Classical social theory
Emile Durkheim (positivist)
1. Social fact
2. Division of labour
3. Suicide
4. Religion
(How is social order possible?)
- Attacks those who believe that society is just a collection of individuals
- Instead, society has a reality of its own
- Society is a social organism
- Structural Functionalism- over years, society has developed various functions which enable it
to survive (organised work, education)
Social facts
Asks us to think what a social fact is. 3 characteristics: (PEC)
1. Priority
2. Externality
3. Constraint
Example- Language (Sapir wharf thesis)
The division of labour
- Makes society more stable (solidarity)
2 aspects:
1. Collective conscience (collection of beliefs, values and norms that enable social
integration)- Members of society are bearers -- PEC
2. Collective representation- The ways in which societies communicate (about themselves)
- We can divide societies into two types
1. MECHANICAL SOLIDARITY (simple division of labour)- integration is through personal ties-
levels of social mobility are low- A strong collective conscience, seen through looking at how
the law operates in this society (LEX TALIONIS- an eye for an eye)
2. ORGANIC SOLIDARITY- (complex chains of the division of labour)- Individuals are trained
and specialised; requires chains of inter-dependence. People aren’t as independent as in a,
MS as they rely on others a lot more- Changes the law (move from a law based in
punishment, to one based in restitution)
- There are two threats to ORGANIC SOLIDARITY
- We should worry about the persistence of Mechanical Solidarity (if it prevails it can break
up ORGANIC SOLIDATITY)
- It is threatened by social change (too fast paced)- people can’t keep up and become
despaired- ANOMIE (a state in which the old rules no longer apply)
Emile Durkheim (positivist)
1. Social fact
2. Division of labour
3. Suicide
4. Religion
(How is social order possible?)
- Attacks those who believe that society is just a collection of individuals
- Instead, society has a reality of its own
- Society is a social organism
- Structural Functionalism- over years, society has developed various functions which enable it
to survive (organised work, education)
Social facts
Asks us to think what a social fact is. 3 characteristics: (PEC)
1. Priority
2. Externality
3. Constraint
Example- Language (Sapir wharf thesis)
The division of labour
- Makes society more stable (solidarity)
2 aspects:
1. Collective conscience (collection of beliefs, values and norms that enable social
integration)- Members of society are bearers -- PEC
2. Collective representation- The ways in which societies communicate (about themselves)
- We can divide societies into two types
1. MECHANICAL SOLIDARITY (simple division of labour)- integration is through personal ties-
levels of social mobility are low- A strong collective conscience, seen through looking at how
the law operates in this society (LEX TALIONIS- an eye for an eye)
2. ORGANIC SOLIDARITY- (complex chains of the division of labour)- Individuals are trained
and specialised; requires chains of inter-dependence. People aren’t as independent as in a,
MS as they rely on others a lot more- Changes the law (move from a law based in
punishment, to one based in restitution)
- There are two threats to ORGANIC SOLIDARITY
- We should worry about the persistence of Mechanical Solidarity (if it prevails it can break
up ORGANIC SOLIDATITY)
- It is threatened by social change (too fast paced)- people can’t keep up and become
despaired- ANOMIE (a state in which the old rules no longer apply)
