Durkheim and the Relevance of His Theories in Modern Society

Durkheim lived at the same time as Weber, but they view on a division of labour and influence of that, differed significantly. Durkheim held a more optimistic view on the division of labour. The division of labour in his opinion is a sign of a developed society because there is a need to exchange results of the activity, perform complementary functions. He thought that division of labour brings diversity, and the more it is, the stronger the people's desire for unity and exchange. He argues that division of labour led from mechanical to organic solidarity. Durkheim believed that pre-industrial societies were based on mechanical solidarity when people feel solidarity because they are similar. When society develops and work

- The Division of Labour in Society (French: De La Division Du Travail Social) is the dissertation of French sociologist Émile Durkheim, written in 1893. It was influential in advancing sociological theories and thought, with ideas, which in turn were influenced by Auguste Comte. Durkheim described how social order was maintained in societies based on two very different forms of solidarity (mechanical and organic), and the transition from more "primitive"

French sociologist and philosopher, Émile Durkheim, was one of the most influential contributors to the social sciences as his evaluations and conclusions formally built the principle foundations of historic and current of sociology. Utilizing his implications coming from Durkheim’s perspective, there will be a comparison and contrast in three fundamental theories studied throughout the course: Merton’s Strain Theory, Hirschi’s Social Control Theory, Becker’s and Cohen’s Labelling Theory. In saying that this evaluation will be from Durkheim’s perspective, it is being understood that Durkheim focused more on the moral order, as he concluded that it is more fundamental than the economic aspect of society. This separation between the moral order and economic order of society is how Durkheim separated the two types of mental attitudes that each citizen pertain to; (1) social self or the aspects that looks to society and is a product of socialization and cultivation of human potentials (2) egotistic self or the primal self that is incomplete without society and that is full of impulses knowing no natural limits. (Lily 97) Durkheim states how a person that is socialized by society and bounds themselves within the constraints of society, are more of sane and rational individual. He then regards those that are led with their egotistic attitude are full of impulses knowing no limits. These impulses are assumed that they are acts of deviancy against the collective agreement and

Throughout the course of this semester, we have addressed a number of social theorists, from Marx to Veblen. A common denominator of these theorists is that they often leave the class in despair, having read and discussed theories that indicates that humanity is doomed to a fate of restricted happiness, fear, loss of liberty, the list goes on. Émile Durkheim is one of these influential figures. Durkheim is known as one of the principal contributors to modern sociology, his focus on the division of labor in society. His predecessors, such as Adam Smith, assigned a utilitarian value to the division of labor. In this light, the division of labor was meant to produce the fruits of civilization, to be a means of achieving happiness. Durkheim refuted this point on the grounds that an increased division of labor has not necessarily correlated with increased overall happiness of society. This is shown with increased suicides, indicating that society may not be experiencing the growing fruits that Smith predicted. Instead, Durkheim argues that an expanding population has naturally created a state where humans have become more differentiated. This then leads to the division of labor that becomes stronger as unified morals and common ways of thought dissipate. Essentially, throughout history, moral density has increased, and humans have specialized more and more. These are the conditions that led to a division of labor. Thus, the essence of the division of labor is

Mechanical and organic solidarity is an idea from the mind of Emile Durkheim. Mechanical solidarity creates social integration. When a population shares similar occupations (or perhaps similar religions), they form the same values and ideas (104-05). An example of a society with mechanical solidarity would be the Puritan society, which existed in the New England area, beginning in the mid 17th century (Kizer). In such a society, because everyone shares the same beliefs in order to remain together, there is little room for a diversification in these beliefs. Societies with organic solidarity tend to be larger and involve a division of labor and interdependence. That is, everyone has different jobs, and they depend on another person to do their job, so that all of the parts contribute to a working whole. American society today would be an example of a society with organic solidarity (105).

Emile Durkheim, known and applauded for his contributions to the study of society, wrote two novels that explore the changes that society sustains overtime, its causes, and what this means to the collective and the individual. In his novels, Durkheim offers readers the chance to understand how a group of people who share a culture and relationships operate to create social cohesion. In The Division of Labor in Society, Durkheim (1893) defines two different types of social solidarity and explains how they contribute (or not) through the division of labor, to social cohesion. In The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, Durkheim (1912) is more specific with his research, as he focuses on religion to aid in his understanding of and to explain social organization. Although both pieces of work address the fundamental roles within society, findings from The Elementary Forms of Religious Life are limited to that of a society that does not exist anymore (or is on its way to becoming extinct). As society evolves and modernizes, the role of religion is less pronounced and consequently, the role of religion as a function of social cohesion no longer exists. Instead, as individuality increases, social cohesion is dependent upon the division of labor and restitutive laws and their function within society.

Roles and institutions are similar to bodily organs, as they are dependent on one another (McDonell, 2012). He refers to two types of solidarity, mechanical and organic, where each produces different individuals in society (Shortell, n.d.). Mechanical solidarity is concerned with undifferentiated social structure with little division of labour. These societies were generally rural, religious, authoritarian and had constraints on social facts and little social mobility. Organic solidarity is modernised and is characterised by refined division of labour, increased urbanisation, low religiosity, high degree of individuality and increased social mobility. Societies exhibiting mechanical solidarity tend to be unified as they are all engaged in similar tasks and responsibilities. These societies are held together by the specialisation of people and their need for the services of many others. Thus, Durkheim concluded that social order and individual autonomy are compatible (Ritzer, 1996: 79-80). As modern societies differ from earlier ones, then solidarity changes as a society becomes more complex (Shortell, n.d.). This complexity arises other problems which Durkheim discussed in the trends of suicide and anomie.

In a modern society the forced division of labor and ideology shaped not only production and social standings but a materialistic conception of ideology using the concept of Ideological State Apparatus in conjunction with Ideological State institutions, such as religious organizations cover ideological practice, which has established individuals as subjects (Boundless 2016). Emile Durkheim stated that religion helps form social solidarity in complex societies due to the dependence on others to complete their social duties (Wikipedia1 2017). Durkheim introduced the terms "mechanical" and "organic solidarity" as part of his theory of the development of societies. Durkheim differentiated mechanical solidarity, which he argued is characteristic of traditional societies and based on shared and dominant social values and undifferentiated social structures, from organic solidarity, which he deemed as characteristic of Modem societies, which is based on the division, and specialization, of labor and the differentiation of social structures and functions. The

In a society of mechanical solidarity, “the individual is not his own master; solidarity is” (McIntosh, Durkheim 193) and individuals discover lasting unities through the family and religion. They then establish repressive laws and institutions all around a standardized moral order held together by individual economic independence and the acceptance of other’s positive contributions to society. However, as the division of labor increases, workers dependent upon each other are produced due to a specialized system requiring the goods and services of other laborers. The collective efforts of the work force become blurred and abstract, forming an organic solidarity between them and a decline in Durkheim’s concept of the conscience collective. Interdependence becomes emphasized with the state having a larger role in organizing society and taking away solidarity of the family and religion. Durkheim prefers this form because “society becomes more capable of collective action at the same time that

Emile Durkheim was born in 1858, in a small community in Alsace-Lorraine, and became a professor of sociology at the Sorbonne in Paris. Emile Durkheim came from an early positivist school of thought that insisted sociology needs to be looked at as a scientific discipline, which could be modelled off the natural sciences. This approach helped Durkheim use scientific methods of analysis, statistics and empirical information to assist in determining circumstances that contributed to human behavior, for which the psychology discipline couldn’t answer at the time. Durkheim was the pioneer of social science and contributed a tremendous amount to the social science community.

Marx and Durkheim are two of the most important figures in sociology. You hear their names in all branches of sociology. These historical sociologists shaped the social structure in the modern world and are well known and still talked about today. Let’s take a glimpse at each of them. Emile Durkheim was a French sociologist; he is the founding figure in the sociology world and is also known as the father of sociology. He made sociology a science. Here are some of his main concepts: mechanic and organic solidarity, division of labor, and anomie. He sought to delineate how society was different from existing schools of philosophy and history. He believed that social facts are the only thing we should study and group level statistics is the only way to empirically do sociology. In the rules of sociological method he explains the social facts are also known as the norms and values that are critical to the function of society. He was most famous for his views on the structure of society.

Durkheim has a particular approach to solidarity that follows the traditional thought process of functionalism. His conviction that society is “sui generis” meaning an objective reality that is irreducible to the individual (Durkheim

Emile Durkheim, born in 1858 was an eminent proponent of Sociology from France, considered to be one of the greatest in his field alongside Karl Marx and Max Weber. Durkheim aimed to study society taking an evolutionary approach, keeping in mind that society is composed of individuals. However, it was not essentially the aggregate sum of each individual’s behavior, actions and thoughts. Durkheim endeavored to understand transformation of society, from traditional to modern, where solidarity changes from mechanical to organic because of the phenomenon of ‘division of labour’.

This essay is a compilation of certain aspects on Durkheim’s point of view as a sociologist. The objective of this piece is to discuss Emilé Durkheim’s view of work. The main focus is on his perspectives and contributions in terms of the division of labour and its impact on the pre-industrial and industrial societies. Within these societies we look at his view on the foundations of individual freedom as well as the differences between pre industrial societies and industrial societies. His views on the threat of anomie and his solution to social cohesion are also briefly discussed. The closing discussed Durkheim’s contribution. As the authors, the main reason for this task is to broaden the understanding of Durkheim as a sociologist who focuses

David Émile Durkheim, a French sociologist who formally established academic discipline with Karl Marx and Max Weber. He is called the father of sociology. The Rules of Sociological Method is a book by Durkheim, where he tried to establish sociology as a science. He argued that, social science should be approached with the scientific method. To achieve this goal there is a need to clarify the complexity and approach the problem in a well formulated manner. In order to perform it perfectly the best possible ways is the application is to find the most effective path that is verifiable through mathematical derivations that yields proper conclusion and this path of Durkheim’s approach to and argument for sociology as a social science is the Social Facts-Method approach.