Sudhir KumarAIR 42 · CSE 2017 · 237 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening
Emile Durkheim gives an empirical understanding of division of labour through his concepts of 'mechanical solidarity' and 'organic solidarity'.
He sees division of labour as a social fact and explains it with help of his concepts of collective consciousness and solidarity.
Durkheim defines 'anomie' as a situation of mismatch caused by rapid social change. It is highlighted by lack of integration and/or regulation.
Body · points and prose
Mechanical solidarity
Durkheim does historical comparisons of solidarity in primitive and modern societies to explain functionality of division of labour. In primitive society, everyone does same work, thus solidarity is result of 'sameness', everyone is independent, but highly integrated due to doing same type of work. This is functional for society as it leads to high collective consciousness leading to harmony, solidarity.
Organic solidarity
In modern society, where division of labour is specific and complex; solidarity is result of inter-dependence, because everyone does different work. Though collective consciousness is lower, but organic solidarity brings harmony, stability in society.
This is the functional role of division of labour
Division of labour as anomic for society.
Close
In times of rapid social change, when society's regulation is let loose and when new regulations of society are not yet made to deal with these changes, division of labour can be anomic. It may lead to people showing deviant behaviour and not helping each other, thus breaking the very thread of society, that holds it together.