Humans are social animals and live in a society. Knowingly or unknowingly everybody is a part of society. It’s a grouping of individuals who are distinguished by common interests. The people participating in a society may have distinctive institutions and cultures. You can also refer to a particular ethnic group as a society. The people in a society are associated together because of purposes like cultural, political, patriotic, scientific, benevolent, religious, or others. Every one of you is closely attached to society but how many of you know about the real purpose of society or how is a society formed? Just a handful of people. This article will help you with all the basic knowledge about society. So, stay tuned.
1. What is a Society Made of?
A society is made up of a group of people who have similar interests and are living in the same territory. These people interact and identify with one another. So, how is a society formed? They become associated with each other because of cultural, religious, scientific, benevolent, patriotic, political, or other purposes. The people have decided to work together through mutual advantage. Without a society, mankind would have been brutish, short, or nasty. With all the above points you must have understood what is a society made of. (See How does Society Shape the Lives of People inside It?)
2. What are the Types of Society?
Now that you have learned what is a society made of, it’s time to explain its types. Society has undergone a series of changes over years to reach the current modern level. To understand the journey of society, you need to learn about the types of society. To get an idea of how is a society formed, take a look at the following five types of society:
A. Hunting and Gathering Societies
It is one of the oldest societies in the world knows of. Its beginning goes back to about 250,000 years ago but sadly very few such societies exist today because modern society has violated their existence. In such societies, people hunt for their food and gather vegetation and plants. All the society members here are required to help in hunting for food and share the food they acquired. It’s necessary for their survival. They move from one place to another to seek their food. These societies are pretty small with very few people since they are nomadic. These societies are very egalitarian.
B. Horticultural and Pastoral Societies
These societies developed nearly 10000-12000 years ago. Its members raise and herd goats, camels, sheep, and other domesticated animals. They use such animals as their major food source. They also use simple hand tools and hoes to raise crops. They use animals for transportation. Some societies are both horticultural and pastoral while others are either mainly pastoral or horticultural. The population of this society is larger, reaching several hundred members. In such societies, there is disparateness in terms of gender and wealth. These societies have greater conflicts because of wealth.
C. Agricultural Societies
These societies started developing in the Middle East about 5000 years ago. During this time some other major things took place, like, the invention of the wheel, written, language, and the initial use of numbers. The agricultural society marked the pivotal start in the evolution of modern human society. China, Greece, Rome, and Ancient Egypt were major agricultural societies.
Still, today India and many other large nations remain majorly agricultural. These societies have much more food production than the previous societies. They have a large population that sometimes reaches millions. They do a lot of trade and have a great amount of wealth. There is though great inequality in terms of wealth and gender and conflicts are pretty common in such societies.
D. Industrial Societies
During the 1700s the development of factories and machines replaced agricultural equipment as the primary mode of production. This was the time when industrial societies came into existence. Electricity became the main source of power during this time. From 1750 to the late 1800s the industrial revolution happened and changed almost every aspect of society.
There were technological advancements that expanded people’s lifespans and improved their health. These societies had lower gender and economic inequality. Large cities grew during this time but this concentrated poverty and degrading conditions in these cities. Society grew less traditional and more impersonal which led to a lot of urban violence. Today this society pollutes the environment and exhausts natural resources.
E. Post-industrial Societies
This is the society you are currently living in which is the information technology age. In this society, technology is wireless and the economy is based on factories. Its people have more service jobs. These service jobs and information technology have replaced manufacturing jobs and machines. Now the dominant industries are software, computer, and cell phone companies.
3. What are 5 Examples of Society?
The 5 examples of society are as follows:
- Agrarian society
- Tribal society
- Horticultural and pastoral society
- Industrial society
- Post-Industrial society
4. How is a Society Formed?
Social groupings at different levels result in the formation of a society. The levels can vary from countries to small towns, to broader cultural groupings like Western Society. People in such societies form particular social behaviors, customs, traditions, ideas, and cultures. These things make society different from one another. With this, you must understand how is a society formed. (Learn Study: How Human Society Think?)
5. What are Ways of Formation of Society?
After discussing how is a society formed, it’s time to learn about the ways of formation of society. The interaction between different cultures, norms, and rituals results in the formation of society. Different people from different norms and cultures carry a varied range of values and these help them construct a new society. Society and culture are greatly related to each other. To form societies people interact with each other at different levels. They exchange beliefs, laws, customs, art, etc which leads to the formation of a society. (Read How Marriage between Individuals who have Similar Social Characteristics happens?)
6. What are the Main Characteristics of Society?
After knowing how is a society formed, let’s learn about the main characteristics of a society. They are as follows:
- Likeness: It is the primary basis of mutuality between the members of a social group. The members feel mutuality because of things like a family benefit, common lineage, tribal affinity, or compactness due to a common time inculcated between them. Without likeness, it would be impossible for the society members to understand each other because of which any kind of association, intimacy, or comradeship between them would be unthinkable. The likeness is like a link between society.
- Reciprocal Awareness: Reciprocal awareness is the basis of all social actions. The likeness is a fruit of reciprocity. People of mutual likeness differentiate from the ones that are dissimilar to them. Likes and dislikes of society are also associated with social growth. This awareness makes the feeling of unity or we-feeling possible.
- Differences: Just the feeling of likeness is not sufficient to run a society. No two individuals are alike; they differ in terms of their abilities, capacities, interest, tendencies, etc. These differences do not mean conflicts, instead, they strengthen society. If there aren’t any differences between people their social relationship becomes limited and there will be little give and take between them. People will contribute very little to one another. Life in such a society will be boring and monotonous. Thus there doesn’t exist a society that is cent percent organized.
- Interdependence: It is impossible for humans to satisfy their desires in isolation. This is why interdependence is an essential element to constituting society. Humans cannot live alone and need help from others to survive. In the institution of family, there is biological interdependence of the sexes.
- Cooperation: No society can exist if its members do not cooperate and work together for common purposes. The members cannot live a comfortable and happy life without cooperation. It avoids mutual damages and results in the economy. Without cooperation, an entire society can collapse.
- Conflict: It exists in every human society and is equally necessary for the formation of society. Cooperation and conflict need to coexist to form a healthy society. Everything has come into existence due to the process of struggle known as conflict. It is practically impossible to have a conflict-free harmonious society.
7. What is the Nature of Society?
As you are aware of how is a society formed, it’s also important to understand its nature. There is mutual interaction and interrelation between the members of society. Its structure is formed by the relation of its members. Therefore society is not just defined by a group of people. It is defined by the complex patterns of norms of interactions that arise between its members.
Society isn’t a thing or motion rather it’s a process and a motion. The system of relationships is the most important aspect of society. This system helps the members of society maintain themselves. After learning about this let’s further delve into the topic and find out the real purpose of society. (See How can Individuals Contribute to bringing Change in Society?)
8. What is the Real Purpose of Society?
Since you already read about how is a society formed, note that the real purpose of society is to promote a good, happy, and comfortable life for its members. It creates opportunities and conditions for the overall development of its members. Despite the occasional tensions and conflicts between its members, it ensures their harmony and cooperation. (See more on What is the Purpose of Society?)
9. How do Sociologist Explain Society?
Sociologists define society as a group of people with common interests. They have common culture, interaction, and territory. These groups usually have 2 or more members. They also identify and interact with one another. (See How does Society Influence You?)
10. What is the Difference Between Society and Community?
A society is a physical place where as a community can be a virtual or physical place. A society is a group of people who share the same interests, opinions, culture, etc. whereas a community is a group of people living in the social order. To know more, check out what is a community?
