Rural Society and Polity

Introductory Concepts on Society and

Culture
Society is a system of usages and
procedures , of authority and mutual aid, of
many groupings and divisions, of controls of
human behaviour and of liberties
Mutual awareness

Society involves both likeness and

difference
Man is a social animal
 Community
Wherever the members of any group ,
small or large, live together in such a way
that they share , not this or that particular
interest , but the basic conditions of a
common life, we call that group a
community.
Locality a territorial area
Community Sentiments- Sense of
belonging
Great and Small Communities
 Associations
Association is a group organised for the pursuit of an
interest or group of interests in common.
Associations and communities are different because of
interest aspect of associations
Sometime associations become communities such as
monasteries, convents and prisons
State is also a form of association
Schools, colleges, University, Political Parties, Sects,
Churches, army, police etc. are all associations
Corresponding to its peculiar method the association has
a corporate character.
 Institutions
Institutions are established forms or conditions of
procedure characteristic of group activity
Institutions are recurrent, repetitive and purposive
Every association with respect to its interest has its
characteristic institutions
We belong to community and association but not to
institutions
Marriage, representative government, legislative
procedures, examination are examples of institutions
Community also establish institutions- dating, group
marriages, levirate, child marriage etc.
Community Institutions develop gradually and attain a
social form
 Folkways, Mores and Customs
Folkways are recognised or accepted ways of behaving
in society. They include conventions, forms of etiquette
and myriad ways of behaviour human beings have
evolved.
Folkways when not merely used as norm but as
regulators we are viewing them as more
Wearing of clothes of a particular style is in conformity
with folkways while wearing clothes at all is influenced
by mores
Customs are socially accredited ways of acting
They are strongly embedded in our group life
We make the error of considering our customs as the
only correct way of doing things
Institutions and customs are closely related
 Values and Norms
The values identify those objects, conditions
or characteristics that members of the
society consider important; that is, valuable.
Social norms can also be viewed as
statements that regulate behavior and act as
informal social controls. They are usually
based in some degree of consensus and are
enforced through social sanctions.
 Individual and Society
Individual- a product of growth of society
Society is not just a sum of individuals and
is a phenomenon of different order
Societies have evolved from mechanical
solidarity (primitive) to organic solidarity
(modern)
Mechanical solidarity (MS) is solidarity of
resemblance
Organic solidarity (OS) is solidarity of
difference based on structural
differentiation and division of labour
Transition marking this change is reflected
by change from repressive to restitutive
law
 Individual and Society
Society is present in some form in all
individuals
Even religion has been interpreted as
transfigured form of society
Society is recreated in every social form
through distinctive ways and methods
Major reasons of suicides are interpreted as
either
Too much integration with society
Too little integration with society and
Normlessness in society