Society is a complex system that has the property of development and dynamics. In conditions of variability of the external environment, changes in society are inevitable. Given the need to preserve the fundamental relations that ensure the stability of human society as an integral element, measures are being taken at the highest legislative level to consolidate them rigidly and unprincipled, in which even minimal spontaneous changes are not allowed.
The most important social relations are fixed in the form of normative prescriptions, the observance of which must be strict for all members of society. In parallel, they are developing and enforcing a system of sanctions that guarantees the unconditional implementation of fundamental norms.
What is a social institution?
Forms of organization and regulationsocial life evolved historically. Each of them represents a specific system of relations between people. The process of formation and the result of fixing these systems is called institutionalization. Thus, we can talk about different types of social institutions, where each of them affects relations in the family, the state, the educational sphere, etc.
These are clear examples of the institutions that already exist in the social system. Thanks to them, it becomes possible to standardize relations, regulate the activities of their participants, and hold accountable for behavior that does not comply with accepted standards. This guarantees the stability and stability of the social order.
Structure
Regardless of the type of social institution, each of them covers a number of elements. All components can be grouped into several main categories. To detail the concept of "social institution" (the types and functions will also be allocated a separate section in the article), we will analyze its elements using the example of family relations. In this case, it seems possible to distinguish five categories of elements:
- spiritual-ideological - they include feelings, ideals, generally accepted and personal values (for example, love, sympathy, a sense of responsibility, a desire to raise children together, etc.);
- material - the acquisition of joint real estate, cars, family businesses, etc.;
- behavioral - sincerity, tolerance, trust, mutual support,willingness to compromise or, conversely, to deliver an ultimatum,;
- cultural and symbolic - family traditions, wedding rituals, engagement rings, anniversary celebrations, etc.;
- registration and documentary - fixing acts of civil status (birth, death, marriage, dissolution of marriage, change of surname, etc.), registration of alimony, social security system for large families, single mothers deprived of a breadwinner.
What is special
No one specifically invented any of the types of social institutions. The structure of each social system is formed by itself in view of the needs of a certain group of people. A vivid example of this is the creation of the police institute to protect public law and order. The very process of institutionalization of relations in a particular area consists in streamlining, standardization, formalization and organization at the legislative level of those rules, norms and customs, by which this or that social system is meant.
The peculiarity of each social institution is its individuality. Despite the fact that all of them are based on public relations, relationships and interactions of individuals or their groups, we are talking about a relatively independent social entity with its own development plan. In this context, the concept and types of a social institution would be more correct to consider as an organized subsystem with a constant structure, but with variable elements and functions.
WhenAt the same time, the assertion of values and ideals in a single social system does not yet mean that this social institution will fully function. In order for all subsystems to effectively interact with each other, it is important for society to recognize each of them. That is why an important role in the process of socialization of society is assigned to the institution of education. Its task is to teach social and cultural values to members of society.
The role of social organizations
In addition to social institutions, social organizations are important - structural social units, which are one of the forms of streamlining communications, relationships and interactions of individuals both within a social group and outside it. Social organizations are characterized by the following features:
- they are created solely to achieve certain goals;
- they help to satisfy the interests of a person and a citizen to the extent that is established by legislative norms, moral values;
- they contribute to the effective activities of their members through the division of labor on a functional basis.
An example of the most complex and at the same time significant social organization is the state. This is a public-imperious institution, in which the central position is occupied by the apparatus of power. An inseparable element in this system is civil society, which exists under any regime of government - both democratic and authoritarian.
To the center of civil societyalways put a sovereign personality - a person and a citizen who has the right to life, personal freedom, property. If we talk about the values and priorities of civil society, then the most significant here are the rule of law, democratic freedoms, political pluralism.
Why do we need social institutions, their functions and purpose
Relationships in society are formed over many hundreds of years. They undergo a number of changes, developing together with society. At the same time, the timeliness of legislative registration of emerging changes is of great importance. Otherwise, the system of relations fails, all types of social institutions degrade, the functions assigned to them cease to be performed, which hinders natural social progress. Therefore, the main purpose of each social institution is:
- maintaining and improving demographic indicators in the state (to a greater extent, this function is assigned to the institution of the family);
- socialization of individuals at the expense of the younger generation - it is important to transfer to new members of society the experience gained in all spheres of public life, acceptable norms of behavior and interaction;
- distribution, exchange and rational consumption of resources, material, intellectual and spiritual goods;
- ensuring the safety of members of society or their individual groups through the application of moral and legal norms, customs, administrative and criminal pen alties.
Main processes of institutionalization
Most often authorsallocate such types and types of social institutions:
| Economic | Political | Spiritual | Family |
|
Property · trading Industrial production finance salary agriculture |
State political parties Army judiciary · reforms elections · foreign policy |
science Education · religion clergy moral education · etiquette Art · culture |
family motherhood paternity marriage cohabitation · child support Children custody Legacy |
Each type of social institution has its own functions and purpose. For example, political systems establish power and a mechanism for governing society, ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state, set the course for ideological values and interests of various social strata.
Any type of socio-economic institutions is aimed at the effective development of the economy. Ownership relationships secure material values for a specific owner, allowing him to profit from his property. In turn, money serves as a universal equivalent inin-kind exchange of goods, and wages are direct remuneration for labor. Thanks to economic institutions, the system of production and trade is in close contact with other areas of public life.
The development of science, education, art and culture - all these are spiritual institutions that are needed to maintain moral values in society. The main goal pursued in this area is the preservation and enhancement of cultural values in society.
The family as a type of social institution
Speaking of the family, first of all, it is worth noting that this system of relations is a key link in the entire social chain. People complete the society by coming into it from the family. It is here that the personality, the individual, grows. Only families are able to set the tone for social life in general, therefore it is extremely important that peace and prosperity reign in them.
From a scientific point of view, a family is a group of people based on official marriage or blood relationship. Family members are bound by a joint household, mutual duties and responsibilities. At the same time, family and marriage are not equal concepts. Marriage is a union of a man and a woman, at the conclusion of which the rights and obligations of the spouses are generated in relation to each other, their parents and children.
After the transition of society from subsistence farming to industrial production, traditional patriarchal foundations were gradually destroyed. They were replaced by marital relations. Since then, the family composition is a husband, wife andchildren. Such a family is called a nuclear family and it goes through several stages:
1. Family formation - marriage.
2. The beginning of the childbearing period - the birth of the first heir.
3. Completion of childbearing - the birth of the last descendant.
4. Marriage of adult children. Sociologists call this stage the “empty nest.”
5. The death of one of the spouses is the termination of marriage, the end of the family.
Functions of family institutions in society
The mission that every family, as a cell of society, is built in several directions. The tasks facing all types of social institutions and the functions of the family have a lot of similarities. The main ones are:
- Reproductive. The instinctive desire of a person to continue his kind is implied. At the same time, it is important that the offspring reproduce biologically, intellectually and spiritually he althy - only such a child will be able to adopt the basics of the spiritual, material and intellectual culture accumulated by previous generations.
- Educational. It is in this social institution that the primary socialization of a person takes place. For the full development of the personality, the family is of paramount importance.
- Economic. It implies the maintenance of a common household by family members, as well as economic support for minors who are unable to work due to illness and age. The Soviet state, making its contribution to all types of social institutions, also affected the institution of the family. However, the current wage system does not differ fundamentally fromprevious. The peculiarity lies in the fact that neither a single man nor a single woman could live separately on the average salary. This circumstance cannot be discounted, as it is a significant incentive for marriage.
Status. A person at birth inherits a social status, which, of course, can change throughout life, but most often it is he who determines his opportunities at the beginning of an independent path and the final fate
Science and Society
As a social institution and activity, science arose in the Middle Ages. Its appearance was caused by the need to serve the developing capitalist production. The purpose of science as a type of social institution of society was to improve theoretical knowledge, without which even the slightest development of industry would be impossible.
According to rough estimates, no more than 8% of the able-bodied population with a higher education are capable of doing science. In modern society, science often turns into a professional activity. Research forms of labor are recognized as necessary and stable socio-cultural traditions, without which the formation and existence of society is impossible. Science, as one of the activities of social institutions, is one of the priority areas for the development of any civilized state.
Education as a system of social relations
Education is a professionally organized process of familiarizing a person with the culture, norms, values formed in society, if we talk about it as one of the types of social institutions. The concept of "education" has a number of characteristic features:
- obligation to establish patterns of behavior;
- inculcating a love of knowledge;
- ensure attendance;
- use of symbolic cultural cues (wearing the school emblem, memorizing the school anthem);
- Education built on the ideology of equality, progressive education.
This social subsystem is one of the most powerful. Its structure includes several elements - preschool, general education, professional, postgraduate, correctional education. Each of them faces several challenges:
- complexity in the interaction of the individual and society;
- inefficiency of gradually overcoming the disintegration of school education;
- the impossibility of finding consensus on the harmonization and integration of pedagogical technologies.
The current education system in Russia is not yet able to form a sufficiently strong “immunity” of lack of spirituality and immorality in a modern person. Large-scale sociocultural changes in the world make it possible to detect obvious inconsistencies between the current social institution and the emerging social needs in the present. These inconsistencies led torepeated attempts to reform the educational system.
