A person cannot exist outside of society. This axiom is known to all people from early childhood. Without society, it would be impossible to implement such a complex political and economic system as the state. And progress would not exist either, because no scientist alone could come up with and create all the variety of inventions that mankind has given the world.
But a person has to pay for the opportunity to use various public goods. Taxes are just one way. Compliance with social laws and norms of behavior is completely different.
The concept of social responsibility
What is social responsibility? First, in simple terms, this is the responsibility that a person experiences before society. That is, a person recognizes and follows the rules established in the city and country where he lives. Speaking more officially, this is the responsibility to society realized by the individual, in accordance with which hebehaves with other people, public organizations and even the state. The concept and types of social responsibility often have more than one meaning. You can even say that they are very vague. Even the sciences, such as political science and sociology, understand it according to different categories. But the concept and types of social responsibility still play a big role in people's lives. However, the essence is always the same: social responsibility is what mutually beneficial relations between a person and society are built on.
Types of social responsibility
There are many ways to share social responsibility. But, perhaps, the main and main among them is the division into prospective and retrospective. So what are they?
Prospective responsibility. As you can guess from the name, this is an individual's understanding of the full depth of his responsibility to society, which prevents him from committing illegal acts. That is, long-term responsibility is responsible for how a person will behave in the future. Meanwhile, it also refers to the actions of the individual in the present tense, to the extent to which he fulfills his duties in relation to society. This type of responsibility is extremely close to social norms.
Retrospective liability. Unlike prospective liability, it primarily refers to punishments for acts committed. In other words, it is the responsibility for the past. In the vast majority of cases, lawyers meanprecisely retrospective responsibility, because no country in the world has yet provided punishment for thoughts, desires and intentions for which no preparation has been made. Retrospective liability is very closely related to the consequences of wrongful acts and how serious or minor they were.
But at the same time, one cannot assume that there are no other types of social responsibility. They exist and are associated primarily with retrospective liability. That is, they are subdivided according to which sphere of society the illegal act belongs to. However, the types of social responsibility differ in different sciences. For example, in jurisprudence there is political, moral, professional, public responsibility and many others. And in the field of sociology, the list is much smaller. There is only moral, legal, economic and political responsibility.
The first variety. Legal liability
Legal responsibility as a type of social responsibility is characterized by the application of various pen alties to the offender. Its main difference is that the person who finds the criminal, condemns him and pronounces a sentence is the state. Also, legal liability is associated only with violations of the rules. This kind of social responsibility has nothing to do with following the law. There are also several types of punishments: political (loss of authority among citizens), physical (restriction of freedom),property (fine) and moral (public condemnation). The amount of punishments and the rule that a person has violated are also clearly defined. No one can be convicted for not following a non-existent law.
Second variety. Moral Responsibility
Moral also refers to the main types of social responsibility. It happens in front of oneself, in front of other people and in front of society as a whole. Moral responsibility, which is part of social responsibility, most often pays attention only to the second two options. In particular, moral responsibility to others. But what a person does with his life remains on his conscience and has nothing to do with guilt. This applies to internal types of social responsibility, and not to external ones. But the third variety is very similar to the second. And there, and there a person feels guilty for what he has done in relation to other people. That's just social responsibility to society is somewhat impersonal. For example, if a person does not give up his seat in the subway, bus or trolley bus to a pregnant woman, then this is a responsibility to others. And if he scattered cigarette butts on the road or let his dog urinate next to the playground, then this is a responsibility to society.
The punishment that provides moral responsibility in all its manifestations is, firstly, public condemnation, and secondly, a sense of guilt. Under the law, violation of moral norms is not prosecuted in any way.
Third variety. Political responsibility
It is quite possibly one of the most well-known types of social responsibility. Despite this fact, the society itself can only in very rare cases influence the state of affairs in the sphere of politics. Relations between various states are for the most part coordinated by the ruling elites of these competing countries or confederations. The Charter of the United Nations, adopted and signed at the end of World War II in 1945 in the city of San Francisco, allows the use of various measures in relation to individual states or unions of states only in cases where the actions of these states are contrary to the peaceful resolution of conflicts or even disrupt the stability of the world community. With all this, the application of various pen alties is allowed only if the United Nations Security Council decides that the aggressor country is really guilty. The difference between political responsibility lies in the fact that punishment comes not only for an illegal act, but also for the inability to resolve political and economic issues through diplomacy. This kind of social responsibility is perhaps the most destructive of all.
Types of punishments
First of all, this is the termination of diplomatic relations. Also, according to the decision of the Security Council, various economic sanctions can be applied. It is likely to interrupttrade and monetary relations with the state, which was recognized as aggressive. Communications such as transport and telephone communications will also be at risk: they can be interrupted at any time. Members of the United Nations often turn to blockades, public speeches and protests as ways to pacify a country that is violating the peace and security of society. And in the most extreme case, the UN uses sea, air and land forces.
The fourth variety. Economic responsibility
This type of social responsibility applies primarily to individual entrepreneurs. For non-compliance with economic norms and rules, as well as for the execution by the subject of these instructions, but not in due measure, punishment is provided. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the offender is the legal entity, and the state is the one who condemns it. As a result of the trial, the offender is either completely released from all charges, or undertakes to compensate the injured person for damages in material or monetary form. Also, various economic sanctions can be a kind of punishment. But what exactly can be called an economic sanction? First of all, the deprivation of various benefits, the announcement of an economic boycott, the termination of all economic relations with a legal entity. The court may also decide that the violation is so serious that it is necessary to freeze all the offending credits.
The fifth variety. professionalresponsibility
Types and forms of social responsibility are varied, and here is one more of them. Professional responsibility is characterized primarily by the harmful consequences that an outsider experiences as a result of a conscientious or, conversely, non-professional performance by a person of his duties. This is the responsibility of a journalist or publicist for the quality and reliability of the material they provide. And the responsibility of a physicist, chemist, biologist and any other scientist for the truth of the result he receives and for the fact that their professional conclusions and findings will not bring significant harm to society. Also, professional responsibility includes causing harm to civilians during an operation carried out by police officers. If a third party suffers due to the construction of any object, then the organizers of the construction or the builders themselves will also have to face the consequences of a violation of professional responsibility.
That is, the concept of professional responsibility can be expressed by the fact that each person is responsible for the work done by him. And if someone makes a mistake in the course of his professional activities, then he should be severely punished for it.
The fifth variety. Public responsibility
If a certain person has committed some act, and as a result of this, outsiders have suffered, then the offender must be punished. In the vast majority of cases, the judge and prosecutor are public organizations. They may compel the perpetrator of the wrongful act to publiclyapologize to the victim or resort to the method of public condemnation. Reprimand is another possible punishment option. As well as a decrease in wages, a proposal to the manager that the offending person must be removed from his position. Sometimes they can even be sent to corrective labor.
Most often the problem is solved in the same enterprise where it started.
But social responsibility is just a prototype of a more serious social responsibility.
The sixth variety. Corporate responsibility
Sometimes the same concept is called a little differently: the social responsibility of business. Each professional organization or enterprise is responsible not only to its employees, but also to other organizations, to society, the city and even the whole country. Firms must be held accountable for how their work affects the environment, society and the country's economy. Unlike legal, corporate responsibility is more voluntary, and a firm may perform some types of corporate social responsibility, but not others. This whole system is much closer to moral responsibility than to legal responsibility. However, some social obligations of the corporation are established by law.
For example, the types of corporate social responsibility include the fact that the organization undertakes to provide consumers with goods and services that meet mandatory quality standards. And employees should not work beyond the time specified inlegislation. The work of the organization should not worsen the state of the environment. Also, the company on a voluntary basis can help the state improve the area in which the branches of the company itself are located, and provide all possible assistance to social minorities. Protecting the cultural heritage of the country is also on the list of what any organization can do if it wants to. Also, the types of social responsibility of business include the fact that an organization can provide employees with such working conditions under which they can improve their qualifications and acquire new skills at their workplace. Firms are also required to provide jobs, give out white wages, and conduct business in accordance with tax, labor and environmental laws. The activities of the organization must also be effective and not contradict ethical and moral standards. All firms without exception are encouraged to contribute to the development of society as a whole.
But all these requirements and opportunities are rather vague. The United Nations offers a clearer classification. They divide the types of internal corporate social responsibility into two subtypes: internal and external.
Domestic
It's not that hard to imagine what this subspecies is like. A safe and comfortable workplace, the provision of decent wages and advanced training courses are all types of internal corporate social responsibility. There are many other varieties as well. For example, to the forms and types of internal social responsibilitybusiness also includes giving employees the right to vote.
External
But everything related to ecology, the environment and consumers belongs to another subspecies. This is the essence of the division of types of corporate social responsibility.
