Social structure of society and its main elements

Introduction
1. The concept of the social structure of society
2. Social groups
3. Formal and informal groups
4. Social role and social status of a person
5. Ethnic communities
6. Interethnic relations
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

The structure of society, like any natural structure, includes not only individual objects, but also their properties. Society is more than just the sum of individuals, for along with them it includes real relationships that unite people. Therefore, as the simplest definition, it is acceptable to define society as an aggregate of people and their relationships.

The concept of "structure" reflects a certain form of stable ties, relations, a set of social groups and institutions formed on their basis, ensuring the integrity of society and the safety of its properties under various internal and external changes. The structure can be defined as a form of organization of society, internal orderliness, coherence in the relationship of its various parts.

As a relatively independent subject of study, the structure of social communities historically formed in the course of joint activities of people can be singled out, which includes such communities as family, clan, tribe, nation, class, estates, castes, etc. The structure of connections, dependencies, relations between people can also be specially highlighted and considered; they can be investigated in large spheres of the life of society, such as economic, political, spiritual, moral, religious, and aesthetic. Both the relations between people within these spheres and the relations between these spheres themselves can be considered.

It is also possible to analyze society from the point of view of the various institutions existing in it, which arise in order to ensure the stability of social relations. This structure includes countless social institutions: various kinds of manufacturing enterprises, institutions of the cultural sphere, central and local authorities, the health care system, i.e. the entire diverse network of economic, political and cultural institutions and organizations that satisfy various human needs.

Another, universal, synthetic approach to understanding the structure of society, as consisting of individuals, is also allowed; from individual collectives, small groups: from large social groups and their organizations; from individual peoples, nations and states; from international, interstate associations and organizations. With this approach, each individual representative of any of the levels under consideration acts as an element of a more complex structural organization, and each element of the structure is in a system of complex relationships with each other, both vertical and horizontal.

The purpose of the test is to study the structure of society and its elements.

Within the framework of this goal, in the process of writing the work, the following tasks were solved:

1. Explore the concept of the social structure of society.

2. Describe social groups.

3. Describe the social role and social status of the person.

1. The concept of the social structure of society

The concept of social structure refers to the social sphere of society. In the broad sense of the word, the concept of "social" is used as a synonym for the concept of "social" when it comes to opposing biological, natural phenomena. In this case, everything that encompasses the vital activity of human society is social. In the narrow sense of the word, the concept of "social" means a special sphere of social relations that characterize different groups of people as carriers of different types of activity. The social sphere of the life of society acts as a set of social relations and conditions that affect the content and nature of activities, people's behavior and covers the interests of people, social groups, relations between society and the individual. Social relations are relations between people (or groups of people), carried out in accordance with the laws of the social organization of society.

In the structure of any relationship, the following are distinguished:

Subjects (parties between whom relations arise);

Object (something about which relations between subjects arise);

Needs (subject-object relationship);

Interests (subject-subject relationship);

Values ​​(the relationship between the ideals of interacting subjects).

Social relations develop between groups of people, and even when individuals enter into social relations, or relations arise between an individual and a group, an individual and a society, we cannot consider this personality separately, outside the community or society, which prompted certain motives in it, social interests and influenced the formation of its values.

Associations of people in joint activities, during which they acquire similar characteristics and social qualities, are called social communities. The totality of social communities and the system of interconnections and relations between them constitute the social structure of society. Relations between social groups are regulated, ordered by social institutions operating in all spheres of society. Thus, we can say that the social structure of society is a set of interrelated and interacting social groups and institutions.

The social structure of a society is often viewed in terms of the division of society according to class, demographic, and territorial characteristics. In this case, we are talking about the socio-class, socio-demographic, socio-territorial structure of society.

The social-class structure of society is an ordered and stable relationship between elements of the social system, conditioned by the relations of social groups, which are characterized by a certain place and role in material, spiritual production and in political life.

The socio-demographic structure of society is based on its division into groups, according to age, gender. These are, first of all, such groups as youth, pensioners, women, men, etc. Each of these groups is faced with serious social problems. In particular, the problems of employment, crime, drug addiction, AIDS are very acute for young people.

The socio-territorial structure of society is based on its division into territorial communities of different types (urban, rural, settlement, etc.). Territorial communities operate in different conditions of natural and artificial environment, their historical past is different. All this creates unequal conditions for the life and development of people, especially if we compare life in a village and a metropolis. Territorial communities differ in the social composition of the population, the level of its education, general culture and professional training. Many social problems arise from the uneven development of territorial structures, such as unevenness in the provision of the population with housing, hospitals, clubs, theaters, different opportunities to get education and decent work, different accessibility to social and economic infrastructure.

2. Social groups

The social group is one of the main components of the social structure. The social structure consists of a wide variety of social groups. The people who make up these groups participate in intra- and intergroup interactions, which characterizes the sociality of the individual, which can be defined as the involvement of the individual in social interaction through determining his place in the activities of various groups.

In its most general form, a social group can be defined as a collection of people characterized by some common features. Among these signs may be similarity, closeness of living conditions of people, commonality of their needs, the presence of joint activities, interrelated exchange of activities, social identification of community members, their self-assignment to this community, etc. The American sociologist R. Merton defines a social group as a set of people defined in the manner of interacting with each other, realizing their belonging to a given group, and being recognized as members of this group from the point of view of others. In modern sociology, you can find a large number of criteria for dividing into groups, for example, according to the time of the group's existence, the foundations of formation, the nature of organization, the content of the activity, the principle of communication between the members of the group, etc.

Large and small, primary and secondary social groups are distinguished depending on the density, the form of implementation of connections and their constituent members. The main object of sociological research is small social groups, including from a few people to several dozen people, since the results of these studies can be extrapolated to ever larger social communities. A small social group is small in composition, its members are united by common activities and are in direct personal communication.

Primary groups are a type of small social groups. The term "primary groups" was introduced into sociology by the American scientist C. Cooley. Distinctive features of these groups - direct interpersonal contact of their members, characterized by a high level of emotionality. These groups are primary in the sense that it is through them that individuals receive the first experience of social unity. Through the primary group, individuals are socialized, they master patterns of behavior, social norms, values ​​and ideals. Through it, a person realizes his belonging to certain social communities. Examples of primary social groups are family, classroom, group of friends, sports team, etc.

The secondary group is formed from people between whom there is not necessarily an emotional relationship. Their interaction is subordinated to the achievement of certain goals, individually unique personality traits do not matter, the main thing is to perform certain functions. The main type of secondary social group is a large social group formed to achieve certain goals, for example, a political party, a large production collective, etc. any religion, professional affiliation, etc.). The members of a large group may never come into contact with each other. This means that a particular member of the group never comes into contact with all members of the group, although, undoubtedly, he does have contacts with some members of the group, which can be quite intense and wide in scope.

3. Formal and informal groups

Depending on the presence or absence of an official socio-legal status, social groups are divided into formal (official) and informal.

Formal groups are such associations of people that are built on the basis of official documents: charters, office instructions, prescriptions, etc. Members of a formal group are aimed at performing some kind of activity and are in a hierarchical subordination (for example, a production team, a sports team, a military unit, etc.). Formality of groups is manifested not only in the presence of a more or less rigid hierarchy, it usually manifests itself in a clear specialization of members performing their special functions. The formal group is rational, i.e. it is based on the principle of purposefulness, conscious movement towards a certain goal. It is fundamentally impersonal, i.e. is designed for abstract individuals, between whom no relationship is provided, except for the service, passing through a certain program.

Informal groups arise and function spontaneously, based on common interests, goals and values, personal sympathies. Relationships within such a group are largely determined by the individual characteristics of its members. A spontaneously emerging informal group (for example, a yard collective of children, a friendly company, etc.) does not have special documents regulating its functioning. As a rule, the behavior of members of such a group is governed by special unwritten rules. The unification of an informal group is carried out mainly at the expense of the authority of its leader. A formal group can have two leaders, both formal and informal. An informal group only has an informal leader who stands out by virtue of personality traits, the ability to organize and direct its activities, to influence its members.

The division of groups into formal and informal, to a certain extent, is conditional. In any formal group informal relations arise between its members, and such a group splits into several informal groups. In some cases, formal and informal relationships reinforce and support each other, while in other cases, on the contrary, they contradict each other and undermine the overall unity.

4. Social role and social status of a person

Each person living in a society is included in various social groups (family, school class, friendly company, etc.). In each of these groups, he occupies a certain position, certain actions are expected of him. The same person must behave differently in different situations. In one case, he behaves like a father, in another - like a friend, in the third - like an employee, in the fourth - like a customer, etc., that is, he acts in different roles. A person, being in a society, is a reflection of the entire set of relations of a given society. Therefore, a person has not one, but a whole set of social roles that he plays in society. The main social roles include the roles of a citizen, family member, worker, owner, consumer, etc.

There are many different definitions of the concept of "social role". According to the definition of the well-known Russian sociologist I. S. Kon, "a social role is what is expected in a given society from every person who occupies a certain place in the social system." Social roles are usually considered in two aspects: role expectation and role performance. Our roles are determined primarily by what others expect of us. If someone does not play a certain role in accordance with our expectations, then he comes into conflict with society. For example, parents must take care of their children, a police officer must suppress violations of public order. If they do not, then they cause our indignation. In the normative structure of a social role, 4 elements are usually distinguished: 1) a description of the type of behavior corresponding to the given role; 2) claims related to this behavior; 3) assessment of the performance of the prescribed role; 4) sanction - the social consequences of an action within the framework of the requirements of the social system. Social sanctions to their nature can be moral, legal, political, etc. The meaning of social sanctions is to induce a person to a certain type of behavior. They are one of the most important elements of social regulation.

Social status is the position of a person in society, which he occupies in accordance with gender, age, profession, origin, family ties, marital status, income level, education, etc. Varieties of social status are attributed and achieved statuses. Attributed is the status in which a person is born (innate status), but which later is necessarily recognized as such by a society or group. It includes gender, race. In the strict sense, ascribed is any status, obtained not of their own free will, over which the individual has no control. The achieved or acquired status depends on the profession, education, place of work. This status is acquired as a result of a person's choice, his personal efforts and is under his control. These are the statuses of a student, professor, manager, member of a political party, etc.

It is necessary to distinguish between social and personal status. If the social status is associated with the position of a person, which he occupies in society as a representative of a large social group, then the personal status is called the position of a person in a small social group, depending on how he is evaluated and perceived by members of this group (acquaintances, relatives) in accordance with his personal qualities. To be a leader, the soul of a company or an expert means to occupy a certain place in the structure of interpersonal relations, to have a certain personal status.

One person has many statuses, as he participates in many groups and organizations. The collection of all statuses occupied by one person is called a status set. In the status set, there is always a main status. This is the most characteristic this person a status with which other people identify him or with which he identifies himself. Most often, this is a status associated with the main place of work (engineer, professor, lawyer, etc.). In modern society, a person has the opportunity to change his status, receiving education, showing business and scientific activity.

Since social status reflects the level of assessment of a person's position in society, this concept is closely related to the concepts of "prestige" and "authority". Prestige is a special category used to denote the social significance of positions held by different groups or individuals in society. Professions, residential areas and streets, individual houses, resorts, car brands, shops, educational institutions, clothes from famous fashion designers, and other consumer goods can be prestigious in society. Signs that characterize prestige do not always adequately reflect a person's position in certain groups of society. For example, a situation may arise when a person has a prestigious profession, but it does not allow him to provide himself and his family with a decent standard of living, or, conversely, non-prestigious professions and occupations allow a person to receive high incomes or any benefits, providing him with most access to prestigious commodities. The concept of "authority" has a different meaning. It means the recognition by a group or society as a whole of the personal and business qualities of members of the group or society. Authority usually reflects the degree of influence an individual has in a group or society. This is a personal characteristic that is always related to a very specific specific person and is not always associated with prestige. So, in politics or social activities, an academician, an engineer, and a worker can become authoritative.

The concept of social status is very close to the concept of social role. The difference between the two lies mainly in the context in which they are used. If the concept of "social role" is applied mainly to how a person behaves, i.e. to his behavior, the concept of "social status" relates mainly to the social system.

5. Ethnic communities

One of the most significant types of communities in modern world are ethnic communities. The word "ethnos" (Greek) means a tribe, people, clan. Ethnic groups represent one of the most ancient types of social communities of people. The grouping of people according to ethnic principle is based on:

Unity of language, norms of behavior, self-awareness, customs;

Identity of food preferences, forms of housing, style of clothing;

Community of origin and culture;

Settlement area.

An ethnos, as a community, is characterized by specific social institutions - an endogamous family (formed when representatives of one ethnic group marry), the institution of elders, and a cult organization. Ethnic groups act as associations of people, their union, solidarity.

Ethnic culture includes the following social institutions: custom, ritual, religion, morality, law. Culture creates special mechanisms for the accumulation and transmission of the created ethnocultural information from generation to generation. Such mechanisms are language, printing, libraries, museums, television, education and other channels of information transmission. By their means, the most significant information for an ethnos is transmitted - ideals, values, symbols, norms of behavior, etc.

Thus, an ethnos can be defined as a community that is distinguished by specific cultural features that have developed over many centuries and are transmitted through generations.

Within the industrial society, there are two types of ethnic processes caused by interethnic contacts - those that occur without changing ethnic identity (ethno-uniting); and those that cause its changes (ethno-dividing). Among the most widespread at present unification processes are ethnic consolidation, ethnic assimilation and interethnic integration.

Ethnic consolidation is a process of internal cohesion of a rather significant ethnic group, in which the differences between the local groups present in it are smoothed out or the unification of previously territorially disparate parts takes place. Several culturally and linguistically similar neighboring ethnic groups can also consolidate, uniting into one, often turning into a part of this new ethnic group - sub-ethnic groups.

Ethnic assimilation is a process in which a previously independent ethnic group (or part of it) dissolves in the environment of a larger ethnic group. For the assimilated people, this process proceeds with a change in ethnic identity, the loss of language and traditions. Ethnic assimilation is most typical for modern developed countries.

Ethno-separating processes are of two types. This may be the division of a previously unified ethnic group into several parts, each of which perceives itself as a kind of new community. This process is called ethnic divergence. But even if the ethnos is preserved, some part of it can break away from it, potentially capable of growing into an independent ethnos. This process is more widespread today and is called ethnic separation.

The most widespread and all-encompassing ethnic groups in the world are also called different types of ethnic groups. They are characterized by such features as a common gene pool, a long history of coexistence, self-assignment of a subject to a given ethnic group. Thus, we are dealing with both biological and social factors, therefore ethnic groups are also called socio-ethnic or ethnosocial.

The first ethnic group that replaced the primitive horde was the clan - a consanguineous association of people bound by collective labor and joint protection of their interests. The union of several clans constituted a tribe - a type of ethnic community and social organization of people in a pre-class society.

The formation of tribal alliances, accompanied by the strengthening of inter-tribal ties, military clashes, population migration, the emergence of classes and states, led to the gradual mixing of tribes, to the replacement of previous kinship ties with territorial ones and to the emergence of a new ethnic community - the nationality. A nationality is a territorial, linguistic, economic and cultural community of people that has developed on the basis of the slaveholding and feudal modes of production.

With the beginning of the New Age in Europe, with the advancement of commodity-money relations, the formation of the market, the transition to capitalism, nationalities turned into nations. Unlike a nationality, a nation is a more stable community of people, and its stability is given by deep economic factors. Nations arose both from tribes and nationalities related to each other, and from people of unrelated tribes and nationalities. The historical features of the formation and development of a nation, the uniqueness of its economic system, culture, way of life, traditions, geographic environment leave an imprint on the spiritual image of the nation, form specific features of the national character and national identity. Each historically formed nation rises to the realization of its national interests, the characteristics of its culture, traditions, development prospects. She has her own special mentality and form of manifestation of feelings, her own sense of national dignity. All this makes the nation a unique historical entity.

A nation was usually defined as a historically stable community of people, characterized by a common economic life, territory, language, mental makeup. Currently, many scientists conclude that this definition is no longer fully consistent with modern realities. In the basis of the development of a new definition of a nation, these scientists consider it necessary to introduce such a feature as spiritual culture. It is the key feature of a nation, the core that defines its essence. As for the commonality of the mental make-up, it is a derivative of the commonality of spiritual culture. Another important component - the national community of people is their self-awareness, which also belongs to the sphere of spiritual culture. National identity is the core of the national spiritual culture. It is in self-consciousness that a nation defines its common fundamental interests, goals and ideals, its face in the multinational world, its attitude towards other nations and states.

A nation is not only an objective, but also a subjective entity, whose representatives say in relation to themselves: “this is us”, and in relation to others: “this is they”. In most countries of the world, a person himself determines his nationality, i.e. belonging to a particular nation. The entire course of the historical development of ethnic groups testifies to the growing role of sociocultural factors in their functioning. A modern nation can hardly be classified as an ethnic group at all.

6. Interethnic relations

The development of interethnic relations in the modern world is associated with two objectively existing and contradictory tendencies: the tendency towards the unification of nations - interethnic integration, and the tendency towards the independent functioning of each of the nations - national differentiation. Objective reasons for interethnic integration are rooted in the development of economic ties and relations, the deployment of globalization processes. In the course of these processes, nations overcome their isolation, enter into ever closer interaction with each other. Currently, the processes of integration have taken on visible forms in Europe, where already 25 states are members of the European Union. At the same time, the second trend is making itself felt.

These two tendencies operate constantly, but not without conflict. The contradiction between them is the main contradiction in the field of interethnic relations. Others, for example, the contradiction between the interests of individual nations and the interests of society as a whole, follow from the main contradiction. The aggravation of the national question is associated with the contradictions between the growing scientific and technological revolution, which requires maximum cooperation, the international division of labor, and the national identity of states and peoples. Contradictions arise between the nation states themselves due to the presence of specific interests: the use of natural resources, transport communications. Contradictions arise between representatives of different nationalities in labor and other multinational collectives. The reasons for the aggravation of national interests can be of a political, economic, demographic nature.

Where there are national conflicts, the ideology of nationalism and chauvinism always flourishes. Nationalism is the psychology and ideology of national superiority, which are based on the hypertrophy of national feelings. Nationalism often merges with the ideas of the chosenness of a given people, the predetermination of its fate by the Higher Powers. At the same time, to substantiate the idea of ​​national superiority, the facts of the actual history of a given people and the specific properties of its culture are interpreted in a special way. The nationalism of large nations in its most extreme form manifests itself in the form of chauvinism (named after the French grenadier Chauvin, an enthusiastic admirer of Napoleon's policy of conquest, the satirical character of the Cognard brothers' vaudeville “Tricolor cockade”, popular in the 19th century). Chauvinism is expressed in the political, economic, spiritual suppression of other peoples, disregard for their rights and national values. The ways of resolving interethnic problems turn out to be difficult, but they cannot be solved solely by force, military methods. Nothing can replace a political way of resolving conflicts, no matter how difficult and long in each case such a way may be.

When people interact in a multinational society, it is easiest in a conflict situation to blame for all the troubles on the national minority, and that, in turn, on the indigenous nation. Apparently, the harmonization of relations between people in a multiethnic society requires compliance with such conditions as the existence of a rule of law, the refusal of national minorities from separatism, granting compactly settled minorities broad autonomy and self-government, the right to decide their own local affairs, and recognition of the cultural autonomy of territorially dispersed national minorities. The basic principles of modern nationality policy are as follows.

Harmonious combination of national and international interests, finding optimal forms of correlation between national and international.

This means, firstly, the non-admission of legal norms and laws that perpetuate national inequality; secondly, respect for cultural traditions and interests of all national groups; third, condemnation of violence in dealing with national issues; fourth, the restoration of the rights of the repressed peoples.

Rejection of any forms of national chauvinism, special sensitivity and prudence in everything that concerns interethnic communication, affects the national feelings of people.

A multiethnic society is, as a rule, multi-confessional (the Latin word "confession" means religion). People can get along peacefully and interact in such a society only by being guided by the principles of religious tolerance and freedom of conscience. Back in the 17th century. The English philosopher D. Locke, in his famous letters on religious tolerance, put forward the requirements that the state should recognize freedom of religion, provide people with the right of religious self-determination, should not deprive its subjects of civil and political rights, depending on their belonging to a particular confession. In the XVIII century. French writer and philosopher Voltaire proclaimed that freedom of conscience is a right that a person received from nature, and no one can force him in matters of faith, everyone should be allowed to pray in his own way, everyone has the right to profess this or that faith in accordance only with his own conscience ... The principle of freedom of conscience is recognized by all modern democratic states, including Russia. It is important to actually realize freedom of conscience in relations between people. From an early age, it is necessary to foster feelings of mutual tolerance and respect between citizens, professing a religion and not professing it, between followers of different religions.

Conclusion

The structure of the social system acts not only as the relationship of people to each other. The relations of various spheres of social life - economic and socio-political, economic and spiritual, relations of other social spheres - are also structural elements.

Relationships of things can also be structural elements. At the same time, one must not forget, of course, that things are of a social nature. The structure, for example, of such a system as an enterprise, also includes a certain connection, the order of arrangement of machines, mechanisms, the relationship of technological processes, etc.

The structure is also manifested in the relationship of people to things, in particular to the means of production, then the awn in the forms of ownership, which are the most important element of the structure of society. It can also act as the relationship of people to ideas. This is the process of developing, perception, dissemination of ideas by certain groups of people, classes, etc.

There is also a relationship between ideas and ideas, a connection between ideas of various kinds, etc. For example, public consciousness as a system of ideas has certain forms, they, these forms - science, political ideas, art, etc. - are in a certain connection, relationship.

The structure is also the attitude of people to processes - economic, political, etc., the ratio of various processes in society, say revolution and reforms, economic and socio-political processes, etc.

Speaking about the fact that the structure of a social system is diverse, manifests itself in various connections and relationships, it should not be overlooked for a moment that no matter what components are connected in the social whole, and no matter what form the structure appears, it is necessarily, in the final account, manifests itself through people.

Bibliography

1. Belsky V.Yu., Belyaev A.A., Loshakov D.G. Sociology: Textbook / Ed. Cand. Phil. Sciences, Assoc. Loshakova D.G. - M .: INFRA-M, 2002.

University: VZFEI

Content
Introduction 3
1. The concept of "social structure of society" and its elements 4
2. Social relations and types of social structures. Social groups 8
3. Practical exercise 16

What term can be used instead of a title, say - status, rank, rank?
List of used literature 17

Introduction
Modern sociology is an independent science about society as an integral social system, its subsystems and individual elements. Any social phenomenon - be it a family, class, revolution, state or technology of an election campaign - appears as an element of the social system, which is society. Within the framework of this system, all social phenomena and processes taken in their interaction are analyzed.
Meanwhile, any society appears not as something uniform and monolithic, but as internally divided into various social groups, strata and national communities. All of them are in a state of objectively determined ties and relations - socio-economic, political, spiritual.
The problem of the social structure of society is one of the central problems in sociology. It is no coincidence that in a number of scientific works and textbooks published in the West, sociology is defined as the science of the social structure of society, social groups and their influence on human behavior. There are, of course, other interpretations of the subject of sociology. But in all cases, the problem of the social structure of society is given a prominent place. The same can be said about the place of this problem in Russian sociological literature. I will try to outline its main provisions in my test work.

1. The concept of "social structure of society" and its elements
In the study of social phenomena and processes, sociology is based on the principles of historicism. This means that, firstly, all social phenomena and processes are considered as systems with a certain internal structure; secondly, the process of their functioning and development is being studied; thirdly, specific changes and patterns of their transition from one qualitative state to another are revealed. The most general and complex social system is society. Society is a relatively stable system of connections and relations between people, formed in the process of the historical development of mankind, supported by customs, traditions and laws, based on a certain method of production, distribution, exchange and consumption of material and spiritual benefits.
The elements of such a complex social system are people whose social activity is determined by a certain social status that they occupy, the social functions (roles) they perform, social norms and values ​​adopted in this system, as well as individual qualities (social qualities of a person, motives , value orientations, interests, etc.).
All of them are in a state of objectively determined ties and relations - socio-economic, political, spiritual. Moreover, it is only within the framework of these connections and relations that they can exist, manifest themselves in society. This determines the integrity of society, its functioning as a single social organism.
It can be said that the social structure of society is a set of those connections and relations that social groups and communities of people enter among themselves about the economic, social, political and spiritual conditions of their life.
Social structure means the objective division of society into separate strata, groups, different in their social status.
Any society strives to preserve inequality, seeing in it an ordering principle, without which the reproduction of social ties and the integration of the new are impossible. The same property is inherent in society as a whole.
Interaction in society usually leads to the formation of new social relations. The latter can be thought of as relatively stable and independent ties between individuals and social groups.
The development of the social structure of society is based on: 1) the social division of labor and 2) the relationship of ownership of the means of production and its products. The social division of labor determines the emergence and further existence of such social groups as classes, professional groups, as well as large groups consisting of people from town and country, representatives of mental and physical labor. Ownership of the means of production economically reinforces this internal dismemberment of society and the social structure that is taking shape within it. Both the social division of labor and property relations are objective socio-economic prerequisites for the development of the social structure of society.
The division of labor in the life of society, in the emergence of various types of human activity, in the development of material production and spiritual culture, played a large role.
In sociology, the concepts of "social structure" and "social system" are closely related. A social system is a set of social phenomena and processes that are in relationships and connections with each other and form a kind of integral social object. Individual phenomena and processes act as elements of the system.
The concept of "social structure of society" is part of the concept of a social system and combines two components - social composition and social ties.
Social composition is a set of elements that make up a given structure.
The second component is a set of links between these elements. Thus, the concept of social structure includes, on the one hand, the social composition, or a set of different types of social communities as system-forming social elements of society, on the other hand, the social connections of the constituent elements that differ in the breadth of their action, in their significance in the characteristics of social structure of society at a certain stage of development.
The main principle for determining the social structure of society should be the search for real subjects of social processes.
Subjects can be both individual individuals and social groups of various sizes, distinguished for different reasons: young people, the working class, a religious sect, and so on.
From this point of view, the social structure of society can be represented as a more or less stable ratio social strata and groups
The main elements of the social structure of society include:
- classes that occupy different places in the systems of social division of labor, property relations for the means of production and distribution of the social product. Sociologists of different directions agree with this understanding of them;
- people of the city and village;
- representatives of mental and physical labor;
- estates;
- socio-demographic groups (youth, women, and men, older generation);
- national communities (nations, nationalities, ethnic groups).
Almost all of the above social groups and national communities are heterogeneous in composition and, in turn, are divided into separate strata and groups, representing as independent elements of the social structure with their inherent interests, which they realize in interaction with other subjects. So the social structure in any society is quite complex and is the subject of attention not only to sociologists, but also representatives of such science as social management, as well as politicians and statesmen. It is important to understand that without an understanding of the social structure of society, without a clear idea of ​​what social groups exist within it and what their interests are, that is, in what direction they will act, one cannot make a step forward in managing the affairs of society, in that number in the field of economics, social, political and spiritual life. Such is the significance of the problem of the social structure of society. Its solution must be approached on the basis of a deep understanding of social dialectics, scientific generalization of historical and modern data of social practice.

2. Social relations and types of social structures. Social groups
Social relations - the relationship of people to each other, developing in historically defined social forms, in specific conditions of place and time.
Social relations - the relationship between social subjects about their equality and social justice in the distribution of life benefits, the conditions for the formation and development of the individual, the satisfaction of material, social and spiritual needs.
Distinguish between class, national, ethnic, group and personal social relations.
The interrelation of social groups and communities of people existing in society is by no means static, but rather dynamic, it manifests itself in the interaction of people regarding the satisfaction of their needs and the realization of interests. This interaction is characterized by two main factors: first, the very activity of each of the subjects of society, guided by certain motives (it is these that most often need to be identified by the sociologist); secondly, by those social relations that social subjects enter in order to satisfy their needs and interests.
In sociology, a social group is most often understood as an association of people based on their common participation in some activity, connected by a system of relations that are regulated by formal or informal social institutions.
Signs of a social group:
1) the presence of an internal organization;
2) the general (group) goal of the activity;
3) group forms of social control;
4) samples (models) of group activities;
5) intense group interactions.
The last feature is the most important distinguishing feature of a social group and is manifested:
1) in the direct motivation of interactions not by personal needs, but by the interests of the entire group;
2) in the institutionalized nature of these interactions.
In turn, the institutionalization of social interactions in the group is manifested:
1) in the status-role differentiation of group members (each member of the group occupies a certain status within the group and performs the roles corresponding to this status);
2) in the formation of a stable internal structure (hierarchy), ensuring the successful functioning of the group;
3) in the presence of formal and informal relations (group norms, traditions, customs).
We are talking about meeting the needs in the area of ​​the so-called social sphere of human life, the needs of reproduction and development of their vitality and their social self-assertion, which consists, in particular, in ensuring the basic conditions for their existence and development in society. The most important aspect of the functioning of the social sphere of the life of society is the improvement of the social relations arising here between people.
Historically, various types of social structures have evolved depending on the level of development of the division of labor and socio-economic relations.
It is known that the social structure of the slave-owning society was made up of the classes of slaves and slave-owners, as well as artisans, merchants, landowners, free peasants, representatives of mental activity - scientists, philosophers, poets, priests, teachers, doctors, etc. Suffice it to recall the vivid evidence of the development of scientific thought and spiritual culture Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, a number of countries of the East, to make sure how great the role of the intelligentsia in the development of the peoples of these countries. This is confirmed by the high level of development of political life in the ancient world, and the famous Roman private law.
The social structure of feudal society is clearly visible in the development of European countries of the pre-capitalist era. It represented the interconnection of the main classes - feudal lords and serfs, as well as estates and various groups of the intelligentsia. The specified classes, wherever they arise, differ among themselves according to their place in the system of social division of labor and socio-economic relations. Estates occupy a special place. In Russian sociology little attention is paid to the estates. Let's dwell on this issue in a little more detail.
Estates are social groups whose place in society is determined not only by their position in the system of socio-economic relations, but also by established traditions and legal acts. This determined the rights, duties and privileges of such estates as secular feudal lords and clergy. In France, which gave a classic example of the division of feudal society into estates, along with the two indicated estates of the ruling class, there was an unprivileged third estate, which included peasants, artisans, merchants, representatives of the nascent bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Similar estates existed in other countries.
Capitalist society, especially modern one, has its own complex social structure. Within the framework of its social structure, primarily various groups of the bourgeoisie, the so-called middle class and workers, interact. The existence of classes in general is recognized by all more or less serious sociologists, politicians and statesmen in capitalist countries, although some of them make various kinds of reservations regarding the understanding of classes, blurring the boundaries between them, etc.
The experience of building a socialist society in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Asia revealed the main directions of the development of its social structure. Its main elements were considered the working class, the cooperative peasantry, the intelligentsia, the layers of private entrepreneurs that survived in some of these countries (Poland, China), as well as professional and demographic groups and national communities. In connection with a significant deformation of socio-economic relations, the social structure of society has also been deformed. This applies primarily to relations between the social groups of town and country, including between the industrial working class and the peasantry.
The social structure of any society is a rather complex formation. In addition to classes, estates, the intelligentsia, whose role in the modern era of the scientific and technological revolution and the manifold complication of social life is constantly increasing, such demographic groups as youth and women who strive to improve their position in society, to more fully realize their interests. It is known what acuteness national relations have acquired at the present time. In the context of the renewal of society, each nation and nationality strives to realize their economic, political and spiritual interests.
Consider the role of a social group in the development of society and the formation of personality:
1. Socialization. The group is the main factor contributing to a person's survival in society. Babies need adult care for a long time. During this time, they learn some of the skills and many of the requirements for group life. As they get older, they learn the knowledge, concepts, values ​​and rules of behavior inherent in the group to which they belong.
2. The instrumental role of the group. Many groups are formed to do a specific job. These groups are necessary to carry out activities that are difficult or impossible for one person to do (professional groups).
3. The expressive aspect in the formation of the group. Some types of groups are called expressive. They aim to satisfy the desire of group members for social approval, respect and trust. Such groups are formed spontaneously with relatively little outside influence. For example, groups of friends and teenagers who like to play together, etc.
4. Supporting role of the group. People come together not only to carry out joint activities and satisfy social needs, but also to weaken unpleasant feelings. Under the influence of the group, some negative emotions experienced by the members of the group are weakened. However, some, on the contrary, may increase under the influence of the emotions of other members of the group.
When a collection of people becomes a group, norms and roles are formed, on the basis of which the order (or pattern) of interaction is established. Sociologists managed to establish a number of factors influencing their formation. Among these factors, one of the most important is group size.
The efforts of many sociologists are aimed at studying the so-called small groups. They are formed on the basis of the emergence of more or less constant and close contacts between several people or as a result of the disintegration of any large social group. Often, both of these processes occur simultaneously. It happens that a number of small groups appear and operate within the framework of a large social group. The number of people in small groups ranges from two to ten, rarely a little more. Sociologists say the optimal size of small groups is seven people, plus or minus two.
There are also larger groups. Members of larger groups tend to make more valuable suggestions. Larger groups are likely to have less agreement, but also less tension, because their behavior is subordinated to a specific goal, and they have to make an effort to coordinate their actions. In addition, large groups put a lot of pressure on their members to strengthen their conformity. In such groups, there is inequality among the members; everyone experiences more difficulties seeking to participate on an equal basis with others in the discussion of problems and to influence decision-making. Members of large groups often suffer from low group morale and high level absenteeism (non-participation). As a result of the growing gap between leaders and rank-and-file members of groups, rigid, impersonal forms of control can take hold in it, when orders imposed from above replace intimate personal conversation. Finally, factions and feuds can arise in the group.
In Western sociology, functional groups are especially distinguished, which are united depending on the functions and social roles they perform. We are talking about professional groups engaged in political, economic and spiritual activities, about groups of people of different qualifications, about groups occupying different social positions - entrepreneurs, workers, employees, representatives of the intelligentsia, and finally, about groups of urban and rural residents, as well as socio-demographic groups.
A characteristic section of the theory of the social structure of society is the problem of social mobility. We are talking about the transition of people from one social group and strata (strata) to others, for example, from the urban stratum to the rural stratum and vice versa. The social mobility of the population is influenced by such circumstances as changes in living conditions in the city or a change in the type of activity (for example, an entrepreneur devoted himself entirely to politics). All this represents an important moment in the functioning of the social structure of society.
Changes in public opinion regarding the prestige of certain professions and, as a result, changes in professional interests among various groups of people are among the reasons that enhance social mobility. For example, more people are interested in entrepreneurial, political and scientific activities, and much less - in occupation. agriculture... This is the current situation in many countries, including Russia.
The study of social mobility is important not only for scientists, but also for statesmen. It is necessary to better understand the real picture of social movements, to know their causes and main directions in order to control these processes within the limits necessary for society, consciously influencing them in the interests of preserving not only the necessary social dynamics, but also the stability of society and the improvement of people's lives.
Thus, the study of the role, structure and factors of the functioning of social groups is required not only from a purely theoretical point of view, but also for practical application: in production, this will help the manager to improve work efficiency; in the family - to strengthen the bonds that bind family members, etc.
Typology of social groups:
According to the ascriptive (prescribed from birth) sign:
a) racial;
b) ethnic;
c) territorial;
d) related, etc.
By status or professional basis:
a) workers;
b) employees;
c) entrepreneurs, etc.
By the goals of the activity:
a) economic (labor collective);
b) research (a team of scientists);
c) political (party), etc.
By number:
a) small, whose members are purposefully connected with each other and depend on each other;
b) large - groups in which people often not only do not know each other, but also do not have direct contacts (social classes, strata, ethnic groups, professional groups, etc.). Large groups are often called communities (ethnic community, professional community).
By the nature of intragroup ties:
a) formal - associations of people, mediated not by personal interests, but by external legislative prescriptions (labor collective, military unit) (signs of a formal group: 1) a rational goal set most often from the outside; 2) prescribed functions, implying the presence of positions, rights, duties, sanctions for violations; 3) a clear social and professional structure that determines the formal relationship between group members);
b) informal - associations of people at their will, mutual sympathy and common interests. Formal and informal groups may coincide in some cases. Within the formal group, informal groups (friends, lovers, accomplices) often arise.
On various grounds that determine the stability of this group formation:
a) ethnic (racial);
b) cultural (subcultural);
c) with certain types and structures of intragroup relationships;
d) performing certain functions;
e) solving certain problems, etc.

3. Practical task
In the Guinness Book of Records it is written that Diana Ross bears the title of "the most popular singer of all times and peoples" (AIF, 1995 p. 24).
What term can be used instead of a title, say - status, rank, rank? In order to answer this question, it is necessary to give definitions to the concepts of title, status, rank, rank.
Title - an honorary title (for example, count, duke), hereditary or assigned to individuals (usually nobles) to emphasize their special, privileged position and requiring an appropriate title (for example, Excellency, Highness). It became widespread in the class-feudal society, and in some countries (for example, Great Britain) the title is preserved to this day.
The title is the level of a specialist's career officially fixed by the state in various fields.
Status is an abstract polysemantic term, in a general sense, denoting a set of stable values ​​of the parameters of an object. From a simplistic point of view, the status of an object is its state.
Rank is a category, degree of distinction, special rank, rank, level in any hierarchy.
Having analyzed all the concepts, we can say that instead of the term title, the term rank can be used, because it is the most accurate synonym for title.

Bibliography:
1. Kozyrev G.I. "Fundamentals of Sociology and Political Science": textbook. - M. Publishing House "Forum": INFRA-M, 2007.
2. Sociology: Textbook / Ed. prof. V.N. Lavrinenko - M .: Publishing house "UNITI", 1998.
3. Encyclopedic Dictionary / Comp. A.P. Gorkin - M .: Eksmo Publishing House; Great Russian Encyclopedia, 2003.
4. 1. Antov A. The concept of "social structure" in modern sociology. - Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix, 2004.
5. 2. Zaslavskaya TI Stratification of modern Russian society. - M .: BEK, 2004.
6. 3. Ivanchenko G.V. Fundamentals of Sociology: Textbook. manual. For students of secondary and specialized uch. head - M .: Logos, 2002.
7. 4. Komarov M.S. Introduction to Sociology. - M .: Logos, 2004.
8. 5. Kravchenko A.I. Social stratification. - SPb .: Peter, 2003.

To fully familiarize yourself with the abstract, download the file!

Social structure is a certain way of communication and interaction of elements of a social system, i.e. individuals and social. groups, communities, occupying certain social positions (statuses) and performing certain social functions (roles) in accordance with the accepted in this social. system of a set of norms and values. The social structure expresses the objective division of society on the basis of their status characteristics into groups, socio-territorial, ethnic and other communities, etc. The social structure expresses the objective division of society into communities, classes, groups, strata, etc., indicating the different position of people in relation to each other according to numerous criteria. Each element of the social structure, in turn, is a complex social system with its own subsystems and connections. In sociology, there are a large number of social concepts. structure of society, historically one of the first is the Marxist. The main place here is given to the social-class structure. According to this doctrine, the social-class structure is the interaction of three main elements: classes, social strata and social groups. The division of society into classes is due to the result of the social division of labor and the formation of private property relations. At the heart of the development of social. the structure of society are: 1. social division of labor and 2. ownership relations for the means of production and its products. The social division of labor determines the emergence and further existence of such social groups as classes, professional groups, as well as large groups of people in cities and villages, as well as mental and physical labor. The relations of ownership of the means of production have economically consolidated this internal dismemberment of society and the social structure that is taking shape within it. Both the social division of labor and property relations are objective socio-economic prerequisites for the development of the social structure of society.

The elements of the social structure are:

1.individuals and social. community

2.connections and relationships between them

3.social institutions

Social communities are structures that unite its members on the basis of belonging to the unifying criterion.

Social institutions are highly organized social. systems characterized by a stable structure, integration of elements and functionality.

The social structure in any society is quite complex and is the subject of attention not only to sociology, but also to such science as social management, as well as politicians and statesmen. Without clarification of the social. the structure of society, without a clear idea of ​​what social groups exist within it and what their interests are, that is, in what direction they will act, it is impossible to effectively manage the affairs of society. The relationship of social services existing in society. groups and communities are by no means static, but rather dynamic and manifests itself in their interaction regarding the satisfaction of their needs and the realization of their interests. There are two main aspects to this interaction. First, the very activity of each of the subjects of society, guided by separate impulses. Secondly, those social relations in which social services enter. subjects for the sake of satisfying their needs and interests.

on the course: Sociology

topic: Social structure of society and its elements

Introduction

1. Society as a social system. The structure and forms of social interaction

2. Institutionalization and its stages. Types and functions of social institutions

3. Social communities, groups and organizations

4. The social structure of society and the basis for its classification

Conclusion

List of used literature

Introduction

I chose the topic "The social structure of society and its elements" because I believe that this issue concerning society occupies one of the main places in sociology.

The question of what society is, what is its place and role in people's lives, has always been in the focus of sociology.

Throughout the history of sociology, these were one of its most important problems, the consideration of which is the main task of the implementation of this essay.

From the point of view of Karl Marx, society is a historically developing set of relations between people that develop in the process of their joint activity. But there are many other definitions of society, as well as its structure and elements, which I will consider in this essay.

1. Society as a social system

The structure and forms of social interaction

Scientists have been studying society, its essence, basic elements and patterns of development for more than one millennium. Many discoveries in this area were made already in the 4th century. BC. the ancient Greek sage Plato, who tried to create a theory of an ideal state - a perfect human society.

The development of ideas about society as a system is closely related to the development of natural and social sciences in the 18th-19th centuries.

Advances in the development of biology in the 19th century, in particular the emergence of the evolutionary theory of Charles Darwin, made it possible to overcome the mechanical ideas about the structure of society and contributed to the spread of "Organismic"(from the word "organism") the model, along with which concepts came to social science "Organic whole", "self-regulation", "morphological structure" etc.

Under " social system»In modern sociology it is customary to understand an ordered, built, as a rule, hierarchically set of individuals, social groups, communities, organizations, united by stable connections and relationships, interacting with the environment as a whole.

Along with the concept of "social system" in modern sociology, the category "society" is used. " Society»Can be defined as a socio-cultural system that differs from other associations of people - groups, communities, organizations - by the duration of existence and self-sufficiency, i.e. possessing all the necessary resources for its reproduction and development.

The most complete definition of the characteristics of society belongs to the American sociologist Edward Shiels. In his opinion, the concept of "society" is applicable to any historical era and any association of people if:

The association lasts longer than the average life span of an individual;

It is not part of any larger social system;

It has a territory of residence that it considers its own;

It has its own name and its own history;

Marriages are concluded mainly between representatives of this association;

It is replenished mainly due to natural growth, i.e. the birth of children within the association;

It is united by a common system of values ​​(customs, traditions, norms, laws, rules, morals), which is called culture;

The association has its own management system.

In this regard, it is important to emphasize the difference between the concepts of "society" and "social system" from the concept of "population", which is widely used in geography, demography, and less often in sociology. " Population»Is defined as a set of people living in a common area.

The categories "society" and "social system" are central categories of sociology, but they describe complex social phenomena, and therefore cannot be initial categories of the system of sociological knowledge.

The initial category of the system of sociological knowledge can only be a category that is a model of the simplest social phenomenon, which logically and historically(genetically) preceded the emergence of society, any social system.

In order for a social system to exist, at least two people are needed, connected with each other by various social interactions.

Contemporary sociology defines social interaction as a system of interdependent social actions associated with cyclical dependence, in which the action of one subject is both a cause and a consequence of the response actions of other subjects.

P.A. Sorokin singled out the following elements of social interaction ¹:

1) subjects of interaction;

2) mutual expectations of the subjects of interaction;

3) purposeful activity of each of the parties;

4) conductors of social interaction.

Classification of forms of social interaction carried out on various grounds.

Depending on the number of participants:

The interaction of two people with each other (two comrades);

Interaction between one and many (lecturer and audience);

The interaction of many, many (cooperation of states, parties, etc.)

Depending on the similarities or differences in the qualities of the participants in the interaction:

Same or different genders;

One or different nationalities;

Similar or different in terms of wealth, etc.

Depending on the nature of the acts of interaction:

One-sided or double-sided;

Solidary or antagonistic;

Organized or unorganized;

Template or non-template;

Intellectual, sensual or volitional.

Depending on the duration:

Short-term or long-term;

With short or long term effects.

Depending on the nature of the conductors - direct or indirect.

Depending on the frequency of repetitions and stability in sociology, the following are distinguished types of social interaction: social contacts, social relations, social institutions.

Under social contact in sociology, it is customary to understand the type of short-term, easily interrupted social interaction caused by the contact of people in physical and social space.

Social contacts can be categorized for different reasons. The types of social contacts are most clearly distinguished by S. Frolov. He structured them in the following order:

Spatial contacts helping the individual to determine the direction of the intended contact and orientate in space and time. Two types of spatial contacts:

1. Intended spatial contact when a person's behavior changes due to the assumption of the presence of individuals in any place. For example, a driver slows down when he sees a poster "There is a video surveillance and speed control system on this section of the road."

2. Visual spatial contact, or the contact of "silent presence", when the behavior of an individual changes under the influence of visual observation of other people.

Contacts of interest emphasize the social selectivity of our choice. For example, when attacking you, you will look for a person with great physical strength or power.

Exchange contacts. This is already a higher stage in the desire of individuals for social interaction. The main thing that is emphasized in the analysis of this type of contacts is the absence in the actions of individuals of the goal to change the behavior or other socially significant characteristics of each other, i.e. the attention of individuals is so far focused not on the result of the connection, but on the process itself.

« Social relationships"- sequences," chains "of repetitive social interactions, correlated in their meaning with each other and characterized by stable norms and patterns of behavior.

The next type and a qualitatively new level of development of social interaction is a social institution.

2. Institutionalization and its stages

Types and functions of social institutions

The development of human society cannot be chaotic. From this point of view, history is a process of ordering, consolidation of socially significant types of social relations.

The process of identifying and consolidating certain social relations, social norms, rules, statuses and roles, bringing them into a system focused on satisfying essential for society (at this historical stage of development) needs is defined in sociology as “ institutionalization". Its result is the formation of social institutions.

Social institutions are called social relations that have turned into an ordered system of social ties, norms and roles, which unites significant social values ​​and procedures that satisfy the basic needs of society. Institutions do not depend on the personal qualities of the participants in the interaction.

Not all social relations in their development turn into institutions. Social practice selects and consolidates only those relations between individuals, social groups that become vital for the functioning of society as a complex social system.

The process of institutionalization is the process of the emergence of the new, which is always assessed from the position of the historically formed needs of society, that is, from the position of the “developed old”.

Formalizing the process of institutionalization, there are several stages that are necessary inherent in the formation of social institutions:

1. The emergence of a need, the satisfaction of which requires joint organized actions.

2. Formation of common goals.

3. The emergence of social norms and rules in the course of spontaneous social interaction, carried out by trial and error.

4. The emergence of procedures related to the rules and regulations.

5.Institutionalization of norms and rules, procedures, i.e. recognition of their public importance.

6. Establishment of a system of sanctions to maintain norms and rules, differentiation of their application in individual cases, creation of a mechanism of social control.

7. Creation of a system of statuses and roles, covering all members of the institute without exception.

The result of the process of institutionalization is considered to be the establishment of a clear status-role structure, socially approved by the majority of participants in this social process. The institutionalization process is the process of finding compromises and reaching agreement between different social groups.

The successful operation of social institutions largely depends on the implementation of a certain set of conditions:

1. The presence of specific social norms and prescriptions that regulate the behavior of people within the framework of this institution.

2. Its integration into the socio-political, ideological and value structure of society, which, on the one hand, provides a formal and legal basis for the activities of the institution, and on the other, allows social control over institutionalized types of activity.

3. The availability of material resources and conditions to ensure the successful implementation of regulatory requirements by institutions and the implementation of social control.

Each social institution has both specific features and common with other institutions. signs... First, these are attitudes and patterns of behavior. Secondly, cultural symbols. The cultural symbol of an institution can be any material or non-material element of culture, which expresses in the most concentrated form the main specific features of this institution, which form its integral image.

Thirdly, social institutions have utilitarian cultural features: the family has a hearth, a Russian stove, an electric stove.

The fourth feature of institutions is oral or written codes of conduct. People involved in institutions must assume their respective roles.

The fifth sign of social institutions is the presence of ideology. Ideology can be roughly described as a system of ideas that is sanctioned by a set of norms.

Social institutions, regardless of what social relations they reflect (economics, politics, culture, religion, law, family), perform general institutional functions. In sociology, it is customary to distinguish explicit (historically recognized, clearly distinguished and easily recognizable functions) and latent (hidden, not officially recognized) functions.

Explicit functions of social institutions:

1. Isolation, consolidation and reproduction of social relations

Society as a social system through social institutions establishes the norms and rules of behavior of individuals, enshrined in the relevant documents. Adherence to these rules ensures stability in society and the possibility of the development of an individual as a person.

2. Communicative function

This function is necessary to maintain the activities of a social institution at the proper level and to implement the internal interconnection of all its parts. In addition, any social institution is interested in obtaining external information about the activities of other social institutions.

3. Integrative function(function of preserving the integrity of a social institution)

This function is aimed at ensuring cohesion in the course of institutionalization, strengthening internal and external ties between team members. The integration function consists of three main elements:

1) consolidation, or combination, efforts;

2) mobilization of private resources of group members to achieve common goals;

3) the compatibility of the personal goals of individuals with the goals of others or the group as a whole.

4. Regulatory function

This function ensures the development of common socially significant patterns of behavior. The main institution designed to reproduce common patterns of behavior (social ideal) is the institution of culture.

Latent functions are functions that appear in the process of institutionalization, but have not become fundamental for this process.

3. Social communities, groups and organizations

Various types of social systems arise as a result of social interaction. Indeed, in the process of interaction between people, stable connections and relations are formed, which give a new quality to individuals previously independent from each other - they create a "collective unity" (the term of PA Sorokin), which interacts with the environment as a whole. As a result of regular interaction, a couple of lovers form a family, several football fans form a team, a set of believers form a religious community, several workers form a labor artel, etc. Strengthening mutual ties, establishing more stable relationships and the evolution of social communities are two sides of a single process of interaction between people. The interaction of communities and groups results in the social structure of society.

The most general, abstract category of sociology, describing the diversity of forms of uniting people, is the concept “ social community»- a set of people united by common conditions of existence, who have established regular stable interaction with each other.

The main types of social communities are:

1) nominal community;

2) mass community (quasigroup);

3) social group;

4) social organization (organized group).

Nominal community Is a special social category. Unlike all other types of social communities, it does not arise naturally as a result of social interactions and, therefore, strictly speaking, it cannot be called a community. A nominal community is a set of people united by common social characteristics, the relationship between which is established by the researcher in order to solve any scientific problem. These people can have a huge number of common features: eye color, hair color, love of animals, etc., but never interact with each other. The term "nominal community" exists as a tribute to the scientific tradition and has a more accurate synonym " social aggregate ».

Mass community (quasigroup)- this is a really existing set of people, randomly united by common conditions of existence and does not have a stable goal of interaction. The main characteristic features of mass communities can be considered:

Spontaneity of occurrence;

Instability, temporary coincidence of interests;

Uncertainty in composition and boundaries;

The unification of individuals by external conditions of existence;

Inability to enter as elements in other social communities.

Quasigroups most often exist for a short time, after which they either finally disintegrate or, under the influence of the situation, turn into stable social groups. Sociologists and social psychologists distinguish the following types of mass communities: audience, crowd, social circles.

1) Audience... An audience is understood as a social community of people, united by interaction with a communicator - an individual or a group that owns information and brings it to this community. The audience can carry out both direct interaction with the communicator (for example, listening to a street speaker, announcement of the manager in a store or other public places), and indirect, anonymous (for example, the influence of the media).

Most characteristic feature audience is almost one-way interaction, weak Feedback audience with a communicator, especially a large audience. Any audience tends to be divided into separate communities, in which mutual communication and exchange of opinions about the information received begin.

2) Crowd... A crowd is, as a rule, an unstructured gathering of people connected by a similarity of emotional state and a common object of attention. If the crowd has a structure, then it is very simple and rarely more complex than the division into leaders and everyone else. But the crowd is more than a simple aggregation of individuals. Physically limited space leads to social interaction even when people in a crowd try to avoid interpersonal contact. More often than not, crowds have certain characteristics in common:

1. Suggestibility... People in the crowd tend to be more suggestible than those outside. They are more likely to accept the opinions, feelings and actions of the majority.

2. Anonymity... The individual feels insignificant and unrecognizable in the crowd. The crowd often acts as a whole, and its individual members do not stand out and do not perceive themselves as individuals.

3. Spontaneity... The people who make up the crowd tend to behave more spontaneously than under normal circumstances. As a rule, they do not think about their actions, and their behavior in a crowd depends solely on emotions.

4. Invulnerability... Since the people who make up the crowd are anonymous, they begin to feel out of social control, realizing that it is difficult to "get to" them. For example, when violent football fans commit acts of vandalism, each of those involved disclaims responsibility by acting together as one.

Crowds can be divided into several types, depending on the way they are formed and behavior:

1. Random crowd does not have any structure.

2. Conditioned crowd- a meeting of people, planned in advance and relatively structured. For example, a crowd gathered for a performance behaves differently in a theater, a stadium, a meeting, etc.

3. Expressive crowd, Is a social quasigroup, which is usually organized for the purpose of obtaining personal pleasure from its members. For example, dancing.

4. Acting crowd- a crowd with extreme types of behavior.

The gathering- an emotionally agitated crowd tending to violent actions.

3) Social circles... Social circles are social communities created for the purpose of exchanging information between their members. These communities do not set any common goals, do not undertake joint efforts, and do not have an executive apparatus. The main function of social circles is to exchange views, news, comments, arguments. We can say metaphorically that circles are communities of people discussing.

There are several types of social circles, mainly represented in the classification of J. Schepansky.

1. Contact circles- these are social communities of people who constantly meet at sports competitions, in transport or in queues. The presence of a common interest in the topic of discussion allows them to make fleeting acquaintances or exchange opinions on issues of interest to them.

2. Professional circles, or circles of colleagues are social communities whose members gather to exchange information solely on a professional basis. They arise within the framework of formalized groups at enterprises, symposia, meetings, conferences, among workers, engineers, scientists, artists.

3. Friendship circles- these are social communities for the exchange of information that arise among individuals united by relations of friendship. Usually, friendly social circles mean companies that meet from time to time and discuss pressing problems or are in correspondence.

4. Status social circles- social communities formed due to the exchange of information among individuals with the same or similar statuses. An example of such a community can be considered aristocratic circles, circles of outcasts (homeless people).

All social circles can have leaders, i.e. persons who accumulate, generalize various opinions and statements that are important for members of a given circle and affect their behavior. These leaders are informal and lack the ability to control the behavior of members of the social circle.

Social circles are the basis for the formation of active social groups. Such actions are especially vividly observed in politics, during the formation of political parties.

Social group- a set of people united on the basis of joint activities, common goals and having an established system of norms, values, life orientations, stable patterns of behavior, thanks to which individuals develop a sense of group solidarity.

A social group is characterized by a number of specific features:

Stability, duration of existence;

Definition of composition and boundaries;

General system of values ​​and social norms;

Awareness of their belonging to a given social community;

The voluntary nature of the association of individuals (for small social groups);

Unification of individuals by external conditions of existence (for large social groups);

The ability to enter as elements into other social communities.

According to the number (mass participation of participants) and the nature of relations, social groups are subdivided into big and small .

The main difference between a small social group and a large one lies in the possibility of direct emotional contacts between members of the group, in personal relationships between individuals, and, therefore, in a clear distribution of them according to social status and roles. The family is a classic example of a small social group. Its number is 2-15 people. According to the type of influence of the community on the process of socialization of the individual, sociologists distinguish primary and secondary social groups.

Primary social groups constitute, as it were, the immediate environment of the individual and are subjects of primary socialization (family, company of friends, classmates, like-minded people).

Secondary social groups characterized by an impersonal, one-sided, utilitarian nature of interactions between individuals, indirectly affecting the process of socialization. For example, a sports club, a collective of philatelists, a combined team of school chess players.

4. The social structure of society and the basis for its classification

If the concept of "social system" indicates the relationship between many individuals that transform them into a qualitatively new set - "collective unity", then the category "social structure" reflects the nature of ordered and interdependent relationships between elements of the social system, describes the composition of the elements and "internal structure »The human community.

Social structure - in the broadest sense of the word - means the totality of relations between different social groups, communities, organizations and social institutions that ensure stability in society.

In the process of their own reproduction, people enter into certain social relations, primarily production ones, unite into groups, cooperate, and distribute functions. The dominant mode of production in a given historical period determines the nature of the social structure of a given society.

The classification of various aspects and elements of the social structure depends on the tasks solved by sociologists and the chosen grounds. Social structure can be viewed in the following respects:

1) historical, from the point of view of the evolution of society, its development; the elements of such a structure are stages of world history, stages of development of individual countries and peoples;

2) functional, i.e. as an ordered system of forms of social activity that ensure the functioning and development of society; at the same time, the units of analysis are separate spheres of the social division of labor (economics, politics, law, morality, the system of education and upbringing);

3) institutional, as a system of links between social institutions that ensure the satisfaction of the most important social needs;

4) as the social composition of society, from the point of view of connections and relations between various social communities, groups, organizations, distinguished on a variety of grounds (socio-demographic, socio-territorial, national-ethnic, stratification and other structures of society);

5) as a hierarchy of social statuses, each of which corresponds to a set of rights, responsibilities and certain social roles;

6) as a certain system of socio-cultural orientation of individual and collective actions; the units of analysis in this approach to social structure are the elements of social action (goals and means, motives and incentives, norms and patterns of behavior, etc.).

There are other possible, derived from the above, grounds for the typologization of the social structure of society. In relation to the labor process, the whole society can be divided into “those employed in social production” and “dependents” (children, students, pensioners, etc.). In relation to legal norms, the entire population can also be divided into groups with: 1) conformal (law-abiding) behavior; 2) deviant (deviant) behavior; 3) delinquent (criminal) behavior.

These approaches to the social structure of society can be considered as different, complementing each other, its elements, each of which allows both theoretical and empirical analysis.

The social structure of society is not something fixed and unchanging. It is influenced by many factors that can be both functional and dysfunctional in nature. These include all kinds of internal conflicts and mutual influences of heterogeneous external structures (clash of local cultures or interests). Social structures, different in terms of the level and type of their development, are able to adapt internal and external influences to an unequal degree.

The stability of the social structure of society and its adaptive capabilities change in the process of its development. In this case, two interrelated processes take place:

1. "Horizontal" differentiation of functions between separate complementary spheres of social activity (for example, the division of spheres of social production, the emergence of new spheres of activity);

2. "Vertical", hierarchical differentiation of functions between different levels of social management (for example, the corresponding differentiation of social institutions, mechanisms of social control and programs of the social system).

Summing up the above, it is necessary to emphasize the enormous importance of studying the social structure of modern, and above all, Russian society. Not a single serious, socially significant institution or organization can do today without a competent sociologist who monitors trends in the development of this particular team and society as a whole.

Conclusion

Thus, having completed an essay on the topic "The social structure of society and its elements" I answered the main questions of sociology in relation to society.

I gave a definition of society, defined its place and role in people's lives, examined the social structure of society and its elements.

The constituent elements of society are people, social connections and actions, social interactions and relationships, social institutions and organizations, social groups, communities, social norms and values, and others. Each of them is in a more or less close relationship with others, occupies a specific place and plays a specific role in society.

In this regard, I identified and considered the tasks of sociology - to determine the structure of society, to give a scientific classification of its most important elements, to find out their relationship and interaction, place and role in society as a social system.

List of used literature

1. Belsky V.Yu., Belyaev A.A., Loshakov D.G. Sociology: Textbook / Ed. Cand. Phil. Sciences, Assoc. Loshakova D.G. - M .: INFRA-M, 2002.

2. Radugin A.A., Radugin K.A. Sociology: A course of lectures. - M .: Vlados, 1995.

3. Toshchenko Zh.T. Sociology. General course. - 2nd ed. - M .: Prometheus, 2002.

4. Sociology. Tutorial... / Ed. doc. Phil. Sciences, prof. Tadevosyana E.V. M .: Knowledge, 1995.

With the advent of people, they began to unite into tribes and clans, from which, after thousands of years, peoples and societies were formed. They began to populate and master the planet, leading at first a nomadic lifestyle, and then, settling in the most favorable places, organized a social space. Further filling it with objects of labor and life of people became the beginning of the emergence of city-states and states.

For tens of thousands of years, a social society has been formed and developed in order to acquire the features that it has today.

Defining social structure

Each society goes through its own path of development and formation of the foundations of which it consists. To understand what a social structure is, one should take into account that it is a complex interconnection of the elements and systems functioning in it. They constitute a kind of skeleton on which society stands, but at the same time it tends to change, depending on conditions.

The concept of social structure includes:

• elements that fill it, that is, various types of communities;
• social ties that affect all stages of its development.

The social structure consists of a society divided into groups, strata, classes, as well as ethnic, professional, territorial and other elements. At the same time, it is a reflection of the relationship between all of its members, based on cultural, economic, demographic and other types of ties.

It is people who, creating not arbitrary, but permanent relationships with each other, form the concept of social structure as an object with established relationships. Thus, a person is not completely free in his choice, being part of this structure. He is limited by the social world and the relationships established in it, into which he constantly enters in various spheres of his activity.

The social structure of society is its framework, within which there are various groups that unite people and put forward some requirements for their behavior in the system of role relationships between them. They may have some limits that must not be violated. For example, a person working in a team where they did not impose strict requirements on the appearance of employees, having got to another job, where they are, will fulfill them, even if he does not like it.

Distinctive features of the social structure are the presence of real subjects that create certain processes in it. They can be both separate individuals and different segments of the population and social communities, regardless of their size, for example, the working class, religious sect or intelligentsia.

The structure of society

Each country forms its own social system with its inherent traditions, norms of behavior, economic and cultural ties. Any such society has a complex structure based on the relationship of its members and the relationship between castes, classes, strata and strata.

It is made up of large and small social groups, which are usually called associations of people united by common interests, work activities or the same values. Large communities are distinguished by the amount of income and the methods of obtaining it, by social status, education, occupation, or other characteristics. Some scholars call them "strata", but the concepts of "stratum" and "class" are more common, for example workers, who make up the largest group in most countries.

Society at all times had a clear hierarchical structure. For example, 200 years ago, estates existed in some countries. Each of them had their own privileges, property and social rights, which were enshrined in law.

Hierarchical division in such a society operates vertically, passing through all the available types of ties - politics, economics, culture, professional activity. As it develops, groups and estates change in it, as well as the internal relationship of their members. For example, in medieval England, an impoverished lord was more respected than a very wealthy merchant or merchant. Today, ancient noble families are honored in this country, but they are more admired by successful and wealthy businessmen, athletes or people of art.

Flexible social system

A society in which there is no caste system is mobile, since its members can move from one layer to another both horizontally and vertically. In the first case, the social status of a person does not change, for example, he simply moves from one position to a similar one in another job.

Moving vertically implies an increase or decrease in social or financial status. For example, a person with an average income occupies a leadership position that generates incomes that are much higher than previous ones.

In some modern societies, there are social inequalities based on financial, racial or social differences. In such structures, some layers or groups have more privileges and capabilities than others. By the way, some scholars believe that inequality is a natural process for modern society, as a large number of people with outstanding abilities, talents and leadership qualities gradually emerge in it, which become its foundation.

Types of social structures of the ancient world

The formation of society throughout the history of human development directly depended on the division of labor, the level of development of people and socio-economic relations between them.

For example, during the primitive communal system, the social structure of a society was determined by how useful the representatives of the tribe or clan were to the rest of its members. The sick, the elderly and the crippled were not kept if they could not make at least some feasible contribution to the well-being and safety of the community.

The slave system is another matter. Although it was divided into only 2 classes - slaves and their masters, the society itself consisted of scientists, merchants, artisans, the army, artists, philosophers, poets, peasants, priests, teachers and representatives of other professions.

On the example of Ancient Greece, Rome and a number of countries of the East, one can trace how the social society of that time was formed. They had well-developed economic and cultural ties with other countries, and the strata of the population were clearly divided into representatives of various professions, into free and slaves, into those in power and legalists.

Types of social structures from the Middle Ages to the present day

What is the social structure of feudal society can be understood by tracing the development of the European countries of that period. It consisted of 2 classes - feudal lords and their serfs, although society was also divided into several estates and representatives of the intelligentsia.

Estates are social groups that occupy their position in the system of economic, legal and traditional ties. For example, in France there were 3 estates - the secular (feudal lords, nobility), the clergy and the largest part of society, which included free peasants, artisans, merchants and traders, and later - the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.

The capitalist system, especially the modern one, has a more complex structure. For example, the concept of the middle class arose, which formerly included the bourgeois, and today they are merchants and entrepreneurs, and highly paid employees and workers, and farmers, and representatives of small businesses. Belonging to the middle class is determined by the level of income of its members.

Although this category includes a large part of the population in highly developed capitalist countries, representatives of big business have the greatest influence on the development of the economy and politics. Separately, there is the class of the intelligentsia, especially the creative, scientific, technical and humanitarian. Thus, many artists, writers and representatives of other intellectual and creative professions have an income characteristic of big business.

Another type of social structure is the socialist system, which should be based on equal rights and opportunities for all members of society. But the attempt to build advanced socialism in Eastern, Central Europe and Asia led many of these countries to poverty.

A positive example is the social system in countries such as Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and others, which are based on capitalist relations with full social protection of the rights of its members.

The constituent parts of the social structure

To understand what a social structure is, you need to know what elements are included in its composition:

1. Groups that bring together people with a common interest, values, professional activities or goals. More often they are perceived by those around them as communities.
2. Classes are large social groups that have their own financial, economic or cultural values, based on their inherent code of honor, behavior and interaction of their representatives.
3. Social strata are intermediate and constantly changing, emerging or disappearing social groups that do not have a clearly expressed connection with the means of production.
4. Strata are social groups limited by some parameter, for example, profession, status, income level, or other characteristic.

These elements of the social structure determine the composition of society. The more there are, the more complex its design, the more clearly the hierarchical vertical is traced. The division of society into various elements is noticeable in the attitude of people to each other, depending on the criteria inherent in their class. For example, the poor dislike the rich because of their financial superiority, while the latter despise them for their inability to make money.

Population

System different types communities with strong internal ties between their members - this is what the social structure of the population is. There are no rigid criteria that separated people in them. These can be both main and non-main classes, layers, strata within them and social groups.

For example, before the arrival of Soviet power in Ukraine, most of its population was made up of artisans and individual peasants. A third was represented by landowners, wealthy peasants, merchants and workers, while there were very few employees. After collectivization, the population of the country already consisted of only three layers - workers, employees and peasants.

If we consider the historical stages of development of countries, then the absence of a middle class, namely entrepreneurs, small businesses, free artisans and wealthy farmers, led them to impoverishment and a sharp economic contrast between strata of society.

The formation of the "middle peasants" contributes to the growth of the economy, the emergence of a whole class of people with a completely different mentality, goals, interests and culture. Thanks to them, the poorer stratum receives new types of goods and services, jobs and higher wages.

Today, in most countries, the population consists of the political elite, clergy, technical, creative and humanitarian intelligentsia, workers, scientists, farmers, entrepreneurs and representatives of other professions.

Social system concept

If for the sages who lived 2500 years ago, this term meant the orderliness of life in the state, today the social system is a complex formation, which includes the primary subsystems of society, for example, economic, cultural, spiritual, political and social.

• The economic subsystem implies the regulation of human relations in solving issues such as production, distribution, use or exchange of material goods. It must solve 3 problems: what to produce, how and for whom. If one of the tasks is not met, then the entire economy of the country collapses. Because environment and the needs of the population are constantly changing, the economic system must adapt to them in order to satisfy the material interests of the entire society. The higher the standard of living of the population, the more needs it has, which means that the economy of a given society functions better.
• The political subsystem is associated with the organization, establishment, work and change of power. Its main element is the social structure of the state, namely its legal institutions, such as courts, prosecutors, electoral bodies, arbitration and others. The main function of the political subsystem is to ensure social order and stability in the country, as well as to quickly resolve the vital problems of society.
• The social (public) subsystem is responsible for the prosperity and well-being of the population as a whole, regulating the relationship between its various classes and strata. This includes health care, public transportation, utilities and consumer services.
• The cultural and spiritual subsystem is engaged in the creation, development, dissemination and preservation of cultural, traditional and moral values. Its elements include science, arts, upbringing, education, morality and literature. Its main responsibilities are the education of young people, the transfer of the spiritual values ​​of the people to the new generation, and the enrichment of the cultural life of people.

Thus, the social system is the fundamental part of any society, which is responsible for the equitable development, prosperity and safety of its members.

Social structure and its levels

Each country has its own territorial divisions, but in most of them they are approximately the same. In modern society, the levels of social structure are divided into 5 zones:

1. State. She is responsible for making decisions concerning the country as a whole, its development, security and international situation.
2. Regional social space. Refers to each region separately, taking into account its climatic, economic and cultural characteristics. It can be independent, or it can depend on the higher state zone in matters of subsidies or budget redistribution.
3. A territorial zone is a small subject of regional space that has the right to elections to local councils, to form and use its own budget, to address issues and tasks at the local level.
4. Corporate zone. It is possible only in a market economy and is represented by farms that conduct their labor activity with the formation of a budget and a local government body, for example, shareholders. It is subject to territorial or regional zones according to the laws formed at the state level.
5. Individual level. Although it is located at the bottom of the pyramid, it is its basis, since it implies the personal interests of a person, which are always above the public. The needs of an individual can have a wide range of desires - from a guaranteed decent salary to self-expression.

Thus, the formation of a social structure is always based on the elements and levels of its components.

Changes in the structure of society

Each time countries moved to a new level of development, their structure changed. For example, the change in the social structure of society during the time of serfdom was associated with the development of industry and the growth of cities. Many serfs went to work in factories, passing into the class of workers.

Today, similar changes concern wages and labor productivity. If even 100 years ago physical labor was paid higher than mental labor, today the opposite is true. For example, a programmer can earn more than a highly skilled worker.