Objectives:

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Explain how society is organized

 Describe the organized nature of social life and rules governing behaviour
 Define social organization and social groups, and
 Differentiate primary and secondary groups in terms of their duties in society

 How would you describe your relationship with your family?

 How would you describe your relationship with your classmates and teachers?

 What makes your relationship with your family members and school teachers different from
each other?

How society is organized

People have organized themselves into groups with common rules of living. The organization of such
group is called society. Different institutions are found in every community, such as the family, kin
relationships, childcare, and division of work based on gender and age.

All societies, small or large, are organized around an uneven division of labor and decision-making.
Present societies are expected to provide protection, economic security, law and order, and a sense of
belonging to their members.

Societies usually adapt to changes around them, like in the environment or in technology. Most changes
happen slowly, nut some significant events such as war or revolution can completely transform
societies.

Groups within Society

People do not live in isolation. They live in groups. Social groups consist of two or more individuals who
identify with one another and regularly interact as a result of shared norms, values, and expectations.
Being in a group entails realizations of activities and events in one’s life that help people build and
define their stories, interests, and contributions to society.

Different group categorization exists in society. Categories include primary and secondary groups, in-
groups and out-groups and reference groups.

Primary Group

First formulated by Charles Horton Cooley, the concept of a primary group is an essential unit of social
organization and social life. A primary group is characterized by personal and lasting relationships with
it’s members.
It has been identified that relationships in a primary type of team is unconditional and not prearranged.
Setting aside family relations, members of primary groups share lots of things in common, like interests,
stories , or personalities.

The best example of a primary group is the nuclear family. Relationships and attachments organized in
this group are permanent as one’s identity, lifestyle, and stories are tied to this group. A group of close
friends is another example of this group.

The term ‘primary’ is used with these groups because they are the primary or main source of
socialization and relationships. Relationships in primary groups give us security, love, and
companionship. We also learn norms and values from our family and friends that stay with us for most
of our lives.

Characteristics of a primary group

 Strong sense of loyalty

 Personal and intimate relationship
 Face-to-face
 Small in size
 Traditional or non-rational decision making
 Informal
 Permanence and relationship-centered

Why is having a companion, a partner, or a group important in our personal lives and future careers?

Which type of group contributes more important roles in maintaining a balanced life and orderliness in
society?

Keypoints

 People have organized themselves into groups with common rules of living. The organization
such groups is called society.
 Applying Goethe’s method to social life, Rudolf Steiner concluded that if we apply
phenomenological, participatory method to human social life as a multifaceted, multi-layered
whole, we can distinguish three different spheres of activity-cultural, legal or political, and
economic.
 Social organization or social system refers to the interdependence of parts in groups. These
groups may vary in size and nature.
 A social group consists of two or more people who regularly interact and share a sense of unity
and collective identity.
 Primary groups are groups that are tightly united, typically small scale, with intimate
relationships, and are usually long lasting.
 Secondary groups can be small or large, are mostly impersonal, and usually short term. These
groups are typically found at work or at school.
 UCSP11/12HSOIIj-23

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Discuss how political organizations operate as an entity which maintains societal functions,
 Recognize the differences among different types of political organizations, and
 Analyse social and political structures

 In a classroom setting, what are the functions of the elected class officers?

 Do you believe that their existence is needed for the maintenance of order in the class?

Social and Political Structures

Social and political structures are both constructs formed as a result of large scale ties and relations in
society.

Social structure, in a general sense, refers to patterned institutions or groups in society where people
work, act, abd live together.

Examples: Social class and social institutions like the government and legal community, LGBT
community, and professional community

The political structure, on the other hand, is used to call on the institutions and political entity
organized in agreement with regulations, laws, and norms of society or of the entity itself. A society
based on political structure may follow totalitarianism, authoritarianism, or democracy.

The Need for Political Organizations

The need for social order, public affairs and functions, and conflict resolution are perennial or inevitable.
In this premise, the foundation goals of political organizations are required.

Political organizations are entities in a society formed for administrative or political functions. They refer
to the scheme or design of power and authority in society. Political organizations define the scope and
limits of power.

Society, to achieve and maintain its goals and functions, needs an authority figure to set social control
and lead people. Issues like allocation of social and political roles, the exercise of political power and
authority, and resolutions for conflict clash are among the recurring problems every society faces

The questions rest on who takes the lead in addressing such problems. On this ground lies the need for
political organizations. Serving as the authority, they set rules and roles and direct actions to take.

Special interests of a particular group may also be addressed through political organizations such as
labor unions, political parties, interest or advocacy groups.

 Labor unions collaborate or negotiate with the company administration to raise employee
concerns regarding salary increase, benefits, and labor rights.
 Political parties are formed for staging interest in the government seat.
 Advocacy and interest groups are designed for campaigning the rights, privileges, and concerns
of a particular group of people in society. Such group of peoplemat not be represented in
government.

Types of Political Organization

There are four recognized types of political organizations. They are bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and
states.

Band

The band is the most traditional and smallest type of political organization. Familial ties connect a
band. Politically independent, a band usually does not recognize the formla government. There are
no written codes or laws. There is no organized group of leaders. This is their tendency and nature
of moving from one place to another in search of food or shelter.

Tribes

Tribes are traditional societies comprised of people or group of people connected by social,
religious, ancestral, or cultural ties. Bigger than a band, tribes are usually settled in one place and do
not rely on hunting and gathering but on agriculture for subsistence. Just like bands, tribes do not
observe formal governments.

Bands and tribes are egalitarian societies. This means that they see people of the same age and
gender as equals. For instructions and decision, they rely on group consensus.

Chiefdom

Chiefdom, unlike tribal societies, is a permanent and formal government. Chiefdoms are formal
political organizations in a traditional society based on kinship or the leadership of selected families.

State

A state is a formal political organization in a modern or industrial society regarded as an organized

community under a government. Characteristics of a state include ownig a certain territory, having a
particular group of people to lead it, a group of people to take administrative roles, and freedom
from external or foreign control.

Why does society need an authority figure?

What type of leadership or leadership or leaders should people have to achieve maximum success in
maintaining peace and order?

Imagine the world without political organizations. What do you see?

What can we expect from people or from a society which works and operates without the
supervision of a political organization?

Keypoints
  Social structure refers to patterned institutions or groups in society where people work, act,
and live together.
 Political structure is used to call the institutions and political entities organized in
accordance with regulations, laws, and norms of society or of the entities themselves.
 Political organizations are entites in a society formed for administrative or political
functions.
 A band is a group of nomadic people connected by familial ties.
 Tribes are traditional societies comprised of people or groups of people connected by social,
religious, ancestral, or cultural ties.
 Chiefdoms are a formal political organization in a traditional society based on kinship or the
leadership of selected families.
 A state is a formal political organization in a modern or industrial society regarded as an
organized community under a government.

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Enumerate and explain the three types of authority,

 Discuss how power, authority, and legitimacy work as essential components of a social and
political structure, and
 Analyze social and political structures.

 Are power and authority the same? Are authority and legitimacy different?

 How do these components work together in a social and political structure?

Social and Political Structures

Social and political structures are both constructs formed as a result of large scale ties and relations in
society.

Social structure, in a general sense, refers to patterned institutions or groups in society where people
work, act, abd live together.

Examples: Social class and social institutions like the government and legal community, LGBT
community, and professional community

The political structure, on the other hand, is used to call on the institutions and political entity
organized in agreement with regulations, laws, and norms of society or of the entity itself. A society
based on political structure may follow totalitarianism, authoritarianism, or democracy.

Power

According to Thomas Hobbes, power is a natural inclination that is sought continuously by individuals. In
sociology and politics, power is the ability to get others to do things even when they might not want to.
Put into action either coercion or the use of sanctions, punishment, or threat.
The presence of unlikely consequences may force people to do things. Sometimes, the use of coercion is
not necessary to get people to work. People may work freely and willingly if persuasion, reason, and
incentives or positive reinforcements are presented. It is noteworthy that society works based on
power. Ideally, though, a society imposing its power without the use of coercion is most efficient.

States have power because the can make laws. The police enforces laws by the use of force. If you
disober the law, you will be fined or jailed. However, we wantto ba able to make a difference between
cases in which it is right that the state has power, and cases in which it is objectionable or wrong in
some way. To make this distinction, the concepts of authority and legitimacy is needed.

Authority

Authority is the right to command. Authority is observed when an individual has a command to make a
person do things. Such act is a response to that person’s perceived power. This person can be your boss,
your superiors, or those who hold high positions in society.

Aside from what has been mentioned above, authority is shown when a person is an expert in a
particular matter. We ask engineers to make our buildings and structures stand firm. We ask specialists
for some health concerns. We ask teachers for learning strategies.

To clarify the concept, take this example. Public officials are elected by the people and are bestowed
with rights to rule and exercise administrative roles based on existing societal laws. Professionals, on the
other hand, gain authority after effectively learning through years of practice in their respective fields.
Authority is more than power. Authority is guaranteed by legitimacy or in a formal manner. Authority is
the sum of power and legitimacy.

Having all these things presented, authority is the quality of a person, institution, rule, or order. It is also
the right or control over giving commands, making verdicts, or enforcing actions.

Legitimacy

Legitimacy gives form to authority. Together with power, legitimacy dresses authority. It is said to be a
symbol or representation-like professionals having their licenses, employees wearing their uniforms, and
laws being written as formla documents.

In the most basic sense, a state is said to be legitimate if ti exists and operates according to the law. If a
government is legitimate, then in some way, the fact that it has power is justified. If so, then we can
argue that we ought to obey it. If power is objectionable, then we do not tend to have an obligation to
follow it.

Legitimacy is a belief that a rule, institution, or leader has the right to govern. Legitimacy is the force
that makes an action of a governing body necessary.

Three types of authority

According to the sociologist Max Weber, there is a category as to how authority is legitimated as a belief
system. These are traditional, charismatic, and rational.

Traditional

Based on a system in which authority is legitimate because it “has always existed”. People in power
usually enjow it because they have inherited it.

Charismatic

Based on the unique qualities of the leader, who shows that he or she possesses the right to lead by
virtue of magical powers, prophecies, heroism, etc.

Rational

Based on a system of rules that is applied administratively and judicially in accordance with known
principles.

In your opinion, which type of authority or legitimated rule is more applicable and valid in modern
times?

Why are authority and legitimacy vital components in acquiring and maintain peace and order in society

Keypoints

 Power can be defined as the ability to get others to do things even when they might not want
to.
 Authority is the legitimate or socially approved use of power.
 Legitimacy is the right and acceptance of authority, usually a governing law or a regime.
 Traditional authority is based on a system in which authority is legitimate because is “has
always existed”
 Charismatic authority rests on the unique qualities of a leader who shows that he possesses the
right to lead under magical powers, prophecies, heroism, etc.
 Rational authority is based on system of rules that is applied administratively and judicially per
known principle.