Characteristics of Society
Society has the following characteristics:
1. Society is the web of social relations: Social relationship implies reciprocal awareness. A man has multiple relationships with the rest of the social members in order to adjust with social systems. He is within a chain human relationships.
2. Society - The Group of Groups: People collect together to form groups. Such groups combine together to give rise to society. Every society has family, neighbour, village, city, labour association, religious gatherings, Political Parties etc, H.M.Johnson - Has thus remarked that “society is the group of groups”. But it is not just like a crowd. It is a system. It consists of innumerable groups which fulfil the various needs of the people.
3. Society is abstract: If society is viewed as web of social relationships, it is distinct from physical entity which we can see and perceive through senses. Social relationships are invisible and abstract. We can just realize them but cannot see or touch them. Therefore, society is abstract.
4. Likeness and difference in society: Society thrives on a blend of likeness and difference. The complete similarity would restrict relationships and reciprocity. Society forms among those with some shared likeness. While both likeness and difference are vital, likeness takes precedence, playing a key role in society’s formation. Thus, society relies on differences to persist and endure.
5. Cooperation and conflict in society: Cooperation and conflict are universal aspects of human existence. While society relies on cooperation, internal differences can lead to conflict among members. Despite the importance of cooperation, modern conflict theorists like Marx emphasize the role of conflict in society. Conflict prevents stagnation and passivity, but it must be within reasonable limits.
6. Society is a process and not a product: According to Maclver (1931, p. 391), society exists only as a time sequence. It is becoming, not a being; a process but not a product. In other words, as soon as the process ceases, the product disappears. The product of a machine endures after the machine has been scrapped.
7. Society as a system of stratification: Society provides a system of stratification of statuses and classes that each individual has a relatively stable and recognizable position in the social structure.
8. Mutual awareness: When the member of society begins to interrelate, it creates social relations in society. Every member of society is actively aware of each other to establish a relationship for fulfilling their common interests. On the base of relation and awareness of each other, a society is a format. So mutual awareness is an important characteristic of society.
9. Law of interdependence: Every member of society is interdependent in any way. Both nature and necessity impel man to live in society. He cannot stay without society. So, if someone stays in society, he has to keep relations with other members of society. Even though in primitive societies, they have made relations with each other for existence as well as in present society. So society is a law of interdependence.
Society makes our life livable and shapes our attributes, beliefs, morals and ideals. It not only dwells within us, it also around us.
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