Emile Durkheim- organic solidarity
As Durkheim stated, the modernizing of society is attributed to the transition from mechanic to organic solidarity. With our society becoming more advanced as well as populated, the movement of solidarity is directly affected by the density of the population. Coming with this increased population is increased competition. Thus the common consciousness breaks apart as competition gets steeper and the Division of Labour takes its affect on society, which means we become more dependant on members of society. Traditionally, people lived in a society of mechanical solidarity. But as the world becomes more technologically advanced, the transition sets in, and people change from being independent to dependant on each other, with increased individualism. Take this example from early economist, Adam Smith. "Adam Smith, suggested that without any help one worker could produce only ten pins in one day. However, in a pin factory where each worker performs only one task, ten workers using the division of la
This is what working has become, the boss depends on the manager to do his job, the manager depends on the floor workers to do their job and the floor workers depend on the machinery to work, so they can do their job. This is a perfect example of the transition. Why have one employee make 10 pins, when you can have 10 employees make 48,000 pins as we saw in the Adam Smith example. Output per person rose from 10 to 4800 when the division of labour principle was used. As the world continued to grow you would see this solidarity taking place in industrialized areas. bour principle, could produce a daily total of 48 000 pins. It would become the conscience collective, but modified. That is why the transition from the traditional form of mechanical solidarity (independent and not relying on others) to Organic Solidarity (dependant on everyone else for a smooth continuing society) takes affect with the continuous increase in the division of labour. It is characterized by a cooperation, which is automatically produced through the pursuit by each individual of his own interests. This process moves away from an independent society of workers who work by themselves and know all the methods, but produce much less (mechanical solidarity). But, from another point of view, they depend more on one another than in a colony, since they cannot separate without perishing" (Durkheim, 192). Thus moving into a method that breaks down the tasks and gives them to a series of workers who all do their simple role while by being dependant upon their coworkers to do their role as well (Organic Solidarity). "Social harmony comes essentially from the division of labor. Each person knows how to do only what they are told to do, and combined, each employee together forms that best means of production as expressed in the Adam Smith example. So as this world becomes more advanced and the division of labour increases, co-operation and dependence with one another is a must.
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