Durkheim followed one central question during his writings, namely the search for the “bonds which unite men one with another” (Durkheim, 1888: 257). Especially Durkheim’s early works are concerned in this respect with the forms of ‘solidarité’ that are specific for pre-industrial or lower societies in contrast to the ongoing industrialised or organised kind of community.
In the ‘Division of Labour’, Durkheim arrives at a rather pessimistic account of modern, industrial society: although under ‘normal circumstances’ the division of labour leads to a harmonious society bound together by solidarity, our current form of industrial organisation is in an “appaling crisis” (ibd.: 339) composed of “organs that still clash discordantly together” (ibd.: 340).
It is this account Durkheim gives of solidarity in the modern society that can be criticised substantially. The following essay will therefore consist of an analysis of his line of thought that leads him from early societies bound together by what he calls ‘mechanical solidarity’ based on similarities, to the notion of ‘organic solidarity’ in the ‘contractual society’. Especially his optimistic, evolutionary account of the development of solidarity, his use of empirical data and finally his idealised notion of society are possible points of doubt as will be shown.
The concluding remarks will lift Durkheim’s analysis from the early 20th Century to a contemporary account trying to extend it with Foucault’s ‘penal society’.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Concepts of Mechanical and Organic Solidarity
3. Critique of Durkheim’s Account of Organic Solidarity
3.1 Negative Effects of Interdependencies
3.2 Methodological Critique
4. The Abnormal Forms of the Division of Labour
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay provides a critical assessment of Émile Durkheim’s theory of organic solidarity within a "contractual" society, examining the transition from pre-industrial mechanical solidarity to modern industrial forms, while questioning the idealism and methodological approach inherent in his work.
- Evolution of social solidarity from mechanical to organic forms.
- Critique of the "contractual society" and its reliance on interdependencies.
- Evaluation of Durkheim’s empirical method concerning legal codes.
- Analysis of the "abnormal forms" of the division of labour.
- Comparative perspective integrating Foucault’s concept of a "disciplinary society".
Excerpt from the Book
The Abnormal Forms of the Division of Labour
Anomie, the first type, is caused by the absence of “regulation” and an “indeterminacy” between capital and labour leading to “disintegration” on the personal and “industrial and commercial crises” on the systemic level. The second abnormal form, the forced division, is linked to “external inequality”. When “distribution of social functions […] no longer corresponds, to the distribution of natural abilities” or where “services we exchange are [not] equivalent in social value” due to inequalities of the parties, the necessary “spontaneity” is lost and “only an imperfect, troubled form of solidarity can exist”.
The third, uncoordinated division causes problems “where every employee has not enough work to occupy himself” results in “activities […] badly co-ordinated”, here “solidarity relaxes its hold, and incoherency and disorder appear”. In sum, according to Durkheim, the three ‘abnormal forms’ of the division of labour cause solidarity to decrease and crises to appear. It is this negative account of the abnormal forms of the ‘contractual society’, that is Durkheim’s critique of the actually existing industrial society.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the core inquiry into the bonds of solidarity in modern society and introduces the critical stance towards Durkheim’s evolutionary account.
Concepts of Mechanical and Organic Solidarity: Defines the transition from "mechanical solidarity" based on resemblance and collective consciousness to "organic solidarity" rooted in the division of labour and interdependencies.
Critique of Durkheim’s Account of Organic Solidarity: Examines the potential negative consequences of modern interdependencies and challenges the validity of Durkheim’s empirical reliance on legal history.
The Abnormal Forms of the Division of Labour: Describes Durkheim’s identification of anomic, forced, and uncoordinated division of labour as the primary causes of social illness in industrial society.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the critique, highlighting the potential naivety of Durkheim’s idealised "normal" society and suggesting an extension of the discourse using Foucault’s disciplinary framework.
Keywords
Émile Durkheim, Mechanical Solidarity, Organic Solidarity, Division of Labour, Contractual Society, Anomie, Collective Consciousness, Social Bonds, Industrial Society, Legal Codes, Restitutory Law, Interdependence, Michel Foucault, Disciplinary Society
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this essay?
The essay explores Émile Durkheim’s theories on social cohesion, specifically focusing on the transition from mechanical to organic solidarity in modern, industrial societies.
What are the central themes discussed in the paper?
The central themes include the division of labour, the nature of "contractual" society, the role of collective consciousness, and the pathological "abnormal" forms of social organization.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to provide a critical assessment of Durkheim’s optimistic evolutionary account of solidarity and to question the empirical and theoretical foundations of his "contractual" model.
Which scientific methodology does Durkheim employ?
Durkheim primarily uses an empirical examination of legal codes—distinguishing between repressive (penal) and restitutory law—as objective indices for measuring the dominant form of social solidarity.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main sections cover the definition of solidarity types, a critique of the dependencies created by the division of labour, and an analysis of the three abnormal forms: anomie, forced division, and uncoordinated division.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Organic Solidarity, Division of Labour, Anomie, Contractual Society, and Collective Consciousness.
How does Durkheim define the "normal" form of modern society?
Durkheim envisions a "normal" society as one characterized by political market regulation, external equality in contracts, and systematic coordination, which the author notes resembles a planned economy rather than contemporary reality.
How is Foucault’s work used as a counter-perspective?
Foucault is introduced to argue that relationships in modern society are defined by internalised "disciplines" and "infra-laws" rather than the legal contracts emphasized by Durkheim.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Johannes Lenhard (Autor:in), 2011, A Critical Account of Durkheim's Concept of Organic Solidarity, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/182786
