The Concept of Society

THE CONCEPT OF SOCIETY

by Antonio C. Antonio

February 9, 2015

Conventional worldviews say that the smaller parcel of society is the family.  Having said this, does it necessarily follow that a larger group of families automatically make up a society?  In environmental science, human society plays a very influential role… and for this reason, a study of this unit of human association (society) should also be considered.  Some sociologists would look at the family as a sub-group of a larger unit called society.

Human societies are characterized by a set pattern of relationships between individuals who share a distinctive and common culture and institutions.  A society can be described as the sum total of individual relationships between members.  Society is the aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community.  A human society is a group of people involved in persistent interpersonal relationships.  It is also a large social group living in the same geographical or social territory, typically governed by the same political authority and sharing the same culture, customs and traditions.  

It may not be totally accurate to describe a society as simple broad grouping of people.  Yesterday, I attended the Sunday Mass with my family; and with a larger group of people sharing the same common religion.  This group of church-goers does not necessarily represent a society.  The following are the key elements in the concept of society… (1) Society is the broad grouping of people who live in a definite territory; (2) Society is the broad grouping of people must share a common culture; and, (3) Society is the broad grouping of people must consider themselves a social unit.

Of these three key elements in the concept of society mentioned, the most crucial is the “acceptance” of the members of a particular grouping of people that they actually belong to the same social unit.  The concept of society, therefore, is nothing more than a distinct group of people sharing the same territory, governance, culture, customs and traditions and accepting with their minds, spirit and sense that they belong to a larger social unit.  In my simple mind, this is the essentially the concept of society.

Just my little thoughts…

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