Visit Biography of DurkheimEmile Durkheim is credited with founding modern sociology and he also had a tremendous influence on anthropology. His central concern was the question of social cohesion. A society is composed of various kinds of segments, such as different kin groups, classes, and political and religious units. Still, these separate units stay together and are structured to become one coherent society. What is it that binds these different segments? In short, Durkheim wished to understand what elements held a society. Durkheim presented his answer by developing the concept of solidarity, which is a force to integrate separate segments in a society. This force is the result of a shared system of beliefs and values, which unites members of the society and controls individuals' behavior.
Durkheim compared many societies in the world and concluded that there are two different types of force that integrate separate segments of a society. He called these two patterns “mechanical solidarity” and “organic solidarity.” Mechanical solidarity applies to societies in which all members have common and shared social experiences, and special subdivisions within a society are either absent or weak. Because of this homogeneity, each individual is directly and equally attached to the society. An example of a mechanical solidarity society is a hunting and gathering society, which is small and simple enough to keep the similarity among individuals of the group.
Organic solidarity societies, on the other hand, are formed by a system of different organs, each of which has a specific role. Members of such societies belong to some of these organs and fulfill their specific tasks. Because individuals’ tasks do not cover all aspects of their survival, they need to depend on each other to live in the society. They are held together to each other by one central organ which controls the rest of the organism. For example, institutions in an industrialized society are interrelated under the legal system from the central government. Each institution, such as corporations, marriages, and families, nonprofit organizations, and political offices, is separate and different. However, all institutions are subordinate to the rule of law which keeps them functioning in harmony.
Durkheim extended this analysis to the evolution of societies. In mechanical (relatively primitive) societies, cohesion is achieved because of the minimization of individual differences. In organic (modern) societies differences resulting from a division of labor lead to integrated activities, thus cohesion of societies. The distinction between mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity are so clear that one society cannot have both aspects at the same time. This means that only after mechanical solidarity declines, organic solidarity develops as a new system. Historically, this change occurs systematically. First, innovations in the economy happen. Second, these innovations affect human population density. Finally, the increased population density leads to the division of labor.
Visit Biography of Durkheim
Barfield, Thomas. 1996 The Dictionary of Anthropology. Malden: Blackwell.
Moore, Jerry D. 1997 Visions of Culture : An Introduction to Anthropological Theories and Theorists. Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press.
This page was created by Minnesota State University, Mankato student. Last updated 12/15/03