Types Of SocietiesGroup Members

Morgan’s Classification Morgan divided all societies into 3 groups 1) Savage2) Barbarian3) Civilized

Argued that human societies progressed from savagery through barbarism to civilization

Classification System

Comte’s Classification◦ French philosopher Auguste Comte believed that

“all societies passed through distinct stages of belief or ideology, evolving from the lower to the higher stages.”

3 Types of Societies(i) Military Society(ii) Legal Society(iii) Industrial Society

Classification System

Spencer’s Classification Herbert Spencer also classified societies into

2 categories:(i) Militant Societies(ii) Industrial Societies

Classification System

Hunting & Gathering Societies Pastoral Societies Agrarian Societies Industrial Societies Post-Industrial Societies

Classification Of Societies

Oldest and the simplest type of society Hunting/gathering society relies heavily on hunting

wild animals and gathering food for its survivalExample:(i) San people of Kalahari desert in Southern Africa(ii) Bushmen of Southwestern Africa

Hunting And Gathering Societies

1) Small in Size◦ Consist of small, scattered groups ◦ Environment in which they live cannot support a

large number of people. Numbers typically do not exceed 40-50 members

2) Nomadic In Nature◦ Constantly on the move ◦ Leave an area as soon once they exhaust its

resources

Hunting & Gathering (Characteristics)

3) Not Desire To Acquire Wealth◦ For two reasons

There is no wealth Basic norm is sharing

4) Family And Kinship Only Defined Institutions

◦ The only 2 interconnected social institutions◦ Family is everything to them◦ Kinship was the basis of these groups

Hunting & Gathering (Characteristics)

No Political Institution◦ Statuses are essentially equal◦ No difference between the leader and followers◦ Most decisions are made through group

discussion◦ Warfare is unknown to these people

Limited Or No Division Of Labor◦ Gender-based division of labor but no gender

inequality

Hunting & Gathering (Characteristics)

Constant Need To Face Danger◦ Constantly face the danger of extinction ◦ Family’s fate depends on ability to catch dinner,

build house and defend family Simple Religious Belief

◦ Not sophisticated or well-developed Unseen spirits that must be taken into account but

not necessarily worshipped

Hunting & Gathering (Characteristics)

Pastoral society refers to any form of society whose main subsistence comes from tending flocks and herds of domesticated animals

Subsistence needs are often met by a combination of herding with hunting and gathering and other forms of agriculture

Pastoral Societies

Relatively Larger In Size◦ larger than hunter-gatherer societies

 Pastoralism As A Better Productive Strategy◦ Better lifestyle and more efficient because of the

consistent and known food sources

Characteristics

Beginning Of Inequality◦ Some individuals have better access to surplus,

become more powerful than others Nomadism Coupled With Trading

◦ Nomadic due to seasonal need for sufficient grazing areas

◦ Nomadic way of life often brings pastoralists into contact with their groups Thus, they develop trading

Pastoral Societies

Pastoralism And Development Of Religious Belief◦ Pastoral people develop their own religious beliefs◦ Commonly believe in a God or Gods who take an

active interest in human affairs and look after the people who worship them Examples: Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Pastoral Societies

Herding Technology Leads To Several Changes◦ Place a higher value on temporary territories than do

the hunter-gatherer societies Disputes over grazing rights sometimes result in warfare

◦ Slavery make its appearance captives in war are put to work

◦ Ideas about private property and inheritance of wealth emerge

◦ Patriarchal forms of social organization tend to become popular

◦ In general: Larger population Political and economic institutions appear Social structure and culture become more complex

Pastoral Societies

An agricultural society focuses on mode of production primarily on farming and production of large fields of crops

Based on the invention of the plough around 3000 B.C., the Agrarian revolution marked its beginning◦ Use of plough increases the productivity of the land.

Characteristics Of Agricultural Societies◦ Cultivation Of Land Through Plough

Increased productivity Increased production and ability to renew the soil

Agrarian Societies

Irrigation Techniques + the plough increased production and ability to renew the soil

Size is much greater than horticultural and pastoral communities

Appearance of cities: ◦ Those that didn’t farm tended to concentrate in

compact places, near the crops, which ultimately led to cities

Agrarian Societies

Emergence of Political Institutions◦ Established more elaborate social institutions ◦ Court system emerges

Evolution of Distinct Social Classes◦ Produce greater wealth - unequally shared ◦ 1st time there are distinct social classes

Those who own the land Those who work on the lands

Agrarian Societies

Clearly Defined Economic Institution◦ Trade becomes more elaborate and money is used

as a medium of exchange◦ Provide an incentive for the enrichment of

systematic writing Religion Becomes a Separate Institution

◦ As societies become more complex, religion requires full-time officials such as priests

Warfare and Empire Building◦ Constantly fight amongst themselves ◦ Also engage themselves in empire building

Agrarian Societies

Enrichment of Culture◦ More food is produced than required for subsistence◦ Able to support people whose sole purpose is to

provide creative ideas to the culture Poets, writers and artists

Revolutionary Transition in Social Structure◦ More statuses◦ Population increases ◦ Cities appear◦ Social classes arise◦ Political/Economic inequality built into social structure ◦ Culture more diversified.

Agricultural Societies

Began in England about 250 years ago

Industry - refers to a group of companies that are related in terms of their primary business activities

Industrial society - system in which large number of labor and machinery is involved in production of goods and services

Industrial Societies

Characteristics Of Industrial Societies◦ Associated With Industrial Revolution◦ Industrial revolution transformed Europe and

United States by replacing essentially agriculturally based societies with industrial societies based on the use of machines and non-animal resources to be harnessed

◦ Industrialism is based on the application of scientific knowledge to the technology of production, enabling new energy sources to be harnessed.

Industrial Societies

Technology Initiating Vast And Rapid Social Changes◦ Steam engine◦ Atomic energy tend to bring about social changes

as the economic and other institutions constantly adjust to altered conditions

Larger Societies With Huge Populations◦ Further stimulates population growth ◦ Increasing members living in cities and

metropolitan areas

Industrial Societies

Large Scale Division Of Labor◦ Creates thousands of new specialized jobs ◦ Politicians, teachers, doctors, etc.

Losing Importance Of Family And Kinship◦ Family loses main responsibility of educating ◦ Kinship ties are weakened

Industrial Societies

Religion Loses Hold◦ Religion plays less of a role in controlling behavior◦ Not as god-centered outlook on the world as

much as man-centered world Increasing Importance Of Science And

Education◦ Science is looked at as means of socio-economic

progress◦ Education evolves into independent and distinct

institution

Industrial Societies

Increasing Important Role Of The State◦ State is increasingly involved in the economic,

educational, military and other activities Widening Gap Between The Rich And The

Poor◦ According to Karl Marx

Rich class are Exploiting class Poor class as Exploited class Widening gap between the rich and the poor

Industrial Societies

Spread Of Heterogeneous Culture◦ New lifestyles and values create a much more

heterogeneous culture Regional cultures and more divisions of unique,

distinct cultures

Industrial Societies

POST INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES

Postindustrial societies are societies dominated by information, services, and high technology more than the production of goods

Advanced industrial societies are now seeing a shift toward an increase in service sectors over manufacturing and production