What is society?The question is simple, but it is not easy to answer it, because the concept is quite broad and is used both in sociologists, and in psychology, political science, political economy, history, jurisprudence. And each of the listed sciences approaches this definition from its side and, accordingly, gives its own interpretation. Let's try to highlight the signs of society from the vast kaleidoscope of theories and definitions. So...
Первые признаки общества — общая территория.This is a kind of physical space, where there are connections and their development (both between social communities, and between individuals). Geographic location along with climatic conditions significantly affects the traditions, the standard of living, and the value orientations. It is important to understand: the territory was a sign of society not always. Our ancestors, who lived many centuries ago in caves, often changed the place in which they lived (the territory of residence). But the society existed even then, because already at that time there was a certain commonality and agreement in actions: they warmed themselves at the fire, hunted together. Here it is quite possible to talk about a certain set of interacting and interrelated actions, or rather, about the beginning of the development of social culture. And these are also signs of society.
Of course, today this social structureit looks different: social communities interact, social institutions, relationships are established. There are divisions into social groups with similar characteristics and similar interests: middle, poor, upper class (or students, pensioners, doctors, workers). And every social society occupies a special, individual place, fulfilling the functions inherent to it. For example, the functions of the class of the worker lie in the production of certain products, the political elite is engaged in the political management of society, students acquire knowledge, doctors help the sick. And they are all interconnected. And these social relations are regulated by the social institutions of the family, education, property, state, production, culture, religion.
Each such social institution has the role of regulating relations between individuals and social societies in the sphere of their vital activity.
The Institute of the Family, for example, regulates relationsfamily-marriage, the institution of the state - political relations. And the interaction of all these institutions defines a multifunctional and already unified sphere. The division of labor is maintained, the socialization of the individual is carried out, the continuity of values with the norms of culture is ensured.
Social relations are uniquely dependent onpositions occupied by social communities, on their functional significance. In a totalitarian society, for example, the state institution dominates, imposing its will. The dominant elite is concerned about its own interests and, accordingly, the interests of all other communities are violated. In social relations, relative stability (stability) prevails. They reflect the social position of the interacting communities (the alignment of class forces), and it changes with the changing of positions (social statuses).
The following signs of society - autonomy with self-sufficiency.
Autonomy implies the possibility ofself-government. As a rule, the society has its own history, management system, territory and is able to independently create social ties, integrating incoming social communities. Self-sufficiency is needed here - the possibility of self-regulation without additional outside interference: ensuring the continuity of one's own culture, the reproduction of the population, the satisfaction of the needs (both spiritual and material) of all members entering this society.
Autonomy with self-sufficiency - concepts are far from abstract. In addition, these are, perhaps, the main signs of society. The lack of self-government will necessarily require outside interference.
Sociocultural unity, or community of culture -also signs of society. However, clarification is still required here. Complex social systems with different ethnic, confessional and other communities (the United States, Russia), the generality of culture as such, are somewhat distorted. Here it will be more correct to understand community as a process embracing, uniting, integrating. The main signs of the existence of socio-cultural unity lie in the commonality of language, social institutions, the unity of moral values (we are Russians), the unity of patterns of behavior.
In the socio-cultural unity lies a huge integrating force, which gives the ability to socialize new generations.
