The most prominent sociologists

France contributed many important figures in the development of early social thought. These include Saint-Simon (1760 – 1825) and Auguste Comte (1798 – 1857). Comte is often called the father of modern sociology – he coined the term Sociology. He insisted that the new science of society must be empirical and the new knowledge created should be used to improve society. One of the most important contributors to the development of modern sociology was also from France, Emile Durkheim.

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Emile Durkheim (1858 – 1917)

Emile Durkheim used ideas and metaphors taken from biology to frame his understanding of society. He was interested in the cohesion of society, how rules develop and how societies change as they grow in population density.

Durkheim contributed to the tradition now called functionalism. Functionalists analyze items in a society in terms of what they do to maintain to social order. Durkheim is important as a person who focused attention on methods of sociological research. He is remembered for his study of the historical evolution of law and how changes in the type of legal systems could be studied as indicators of society’s evolution.

Societal evolution occurs independently of any individual. Individuals interact in a society through the use of common language and by sharing common values. Laws persist over generations and their gradual change can become an indicator of social evolution.

In simple societies with low population density, there is little task specialization. Everyone is directly involved in the lives of others in the community. Such societies are characterized by what Durkheim called mechanical solidarity.

As populations grow in density and evolve over time they develop a division of labor that produces a new kind of solidarity – organic solidarity. Durkheim focused on many occupations required to maintain the social order in a modern society. Each worker does only one specific task. By specializing, the worker becomes dependent on others who are doing different kinds of work. Due to occupational specialization, a society needs a predictable social order. In societies characterized by mechanical solidarity, disruptions of social order lead to repression – an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

In more complex modern societies, when disruptions occur, the attention is on laws or procedures that will restore conditions back to “normal”. In modern society the rule of law becomes an underlying value. We are supposed to let the legal process provide justice.

For Durkheim, the division of labor provides more than economic advantages. It ties people to each other in what Durkheim called social solidarity. Societies have a “moral character”. There is a need for order, harmony, and social solidarity.

In summary, Durkheim stressed the moral consequences of the division of labor, which holds modern societies together. His stress was on the unifying factors in societies.

I Vocabulary

prominent – известный, выдающийся
to coin – создавать (новые слова, выражения)
to insist on – настаивать на
cohesion – сплоченность
density – плотность
to maintain – поддерживать
to persist – 1) упорствовать; 2) сохраняться, продолжать существовать
division – разделение;
to divide – разделять
disruption – 1) разрушение; 2) распад
to restore – 1) восстанавливать(ся)
value – ценность
to provide – обеспечивать
consequences – (по)следствия

II Comprehension check

What important figures in early social thought did France contribute?
Why is Comte called the father of modern sociology?
What did Comte insist on?
What was Durkheim interested in?
What tradition did Durkheim contribute to?
How do functionalists analyze society?
What methods of sociological research did Durkheim focus attention on? What is he remembered for?
What can be studied as indicator of society’s evolution?
Does societal evolution depend on individuals?
How do individuals interact in a society?
What societies are characterized by mechanical solidarity?
What societies produce organic solidarity?
What happens when the social order is disrupted