SOCIETYSOCIETYPEOPLE WHO INTERACT IN A PEOPLE WHO INTERACT IN A

DEFINED TERRITORY AND DEFINED TERRITORY AND SHARE CULTURESHARE CULTURE

Macionis, Sociology Macionis, Sociology Chapter FourChapter Four

Overall Goals for Chapter FourOverall Goals for Chapter Four

Discover how society operatesDiscover how society operates Learn how society changesLearn how society changes Describe the different stages of Describe the different stages of

societysociety

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Visions Of SocietyVisions Of SocietyFour Diverse Perspectives On What Accounts for Four Diverse Perspectives On What Accounts for Social Change And Societal EvolutionSocial Change And Societal Evolution

Gerhard LenskiGerhard Lenski Society and technologySociety and technology

Karl MarxKarl Marx Society in conflictSociety in conflict

Max WeberMax Weber The power of ideas shapes society The power of ideas shapes society

Emile DurkheimEmile Durkheim How traditional and modern societies hang How traditional and modern societies hang

togethertogether

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Gerhard LenskiGerhard Lenski Sociocultural evolutionSociocultural evolution

the changes that occur as a society the changes that occur as a society acquires new technologyacquires new technology

Societies range from simple to the Societies range from simple to the technologically complextechnologically complex

Societies simple in technology tend to Societies simple in technology tend to resemble one anotherresemble one another

More complex societies reveal striking More complex societies reveal striking cultural diversitycultural diversity

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Sociocultural EvolutionSociocultural Evolution

Technology shapes other cultural patterns. Simple Technology shapes other cultural patterns. Simple technology can only support small numbers of technology can only support small numbers of people who live simple lives.people who live simple lives.

The greater amount of technology a society has The greater amount of technology a society has within its grasp, the faster cultural change will within its grasp, the faster cultural change will take place.take place.

High-tech societies are capable of sustaining large High-tech societies are capable of sustaining large numbers of people who are engaged in a Diverse numbers of people who are engaged in a Diverse division of labor.division of labor.

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Lenski’s Five Types Of Lenski’s Five Types Of SocietiesSocieties

Hunting and gathering Hunting and gathering The use of simple tools to hunt animals and gather The use of simple tools to hunt animals and gather

vegetation. Close to disappearing.vegetation. Close to disappearing.

Horticultural & pastoralHorticultural & pastoral Horticultural – the use of hand tools to raise crops Horticultural – the use of hand tools to raise crops

for a family.for a family. Pastoral – the domestication of animals.Pastoral – the domestication of animals.

Agrarian (agriculture)Agrarian (agriculture) Large-scale cultivation: animal pulled plows to or Large-scale cultivation: animal pulled plows to or

more powerful energy sources. Allowed us to more powerful energy sources. Allowed us to specialize. Cities developedspecialize. Cities developed..

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Lenski’s Five Types Of Lenski’s Five Types Of SocietiesSocieties IndustrialIndustrial

The production of goods using The production of goods using advanced sources of energy to drive advanced sources of energy to drive large machinerylarge machinery

PostindustrialPostindustrial Technology that supports an Technology that supports an

information-based economyinformation-based economy

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KARL MARXKARL MARX Social Conflict – struggle over resourcesSocial Conflict – struggle over resources

Capitalists – people who own and operate Capitalists – people who own and operate businesses in pursuit of profitsbusinesses in pursuit of profits

Proletariat – people who sell their Proletariat – people who sell their productive labor for wagesproductive labor for wages

Social institutions – all the major spheres Social institutions – all the major spheres of social life or organized societal of social life or organized societal subsystemssubsystems

Marx rejected Marx rejected false consciousnessfalse consciousness –social –social problems as the shortcomings of problems as the shortcomings of individuals rather than the flaws of societyindividuals rather than the flaws of society88

KARL MARXKARL MARX Marx believed that the history of all existing Marx believed that the history of all existing

society is the history of society is the history of class struggleclass struggle (or (or class conflictclass conflict) over the distribution of a ) over the distribution of a society’s wealth and powersociety’s wealth and power

Marx believed that workers must replace Marx believed that workers must replace false consciousnessfalse consciousness with with class class consciousnessconsciousness

Goal is for classes to cease to exist.Goal is for classes to cease to exist.

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CAPITALISM AND ALIENATIONCAPITALISM AND ALIENATION Alienation – the experience of isolation & misery Alienation – the experience of isolation & misery

resulting from powerlessnessresulting from powerlessness Capitalism alienates workers in four ways :Capitalism alienates workers in four ways :

From the act of workingFrom the act of working Workers have no say in production, work is tedious & Workers have no say in production, work is tedious &

repetitiverepetitive From the products of workFrom the products of work

Workers have no ownership in the product that is merely Workers have no ownership in the product that is merely sold for profitsold for profit

From other workersFrom other workers Work has become competitive rather than cooperativeWork has become competitive rather than cooperative

From human potentialFrom human potential Workers deny, not fulfill themselves in their workWorkers deny, not fulfill themselves in their work

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REVOLUTIONREVOLUTION

The way out of capitalism is to remake societyThe way out of capitalism is to remake society

Socialism Socialism is a system of production that could is a system of production that could provide for the social needs of allprovide for the social needs of all

Marx believed that in time, the working majority Marx believed that in time, the working majority would realize they held the key to a better futurewould realize they held the key to a better future

The change would be revolutionary and perhaps The change would be revolutionary and perhaps even violenteven violent

Marx believed a socialist society would bring class Marx believed a socialist society would bring class conflict to an endconflict to an end

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Max WeberMax Weber

Rationalization of SocietyRationalization of Society – the historical – the historical change from change from traditiontradition to to rationalityrationality

Deliberate, matter-of-fact calculation of the Deliberate, matter-of-fact calculation of the most efficient means to accomplish a taskmost efficient means to accomplish a task

Rationalism, Calvinism, and industrial Rationalism, Calvinism, and industrial capitalismcapitalism Predestination and God’s favorPredestination and God’s favor Religious ethic transformed to work ethicReligious ethic transformed to work ethic

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Weber’s Rational Social OrganizationWeber’s Rational Social OrganizationDistinctive Social Institutions That See to Meeting the Distinctive Social Institutions That See to Meeting the Demands of a Growing, Complex SocietyDemands of a Growing, Complex Society

Seven characteristics:Seven characteristics:1.1. Distinctive social institutionsDistinctive social institutions2.2. Large-scale organizationLarge-scale organization3.3. Specialized tasksSpecialized tasks4.4. Personal disciplinePersonal discipline5.5. Awareness of timeAwareness of time6.6. Technical competenceTechnical competence7.7. ImpersonalityImpersonalityExpressed in bureaucracy and capitalismExpressed in bureaucracy and capitalism

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DURKHEIMDURKHEIM

SOCIETYSOCIETY More than individualsMore than individuals

Society has Society has a life of its owna life of its own - beyond our personal - beyond our personal experiencesexperiences

SOCIAL FACTSSOCIAL FACTS Any patterns rooted in society rather than the Any patterns rooted in society rather than the

experience of individualsexperience of individuals Society has an “objective reality” beyond our own Society has an “objective reality” beyond our own

subjective perceptions of the worldsubjective perceptions of the world Examples: norms, values, religious beliefs, and ritualsExamples: norms, values, religious beliefs, and rituals

Power to guide our thoughts & actionsPower to guide our thoughts & actions

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DURKHEIMDURKHEIM Modern society creates Modern society creates anomieanomie –society –society

provides little moral guidance to individualsprovides little moral guidance to individuals Change fromChange from Mechanical solidarity Mechanical solidarity – social – social

bonds based on common sentiment & shared bonds based on common sentiment & shared moral values of preindustrialmoral values of preindustrial societiessocieties

To To Organic solidarityOrganic solidarity – social bonds based – social bonds based on specialization & interdependence that are on specialization & interdependence that are strong among members of industrial societiesstrong among members of industrial societies

Key to the change is an expanding Key to the change is an expanding division division of laborof labor – specialization of economic activity – specialization of economic activity

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Are Societies Improving?Are Societies Improving? Gerhard Lenski:Gerhard Lenski:

Modern technology offers expanded human choice, but leaves Modern technology offers expanded human choice, but leaves us with new sets of dangersus with new sets of dangers

Karl Marx:Karl Marx: Social conflict would only end once production of goods and Social conflict would only end once production of goods and

services were taken out of the hands of the capitalists and services were taken out of the hands of the capitalists and placed into the hands of all peopleplaced into the hands of all people

Max Weber:Max Weber: Saw socialism as a greater evil than capitalism, as large, Saw socialism as a greater evil than capitalism, as large,

alienating bureaucracies would gain even more control over alienating bureaucracies would gain even more control over peoplepeople

Emile Durkheim:Emile Durkheim: Optimistic about modernity and the possibility of more freedom Optimistic about modernity and the possibility of more freedom

for individuals, but concerned about the dangers of anomic for individuals, but concerned about the dangers of anomic feelingsfeelings

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