The use of the word "society" is ubiquitous, but not everyone can clearly articulate the essence of this concept. The definition of this phenomenon and the concept that denotes it is given by sociology, as well as social science. The latter science in this matter has the most significant weight, since it is society that is the subject of its study. Unlike all other sciences, it deliberately considers all possible aspects of society. The rest of the sciences single out only one specific side of the phenomenon.
However, we will focus on the view that sociology gives us, as in our article we are going to consider the question: "What are the main features of society?" - as well as some related aspects. They will help us to operate this concept more consciously and in general will be useful for expanding knowledge in this area.
A look at the concept of society
Let's give some data from sociology, reflecting the essence of society. So, this science considers the concept from two main sides, respectively, presenting diverse meanings. Let's talk about each one separately, while touching on the distinctive features of society.
Historical-economic aspect
The first side of the study is to consider society in terms of historical, economic, geographical and political factors. According to this aspect, societies are identified as structures larger than just groups of people or communities.
Most often, in this vein, such quite specific types are distinguished as primitive, slave-owning, feudal and others. They are distinguished by common cultural values, the level of technological development, and moral values.
When considering the same historical and economic aspect, the societies formed on the territory of a certain country or continent are singled out. This is Russian, and American, and the Western world as a whole, and the Eastern.
Based on the above facts, let's summarize this block of information with a definition: society is a system limited in time and territory. Any era with its values and level of technological development is such a society.
Key Features
Scientist E. Shils gives us a number of features by which a society stands out, based on the considered shaping factors:
- as an integral functioning structure (society is not included in any major systems);
- has its own well-defined territory;
- has a name, history of formation and development;
- replenishment and growth of society occurs at the expense of humanresources that are its own representatives (with rare exceptions);
- as a sign complementary with the previous one, - representatives of one association enter into marriage;
- has a functioning own control system;
- characterized by the presence of values common to representatives of the system of values, norms, traditions that form culture;
- the time of existence of a society is necessarily longer than the life expectancy of an individual representative.
Features of society, according to authoritative domestic sociologists, are as follows:
- territory - it also plays the role of the main material base for the existence and development of social relations;
- autonomy - self-sufficiency, allowing to exist without economic and other ties with other societies;
- integrativity - the unification of all individuals in the process of social life, the maintenance and reproduction of generations;
- universality - the all-encompassing nature of the structure (for individual participants).
Let's move on to the next concept of society presented in sociological studies.
Sociological and philosophical aspect
So, we have already learned what are the main features of society in accordance with the economic-geographical aspect of the study. It is time to consider the second aspect of the study of this topic in sociology.
The second meaning of society is purely sociological and philosophical, if we considerhim as a whole. In research in this area, sociology relies on the results of practical observations and experiments on smaller structures - small communities (families, clans, peoples). A kind of hierarchy of structures is built, from smallest to largest. As a result, we obtain the functional unity of the communities.
Considering the various institutions of society from this practical point of view, sociology touches on the problems of the universe - the origin of society, the single purpose of its existence. Every society has its own history. Thus, the American theory of "the beginning of beginnings" takes as its basis certain founding fathers. Reflections on this topic by sociologists of the times of the Soviet Union turn around the October Revolution of 1917
Summarizing what has been said briefly within the framework of the sociological aspect: society is the largest social group, embracing all the others, making them part of it. We continue to consider further the question of what are the main features of society.
Signs of society in a sociological context
Researcher of sociological issues R. König attributes the following features to society:
- certain lifestyle of individuals;
- economic and ideological associations formed on agreements;
- presence of social unity (different nations);
- integrity of social unities, i.e. smaller structures;
- historical prerequisites for the formation and development of this particular society;
- social reality - processes in whichrelationships of individuals are formed.
Some basic properties
Before this, we have already considered two aspects of the study of the society of sociology, mentioned some forms of society as examples. We also learned about the features inherent in society when studied from the economic and sociological sides. Now we consider it expedient to dwell in more detail on some of its most important properties. Sociology classifies autonomy and self-sufficiency as such.
Autonomy and self-sufficiency as properties
Earlier, we only briefly mentioned the autonomy property of the structure of society. Now more about this.
The ability of a society to exist separately from others, to support the functioning of smaller structures that make up its composition, is autonomy. This property, at first glance, somewhat fades into the background in the conditions of total globalization of absolutely all world processes at the moment. However, this impression is misleading: the strengthening of international contacts has some signs that autonomy is becoming less obvious, but this process is of a completely different kind.
A vivid confirmation of the autonomy of societies, which include the population of the countries of the world, is the presence of their own systems of power in them. Within countries, there are smaller communities of people who are hierarchically included in society as a whole.
Studying further the institutions of society, let's say a few words about self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency is a property inherent in the people of a particular country,providing the opportunity to exist completely in isolation from all other societies. After the division of labor between the territories of the world (production specialization), self-sufficiency is not observed in any country. Modern societies have a new inherent quality - complementarity for economic reasons.
Other properties
An important part of any society is its cultural array. This concept includes many phenomena, there is no need to consider them within the framework of our topic. Let's just say that on the basis of common traditions, self-awareness, moral values of individuals, a cultural society is formed. Its formation is preceded by a rich history.
Smaller communities are able to perform their functions in a single system of the country's society independently. This is the main manifestation of the property of self-regulation.
Conclusion
As a conclusion, let us conclude: society and its characteristics are considered in sociology in various aspects. This takes into account economic, geographical, historical, cultural and other factors. Societies of modernity appear mainly in the form of countries and their populations. Their most important properties are autonomy and self-sufficiency.
Thus, we figured out the question of what are the main features of society that form it as a phenomenon. We hope that the information received will be useful for a conscious look at modern society.
