of Labor-the
  specialization of individuals in the performance
  of specific economic activities-becomes more
  complex
• Ex. Craft workers, producing tools, weapons,
  jewelry.

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Pastoral Societies cont.

• The production of goods encourage trade.
• Trade in turn creates inequality as some families
  acquire more goods then others.
• These families often acquire power through their
  increased wealth.
• Patriarchal society

• The passing on of property from generation to
  generation helps to centralize wealth and power.
• In time, hereditary chieftainships-the typical
  form of government in pastoral societies- will
  emerge.

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Horticultural Societies

• Fruits and vegetables grown in garden plots that
  have been cleared from the jungle or forest
  provide the main source of food in a
  horticultural society.
• Culturalists use human labor and simple tools to
  cultivate land for one or more seasons

• This allows them to build permanent or
  semi-permanent villages.
• This size of the village depends on the land
  available for farming.

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Horticultural Societies continued

• Specialized roles that are part of horticultural
  life include those of craftspeople, shamans-or
  religious leaders, and traders

• As with pastoral societies, surplus in food lead
  to inequalities in wealth and power.
• Economic and political systems may be stronger
  here because of the more settled nature of a
  horticultural society

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Agricultural Societies

• In an agricultural society animals are used to
  pull plows to till the fields.
• This technological innovation allows
  agriculturists to plant more crops than is
  possible when only human labor is used.

• Irrigation is also used to yield more crops.
• Higher crop yields allows agricultural societies
  to support very large populations.
• This again leads to specialization, but the
  population size will create cities of these
  groups.

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Agricultural Societies continued

• As the number of cities increase, power often
  becomes concentrated in the hands of single
  individuals.
• This power is passed on from generation to
  generation and usually results in hereditary
  monarchy.
• Seperation between church and government

• Leaders of agriculture societies build powerful
  armies to provide protection from outside attacks
• With the increase in population, crops and
  specialization (especially trade) there no longer
  exists
• Barter the exchange of a good or service to
  facilitate a trade.

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Agricultural Societies continued

• In place of bartering they use money as the
  medium of exchange.
• Many develop a writing system to assist
  government, land owners, and traders in keeping
  records.
• Most people belong to one of two groups
• Landowners or peasants
• The small group of landowners controls the wealth
  and power.
• The large peasant group provides the labor on the
  which the landowners wealth and power depend.

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Industrial Societies

• In an industrial society the emphasis shifts from
  production of food to the production of
  manufactured goods.
• This shift is made possible by changes in
  production methods.

• The bulk of production is carried out through the
  use of machines.
• Society dependent upon science and technology to
  produce basic goods and services.

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Industrial Societies

• Industrialization changes the location of work.
• Production and work move from the home to the
  factory.
• How does this change the relationship with who
  you work with??
• Urbanization- the concentration of the population
  in cities

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Industrial Societies differences

• In pre-industrial societies the family is the
  primary social institutions but in industrial
  societies education and production take place
  outside the home.
• The role of religion changes as well in
  industrial societies where scientific ideas often
  challenge religious beliefs.

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Industrial Societies differences

• One positive effect is that it brings people more
  freedom to compete for social position. In
  pre-industrial societies most social statuses are
  ascribed thus it is difficult to move up. In
  industrial societies most statuses are achieved
  and individuals have more control over their
  position in the social structure.

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Post-industrial Societies

• The United States is a post-industrial society.
• Post industrial- much of the economy is involved
  in providing information and services.
• In the U.S. 75 of the workforce is involved in
  these activities.
• In contrast 2 of the workers are employed by
  agriculture and nearly 25 are employed in the
  production of goods.

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Post-industrial Societies continued

• The standard of living and the quality of life
  improves as wages increase for much of the
  population.
• Post industrial societies place strong emphasis
  on the roles of science and education in society.
• Technological advances are viewed as key to the
  future of society.
• The rights of individuals and the search for
  personal fulfillment take on importance.
• Belief in these rights lead to a strong emphasis
  on social equality and democracy.

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Post Industrial Society

• Economic emphasis is on providing services and
  information rather than on producing goods
  through basic manufacturing.

• Daniel Bell suggested 5 features of this society.
• For the first time majority of labor force are
  employed in services rather than in agriculture
  or manufacturing.

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Daniel Bell cont.

• White collar employment replaces much blue collar
  work
• Technical knowledge is the key organizing feature
  in post industrial
• Technological change is planned and assessed.
• Computer modeling is relied up in all areas.

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Contrasting Societies

• According to Durkheim, pre-industrial societies
  are held together by mechanical solidarity.
• Mechanical Solidarity mean that when people
  share the same values and perform the same tasks
  they become united in a common whole.
• As the division of labor within societies becomes
  more complex this gives way to organic
  solidarity.
• Organic solidarity refers to impersonal social
  relationships that arise with increased job
  specialization in which individuals no longer
  provide for all of their own needs and become
  dependent on others for aspects of survival.

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Contrasting Societies

• Ferdinand Tonnies studied the differences between
  simple and complex societies.
• He introduced the ideas of

• Gemeinschaft which is the German word for
  community and
• Gesellschaft which if the German word for society.

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Gemeinschaft

• Most members know one another
• Relationships are closer and activities center on
  family and community.
• People share a strong sense of solidarity.
• A pre-industrial society or a rural village in a
  more complex society are examples of
  Gemeinschaft.
• Tradition, kinship, intimate social relationships

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Gesellschaft

• Based on need rather then on emotion
• Relationships are impersonal and often temporary.
• Traditional values are weakened and individuals
  goals are more important then group goals
  Competition
• A modern urban society such as the U.S. is a good
  example of this.